PepsiCo, a major global food and beverage producer, expresses optimism regarding India, aiming for the country to be included in the list of ten largest global markets in the coming years. This expectation is based on growing consumption potential and increasing production presence in the country.
The company's CEO for India and South Asia, Jagrute Kotecha, stated on Thursday that the company remains 'very optimistic' about India's growth potential. He noted that investments of approximately 570 billion rupees are planned by 2030 to expand capacities and strengthen regional presence.
As part of its expansion, PepsiCo opened its fifth manufacturing facility in Nalbari, Assam, on Thursday, investing 77.8 billion rupees in it. Earlier this year, the company launched a concentrate production plant in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, and plans to open a factory in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, to strengthen its presence in South India.
Responding to a PTI query about India's possible inclusion in the top 10 markets, Kotecha confirmed that this aligns with the company's vision. PepsiCo believes in India's potential in both the food and beverage segments, where the New York-headquartered company operates. He added that the low per capita consumption of packaged goods compared to other markets is one reason for this optimism.
India is among PepsiCo's 13 key markets globally. In 2025, PepsiCo India's turnover reached 978.9 billion rupees. The bottling business is operated by franchise partner Varun Beverages, whose own revenue (mainly from India) reached 150.707 billion rupees.
The company emphasized that its approach to operating in India will not be uniform, as it will take into account regional tastes and preferences, working across '7 or 9 geographical regions of India' depending on taste profiles. Kotecha stated that all efforts are directed towards producing 'in India, for India, by Indians, for the Indian consumer.'
Regarding export opportunities, the focus will remain on the domestic market, which has great potential, although some supplies will continue to neighboring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka. Kotecha clarified that the entire capacity, including the concentrate plant in Ujjain and the food plant, is intended for India.
The new 44.2-acre facility in Assam is the company's fifth food manufacturing site in the country. It supports the 'Progress Partnership' and 'In India, for India' commitments. The Nalbari plant created 700 direct and indirect jobs and, according to PepsiCo, is expected to accelerate the growth of local SMEs and related industries, while supporting over 5,000 farmers through potato demand in the coming years.