Our actions

PepsiCo’s External Innovation (XI) team, part of the company’s Global Research & Development (R&D) organization, actively scouts, identifies and develops strategic partnerships with external collaborators. The goal is to locate key external insights, business models, technical unlocks, and new capabilities that, when partnered with our robust R&D expertise, will yield disruptive innovation in our core products and create new and emerging products. We are currently exploring novel technologies that have the potential to dramatically impact our convenient foods and beverage portfolio. We are interested in improving all facets of our value chain — from raw material inputs all the way to the consumer experience — and identifying global efficiencies in areas including crop science, ingredients, processing, packaging, equipment, distribution/fleet, retail, and eCommerce. Some examples of partnerships forged from the work done by XI are:

• Our partnership with Danimer Scientific (NYSE: DNMR), which has led to promising research and testing of 100% industrially compostable thin-film plant-based packaging for snack products. We expect insights gained from this research to help us further develop packaging that will compost or biodegrade under a wide range of conditions.
• Our membership in the NaturALL Bottle Alliance, a research consortium started in 2017 to develop bio-based packaging made with 100% sustainable and renewable resources. By using biomass feedstocks, such as previously used cardboard and sawdust, the packaging does not divert resources or land from food production for human or animal consumption and reduces the packaging carbon footprint. Bringing together the expertise and resources of major industry players is expected to make 100% renewable and recyclable PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic at commercial scale a reality.

PepsiCo’s Open Innovation Portal allows potential partners to submit proposals for novel technology solutions against current needs presented by our R&D teams. To view PepsiCo’s current needs, please click here.