PepsiCo plans hub for healthy products

PepsiCo India will make its existing facility near Kolkata in the state of West Bengal a hub for making new products as it expands its portfolio of health and nutritious food products.

Set up in Sankrail, the hub has already seen an investment of more than US$100bn for the plant, cold storage and distribution infrastructure. The company has further doubled its installed capacity to 51,000 tonnes per annum.

The company is planning further investments, as it will soon receive an additional 1.7 acres of land from the West Bengal government.

It plans to source 30 per cent of its products from this plant, which currently manufactures snacks brands Lay's, Kurkure, Cheetos and Kurkure Desi Beats.

The company will also expand its farming footprint in West Bengal.

Currently, 8,500 farmers grow potatoes for PepsiCo but the manufacturer will soon expand its farming operation in the state to more than 10,000 farmers.