Pepsico to partner with farmers for expansion in India

{image-Indra Nooyi_22122007.jpg news.oneindia.in}
Chennai, Dec 22: Softdrinks major Pepsico plans to expand its operations in juice concentrate and other products in India by engaging farmers in a 'symbiotic contract farm production'.

Talking to newspersons here today, Pepsico CEO Indra K Nooyi said the company would also collaborate with various state governments to take up echo-friendly measures, including solid waste management, rural sanitation and supply of clean drinking water. "Since there is a huge market in India, we will be launching a series of products by next year," she said.

"We will buy vegetables from the farmers. Currently, we buy 50 per cent vegetables especially potato for our 'Lays' product." "Fruit juices and fruit-based drinks hold great potential for development. Besides adding variants to our 'Tropicana' brand, we are planning to create flavours, relevant to 'Indian taste buds'." "We also plan to extend our citrus programme to other states," she said.

The company also planned to launch certain healthy and wellness-oriented drinks that would be high on the nutrition count.

She said "apart from our fruit juice business in India, we have carefully chosen three important areas on which we would focus our environment sustainability efforts--'Converting waste to wealth', 'replenishing in world's most precious resource - water' and 'partnering with farmers'."

UNI