Innovation watch: Natural clean energy drinks
Health conscious consumers don’t want sugar-laden, taurine energy drinks: but they still want a burst of energy to keep them powering through their day. How are brands providing that better-for-you buzz?
PepsiCo
PepsiCo lowers full-year guidance on Q3 2024 results, North American business continues volume declines
PepsiCo’s North American snack and beverage businesses continue to slow down in its third quarter of 2024, as the company adjusts its forecast from 4% organic revenue growth for the year to low single digits amid continued pressures but beats Wall Street...
Policymakers call on Coca-Cola, General Mills, PepsiCo to address pricing practices
Letters sent by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Madeleine Dean (D-Penn.) to the CEOs of Coca-Cola, General Mills and PepsiCo express concern over pricing and tax practices that, according to the policy makers, “squeeze profits out...
PepsiCo snaps up Siete Foods for $1.2bn
The acquisition of the Texas-based family-owned maker of Mexican-inspired snacks and foods marks a significant step for PepsiCo, aligning with its strategy to expand its health-conscious and multicultural offerings.
Coca-Cola & Bacardi to launch RTD cocktail as innovation heats up in the space
With Coca-Cola and Bacardi’s RTD cocktail announced for a 2025 launch, we take a look at some of the other big name partnerships between soft drink giants and beverage alcohol heavyweights in this space.
PepsiCo’s water stewardship includes converting steam from frying potato chips into drinkable water
When PepsiCo recently surpassed its goal of 25% improvement in operational water-use efficiency from a 2015 baseline in regions facing high water risks two years ahead of schedule it was not because the company hit a lucky home run, according to Bryan...
Forever young? PepsiCo China on how localisation and indulgence appeals to younger snack consumers
PepsiCo China has revealed its snacking strategies based on localisation and indulgence that have successfully captured and retained the interest of younger local consumers in the market.
PepsiCo struggles with slower US volumes in Q1 2024, challenges persist in beverage business
PepsiCo is sticking with its fiscal 2024 guidance, after releasing its first-quarter results yesterday, which showed fresh challenges for the food and beverage giant as volumes decreased across its core US businesses amid fierce competition and ongoing...
PepsiCo expands bubly brand with new flavor-forward bubly burst
On a trajectory to become one of PepsiCo’s next billion-dollar brands, bubly has been making a splash as a fun-loving sparkling water brand. New launch bubly burst is set to expand the brand’s appeal by tapping into a market of consumers looking for...
CAGNY 2024
PepsiCo builds out an ‘ecosystem of solutions,’ doubles down on positive choices
PepsiCo is expanding beyond snacks and beverages by going after more meal occasions and dayparts while continuing towards its nutrient goals outlined in its pep+ agenda, CEO Ramon Laguarta said at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference this week.
PepsiCo’s net revenues decline first time since 2020, impacted by pricing and Quaker Oats recall
PepsiCo’s net sales declined for the first time since the start of the COVID pandemic due to lower volumes as consumers pushed back against higher prices, and supply-chain issues, the company reported Friday in its fourth quarter and 2023 full-year results.
Rockstar Energy hops on functional mushroom trend with Focus launch
PespiCo’s flagship energy drink – Rockstar Energy – is out with a new functional mushroom-infused beverage line called Focus, designed to provide an energy and mental boost, Danielle Barbaro, VP of PepsiCo North America Beverages R&D, told FoodNavigator-USA.
Pepsi rolls out rebrand globally: with new look that’s ‘unapologetically current and undeniably Pepsi’
Having unveiled a new logo and visual identity system in the US last year, Pepsi is now rolling out its new look globally in a bid to appeal to younger consumers and help ‘shake up the cola category’.
Carrefour stops selling PepsiCo products over price increases
European supermarket giant Carrefour has stopped selling PepsiCo products in France, Belgium, Italy and Spain: citing 'unacceptable' price increases from the American drinks and snacks giant.
Rockstar Energy: The ‘anchor’ to PepsiCo’s energy-drink strategy
PepsiCo is using Rockstar Energy as the core of its energy-drink strategy, while leveraging its partnership with Celsius to tap into leading consumer trends, Fabiola Torres, GM & CMO, SVP Energy Category at PepsiCo, told FoodNavigator-USA.
Unexpected and bold: The iconic nacho cheese taste of Doritos imbued into a first-of-its-kind spirit
The Frito-Lay brand has collaborated with Danish flavour innovator Empirical to launch Doritos Nacho Cheese Spirit – a limited edition, multi-sensorial experience that really tastes like nacho cheese.
