Chris Manzini: Hi everyone, and welcome back to another episode of “Food for Thought.” Today I'm joined with Anne Tse, CEO of Asia Pacific Foods to talk about how we're connecting with consumers across one of the world's most dynamic regions. We'll explore how local insights and culture-led innovation are driving growth and brand building across APAC. Let's dive in. I know we have a China for China approach in terms of product innovation. Can you talk to us a little bit about how we do that and how our products might look different, or what parts of culture we tap into?
Anne Tse: Sure. And I brought some of them with me. Food is a very local thing, right? But the brands are very global. Our brand experience is also very global, and certainly PepsiCo is very global. So, you know, once while we are in APAC, you know, staying very close to the consumer, but also bring the global scale of the company. That's where the two meet. Lay's represents an unmistakable joy. And how is that expressed in local culture? The flavors are very different. We have a lot more Eastern flavors. Quaker Oats, it's arguably a Western product to begin with, but once we bring it to China, we really use it as a carrier for a lot of Eastern culinary wisdom. So, like the product that I have in front of me, this is a smoothie, but it is, you know, using a very interesting cooking method, which is fermentation.
Chris Manzini: I know the last time I was visiting your market, I brought back some Quaker congee and my kids love it.
Anne Tse: One of my favorites, too.
Chris Manzini: What about some of the big campaigns for markets that are activating
across the countries of the region?
Anne Tse: In Asia, people like going out on the street and they enjoy the away-from-home moments. So what we also do is to really drive away-from-home as moments, also, as a point of engagement. They are also driving a lot of discovery-based experience. So you know about the Shanghai restaurant that we just recently opened. We also bring the consumers to our farms because they like the outdoor, nature, is a very big part of the passion point. So we bring them out to our farms to be part of our harvesting season.
Chris Manzini: That's an idea that is replicable in so many places. I think you use social platforms in a different way as well, right?
Anne Tse: Folks who come to our Hangzhou office, one whole floor is actually live streaming rooms.
Chris Manzini: Amazing.
Anne Tse: We have live streamers talking to consumers, interacting all real time. And then you have data dashboards looking at like the real time data in terms of traffic conversion, consumer comments.
Chris Manzini: Probably what we see there is what we'll see across, in other parts of the world at some point soon. It sounds like a lot of opportunity and a prize to be had. So really appreciate you spending time with us today.
Anne Tse: Of course.
Chris Manzini: Thank you.