Global food and beverages giant PepsiCo will invest 200 million dollars in India in enhancing manufacturing, products and agricultural activities to increase its footprint in the country.
“... investing in products, manufacturing plants, agriculture,” PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi told news channel NDTV when asked about details of the company’s planned investment of 200 million dollars in India.
“All investment will increase our footprint and bring technology from the world over to enhance agriculture, the country and the community,” she added.
She said PepsiCo is a big agricultural company, be it growing potatoes or citrus in Punjab, Maharashtra, or Madhya Pradesh and the firm is working to increase yields and provide sustainable produces for farmers.
“We are introducing new technology for agriculture like direct seeding in paddy crops,” she added.
Commenting on investment on manufacturing, Nooyi said: “We are expanding manufacturing footprint in Kolkata.”
In 2009, PepsiCo had bought 4 acres more for its existing 10-acre plant in Sankrail, West Bengal, where it makes ‘Lays’ and ‘Kurkure’ snacks. It had planned to make the plant it’s largest in India with a production capacity of 50,000 tonnes a year by 2011, up from 20,000-25,000 tonnes a year then.
Pepsico had last year said it will invest around Rs. 1,000 crore (200 million dollars) in the next three years and has also got the approval of the government for the purpose.
When asked about the future investments, Nooyi said, “We will only announce investments when we finish the pending ones...”
She, however, declined to comment on the queries related to acquisitions in India.
When asked about the company’s investments in India compare to those in China, Nooyi said that the company is more serious about New Delhi.
“...am serious about India. China is a big, promising country but complex,” she said.
On the prospects of the company in the next five years, she said, “PepsiCo will remain one of the greatest if not the greatest food and beverage company in the world, that’s my hope.”