PepsiCo announces €39m expansion at Irish manufacturing facility
PepsiCo Ireland has announced a €39m ($41m) expansion of its manufacturing facilities at its site in Little Island, Co. Cork.
PepsiCo raises 2023 full-year earnings outlook on Q3 performance, Gatorade loses market share to PRIME
PepsiCo released its 2023 third quarter fiscal year report and beat Wall Street estimates, citing increased demand for smaller-sized snacks and healthier options, as the company faces challenges from PRIME in the sports drink category and anticipates...
‘You've got to do it as an evolution rather than a revolution’: PepsiCo on adapting sustainability in field and factory
For a big company such as PepsiCo, sustainability is not only complex, but also a multi-layered process. Tackling sustainability across different geographies, in both factories and in agriculture, and across scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, requires a...
Gatorade Water set to launch in 2024: promising to ‘bring the credibility and trust of the iconic Gatorade bolt to the water aisle’
With entrances into new categories including water and energy - alongside a string of recent low and no sugar products and even functional gummies - Gatorade says its portfolio is the ‘most complete offering on the market today across energy, hydration,...
PepsiCo hosts groundbreaking ceremony for new Colorado Springs distribution facility
PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA) held a ceremonial groundbreaking for its new 115,000-square-foot distribution facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado this week.
PepsiCo boosts manufacturing and R&D at Irish facility
PepsiCo is nearing completion of a €127m ($138m) investment at its Little Island manufacturing facility, which will create additional manufacturing capacity and further investment in its R&D campus.
PepsiCo talks HFSS renovation amid ‘positive nutrition’ boost
Just short of 18 months after the beverage-to-snacks giant launched its pep+ strategy, we check in to ask what nutritional progress has been made – and what is still left to do – for PepsiCo to meet its end-to-end objectives.
PepsiCo CEO signals softer approach on pricing for 2023, raises full-year guidance on improved productivity, elasticity
PepsiCo beat Wall Street expectations for its first quarter 2023 earnings due to strong margin growth while backing off potential future price increases to combat inflation and other supply chain issues, the company's Chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta...
PepsiCo debuts customer sustainability platform: ‘We're leveraging the shared scale of PepsiCo and our customers' businesses to maximize impact’
PepsiCo is launching ‘pep+ Partners for Tomorrow’, a new platform to help its customers achieve their sustainability goals. Programs range from those focusing on recyclable beverage containers and cups to regenerative agriculture.
PepsiCo launches ‘Greenhouse Accelerator Program: Juntos Crecemos Edition’ for Hispanic-owned brands
PepsiCo has launched its Greenhouse Accelerator Program: 'Juntos Crecemos Edition': the first-ever Hispanic edition, which will focus on driving growth of emerging Hispanic-owned food and beverage businesses.
Soda wars heat up: Pepsi rebrands iconic soda line with focus on zero sugar
In a further shake-up to PepsiCo's beverage line, the company rebranded its namesake product for the first time in 14 years as the competition with its rival Coca-Cola heats up in the zero-sugar soda space.
Better-for-you beverages at Positive Nutrition 2023: From collagen-infused water to prebiotic soda
From fortification to flavor, low-no alcohol and low-sugar, what are consumers looking for in better-for-you beverages? Join us at FoodNavigator’s Positive Nutrition Summit to find out.
PepsiCo leans on new flavors, double-digit marketing to enhance consumers’ value perception, justify price increases
Through a combination of new flavor and product launches, boosting advertising and marketing, and integrating purpose throughout the organization, PepsiCo expects to build on a strong fourth quarter and deliver upwards of 6% organic revenue growth in...
PepsiCo Beverages North America opens warehouse in Arizona
PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA) has opened a new 238,000 square foot warehousing facility in Goodyear, Arizona.
PepsiCo reformulates Pepsi Zero Sugar, replaces Sierra Mist with STARRY in New Year shake-up
To kick start 2023, PepsiCo this week freshened up its beverage line-up, unveiling a new formulation for Pepsi Zero Sugar and releasing STARRY, a lemon lime-flavored soda that is replacing Sierra Mist.
Layoffs in food industry mount as PepsiCo joins Coca-Cola, General Mills, Walmart and others in cost-savings and restructuring efforts
PepsiCo this week joins the ranks of food manufacturers, retailers and delivery companies laying off employees or offering buyouts to reduce their workforce and offset inflationary pressures even as the consumer packaged goods industry overall struggles...
