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Consumers increasingly expect everyday foods and beverages to deliver functional benefits. How is PepsiCo R&D redefining the role of function in familiar categories like hydration, energy and nutrition?

I love that we’re bringing function not just to the fringes of our portfolio, but right into the core. Whether it’s innovating in Gatorade with a deep understanding of biology or introducing prebiotics into Pepsi, we’re giving people more from the products they already enjoy. As we listen more closely to consumers, we’re able to transform our core brands and build a pipeline that delivers what they need today and tomorrow.

You’ve said that science is a bridge between categories. Can you share an example of how scientific insights have inspired cross‑functional innovation that wouldn’t have been possible a few years ago?

We’re seeing what’s possible when we bring the best science across our food and beverage organization. Prebiotics are a great example. As we deepen our understanding of pre-, pro- and postbiotics, we can identify which prebiotics drive the most beneficial postbiotics and share that learning across teams.

The same applies to advances in milk processing, from concentration to ultrafiltration, allowing us to deliver more of the right types of protein for both building and maintaining muscle. We can apply those insights across categories, from reinventing Muscle Milk to adding a touch of extra protein to Doritos.

The more cutting-edge our science becomes, the more valuable it is across the organization. You’re seeing early signs of this in our 2026 launches, with a truly game-changing wave coming in 2027 and beyond.

Functional ingredients are evolving fast. How do you balance adopting new science with protecting the taste and identity consumers love about iconic brands?

We sometimes assume that being iconic means staying the same, but icons evolve. Think of musicians who reinvent themselves to stay relevant. Brands are the same.

Pepsi’s roots are in digestion support, so bringing modern functional benefits to the brand is actually very authentic. Our work with Lay’s last year is another great example — stripping back to simple ingredients and leaning into what the brand has always stood for.

When we innovate on our core, we do it in a way that stays true to brand equity while incorporating new science and functionality. That’s what keeps these brands evergreen.

When modernizing a heritage brand, what does collaboration look like between R&D, Marketing and Insights to ensure innovation aligns with both biological needs and cultural relevance?

It starts with looking beyond surface‑level consumer demands. We combine scientific insights with human insights to understand what people truly need — not just within a single category, but across their whole day.

This drives deeper collaboration at the strategic level, not just during product ideation. When we build strategy together, scientific insights shape human insights, which inform consumer insights, which ultimately guide product technologies and recipes.

That depth of collaboration is what enables us to create innovations that are both differentiated and genuinely loved.

Looking ahead, what scientific advancements or consumer behaviors will have the biggest impact on the next generation of functional food and beverage innovation?

In R&D, we say that if we’re not five years ahead, we’re already behind — and the same is true for Insights.

Consumers increasingly want to take control of their health without compromising on taste or convenience. This will drive at least a decade of innovation, becoming more personalized and more deeply integrated with science.

Fiber and protein continue to be important, with many people not getting enough of either consistently throughout the day. But beyond that, emerging science is opening new spaces that help people feel younger as they age.

Whether we’re drawing on new breakthroughs or large bodies of existing evidence, all of it fuels a powerful pipeline that will transform our core brands through 2030 and beyond.