Eugene Willemsen, CEO of PepsiCo International Beverages, joins Chris Manzini, PepsiCo Head of Global Communications, for a conversation about the consumer trends, innovation and partnerships that are helping drive the international beverage business.
They explore new products, including Pepsi Extra Fizz, discuss the importance of platforms in energy and hydration, as well as how PepsiCo is connecting with consumers around the world through culture with partnerships like Formula One.
PepsiCo’s new video series “Food for Thought,” brings audiences into candid conversations with the leaders shaping the company’s future. Check out more episodes of the series here.
CHRIS MANZINI: Hi everyone, and welcome to a new episode of “Food for Thought.” I'm Chris Manzini and today I'm joined by Eugene Willemsen, CEO of PepsiCo International Beverages. We're going to talk about the growth behind the business from innovation and global consumer trends to partnerships and brand moments like Formula One. Let's get into it. Is there a recent launch or consumer moment that you're really proud of, or you think is really exciting that you want to tell people about?
EUGENE WILLEMSEN: I mean, there's so many things that I'm super proud of, Chris, that we probably could be talking for hours here, but let me share with you one other example, which is actually the one that I have here in front of me. So it's Pepsi Treats. And this is the latest edition of Pepsi Treats. Pepsi Treats is blurring the world of soft drinks with the world of indulgence.
And we launched it last year in the UK. We've now rolled it out across more European markets. We've also launched it in Thailand. Pepsi Treats for us is going to be another big platform with a lot of opportunities.
CHRIS MANZINI: You're also doing things beyond our core, right? Yes. What are some of the functional solutions that people are looking for in beverages in different parts of the world, and how are we thinking about that?
EUGENE WILLEMSEN: Two big demand spaces are fuel, which is energy, and hydration. By now, Sting is the number three energy drink in international markets. But, of course, we don't want to stop there. We want to make it the number one energy drink across all international markets. In hydration we have Gatorade, which is performance hydration. We launched Propel most recently in China.
CHRIS MANZINI: So, let's shift gears just a little bit. Do you want to talk to us a little bit about, you know, how we use these big cultural platforms to connect with consumers? You know, Formula One is a big one. Music is another category.
EUGENE WILLEMSEN: Pepsi always has been part of culture, but in many instances actually has been shaping culture. And I think that is obviously a legacy that we want to continue in International Beverages. Now, you also mentioned Formula One, and I'm very proud actually, that we were able to sign up Formula One.
It is a platform that today has more than a billion and a half fans across the world. It's growing rapidly. It gives us a great way to activate a couple of our brands with Sting, Gatorade and Doritos. I don't know if you ever noticed, but Sting and the sound of Sting always has been in Formula One. But then also Gatorade is partnering with Formula One and with the Mercedes team. And I don't know if you noticed, but ever since Mercedes signed up with us and signed up with Gatorade, they have been winning pretty much every single race. It cannot be a coincidence.
CHRIS MANZINI: Let's actually talk a little bit about occasions and how you're growing in terms of markets or consumers, what are some of the things that teams are focused on?
EUGENE WILLEMSEN: So one of the things that we're now rolling out across the world is Pepsi Extra Fizz. We're leveraging a proprietary technology that encapsulates the bubbles in our Pepsi longer. And with that, actually, our Pepsi tastes even better, is also more refreshing. And guess what? It even goes better with meals. Think about the opportunity that we have to get into more meal occasions every single day.
CHRIS MANZINI: That's amazing. Eugene, thanks for spending some time with us. It’s great to get to know you a little bit better and know the IB business a little bit more. I look forward to continuing the conversation.
EUGENE WILLEMSEN: Amazing. So do I. Thank you. Thanks for the opportunity. Cheers, guys.