PepsiCo South Africa (SA) is a leading food and beverage company with a rich heritage and a diverse portfolio of iconic brands including White Star, SASKO, Simba, Lay’s, Bokomo, Weet-Bix, Liqui Fruit, Future Life and Spekko. Since entering the South African market in 1997 (operating as SImba), PepsiCo has solidified its commitment to the region’s economy and communities. Meanwhile the acquisition of Pioneer Foods completed in March of 2020 is one of the largest deals made by PepsiCo outside of the US.
Guiding PepsiCo is the vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with PepsiCo Positive, always and everywhere. PepsiCo Positive is the strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the centre of how the company will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. In South Africa, you will find our products across the country at breakfast, lunch or dinner. At the gym or on the field. In the office or on the go. We refresh, restore and rejuvenate our consumers all day, every day with our key brands.
The company operates over 39 production facilities, including mills, bakeries, snack, and beverage plants, and maintains approximately 70 distribution and warehouse centres across the country. Employing over 11,000 South Africans, PepsiCo’s operations span five key categories:
- Bakeries: Home to brands like SASKO, producing bread, specialty bread, rolls, and buns
- Grains: Featuring maize legumes and rice products under brands such as White Star, Imbo and Spekko
- Foods: Including cereals, sauces, spreads, and baking products from brands like Bokomo and Wellington’s
- Snacks: Producing a range of salty snacks, potato chips, and extruded products under brands like Simba, Lay’s, Doritos and NikNaks. In addition, the snacks portfolio includes dried fruits and nuts through its Safari brand
- Juice and beverages: Providing long-life fruit juices and other beverages through brands such as LiquiFruit, Fruitree and Ceres (export only)
PepsiCo SA is dedicated to sustainable growth and community development, aligning with the global strategy, mapped within three pillars – positive agriculture, positive value chains and positive choices. The company’s recent investments, including a R746 million expansion of the Isando plant and the implementation of renewable energy solutions, underscore its commitment to innovation and environmental stewardship.
PepsiCo South Africa’s Isando facility represents the cutting edge of South Africa’s snacks manufacturing landscape. With a recent investment of R746 million in its new PC50 Flex line, the plant has increased its potato chip capacity by 29%, added 103 direct jobs, and created over 2,000 indirect opportunities through local SMMEs. The factory is also a beacon of sustainable innovation, boasting an on-site anaerobic digestion plant that converts waste into biogas – producing up to 30% of the site’s peak energy demand. As the manufacturing hub for iconic brands like Lay’s, Simba, NikNaks, and Doritos, Isando exemplifies PepsiCo’s commitment to world-class production, environmental stewardship, and local economic empowerment.
The facility also reflects PepsiCo’s broader transformation agenda, with 100% water replenishment achieved in 2023, and 2024 – two years ahead of schedule, and achiving zero waste to landfill since 2022. These milestones, alongside improved productivity and quality standards, position Isando as a benchmark for future-fit food manufacturing on the continent.