PepsiCo to increase reusable beverage packaging
PepsiCo wants to see 20% of its beverages served via reusable models by 2030: highlighting the four approaches it will focus on to achieve this goal.
PepsiCo UK swaps out diesel for cooking oil in green logistics roll-out
The Quaker-to-Walkers manufacturer is rolling out new logistics initiatives, including replacing diesel with recycled Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil in trips from Cupar to Leicester.
'We’re capable of taking whatever pricing we need...' PepsiCo confidently raises prices as shoppers seek ‘small moments of pleasure’
PepsiCo continues to raise the prices of its snacks and beverages with confidence despite some handwringing by analysts about whether elasticities, which remain at historic lows, soon will begin to give as inflation continues to squeeze consumers across...
Australian beverage companies pledge to accelerate sugar reduction
Having already removed more than 16% of sugar from Australian portfolios since January 2015, a set of beverage giants (including Coca-Cola and PepsiCo) are now targeting a 25% reduction by 2025 - up from the previous target.
From regenerative ag to reformulation: A deep-dive into how PepsiCo is ‘reimagining the way food is grown, made and enjoyed’
Since the launch of its strategic ‘end-to-end’ transformation agenda, dubbed Pep+, the company has hit a number of milestones on topics ranging from regenerative agriculture to reformulation. FoodNavigator catches up with Katharina Stenholm, Chief...
Gatorade debuts Fast Twitch, the 'go-to energy drink option designed for athletes'
Gatorade is preparing for a massive 2023 rollout of energy drink brand Fast Twitch, designed for athletic performance with 200mg of caffeine, B vitamins, and electrolytes.
PepsiCo breaks ground on $260m DeKalb County manufacturing expansion
PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA) officially broke ground on a $260m expansion of its manufacturing facility in the City of Tucker this week.
PepsiCo invests in ‘category defining’ energy drink Celsius
PepsiCo is making a $550m investment in functional energy drink Celsius: further boosting its focus on the energy category and eying up a shared opportunity to drive growth and innovation in the sector.
Triple transformation? PepsiCo emphasises food security, healthier choices and packaging reinvention plans
Snacking giant PepsiCo has highlighted food security, healthier choices and packaging as major sustainability and business objectives in the Middle East and Asia.
PepsiCo wins appeal in Mtn Dew Rise Energy trademark challenge
PepsiCo’s Mtn Dew Energy is free to use the word ‘Rise’ with its drinks again, after a preliminary injunction was vacated.
PepsiCo to create its largest US beverage manufacturing facility in Denver
PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA) has announced plans to build its largest, most sustainable plant in the US in Denver.
PepsiCo braces for higher inflation, elasticity shift even as it beats sales expectations
Even though PepsiCo beat Wall Street expectations in its second quarter and saw organic revenue growth soar 13%, prompting it to bump-up its full-year revenue expectations, the beverage and snack giant stopped short of also raising its earnings per share...
PepsiCo makes progress on regenerative agriculture and nutrition commitments
PepsiCo has made progress in a number of areas of its business around regenerative agriculture and nutrition targets under its PepsiCo Positive (pep+) plan, the company's ESG program launched last year.
PepsiCo opens $8.5m warehouse and distribution facility in Georgia
PepsiCo Beverages North America has opened a new 172,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution facility in Commerce, GA.
Next-gen green progress: PepsiCo seeking novel F&B sustainability tech via Middle East accelerator
Global F&B giant PepsiCo is on the hunt for novel sustainability technology in the food and beverage sector to complement its business within the Middle Eastern region, with plans to look at other markets including Asia Pacific in the future as well.
PepsiCo more than doubles revenue growth with framework prioritizing sustainability
PepsiCo is already hitting notable milestones and reaping financial benefits from its ambitious pep+ plan announced last fall that places sustainability at the center of how the CPG giant says it will create value and drive growth, according to CEO Ramon...
Nitro Pepsi launches in the US: ‘We’re reimagining the cola category!’
Nitro Pepsi – which uses nitro tech to create a drink which departs from traditional soda in terms of look, taste and drinking experience – will launch in the US next month. “Much like how nitrogen has transformed the beer and coffee categories, we...
Coffee berry extract may boost alertness & mood: PepsiCo study
A single dose of an extracts from coffee berry – the outer layer of the coffee fruit and a rich source of polyphenols – may boost alertness in healthy men and women, with effects still observable six hours after consumption, says a new study.