New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated PepsiCo India’s largest foods plant for production of potato chips in Mathura on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, After Coca-Cola, now PepsiCo took an exit route from Kerala due to labour issues with its franchise Varun Beverages Ltd approaching Labour Department with a mandatory closure notice.
PepsiCo’s largest greenfield investment
Set up with an investment of Rs 814 crore, the Kosi Kalan foods plant in Mathura marks PepsiCo’s largest greenfield investment in manufacturing in India. It is also the company’s first *‘Make and Move’ factory, which will cater to the growing demand for its potato chips brand. The state-of-the-art foods plant aligns with the Government of Uttar Pradesh’s industrialization-led growth agenda.
PepsiCo’s plant marks company’s single largest investment of Rs 814 cr in India
It is pertinent to note that as a result of the Uttar Pradesh government’s industry-friendly policies and reforms like labour regulation, single-window clearance, timely online approvals, and enhanced infrastructure including road and power, the food and beverages major PepsiCo India will be operationalizing it’s foods plant in less than two years.
Plant to create over 1,500 direct and indirect jobs
The plant will create over 1,500 direct and indirect job opportunities in the state. With a target of giving job opportunities to at least 30 percent women employees, the plant will also fulfil the government’s aim of providing equal opportunities to women in the state.
In addition, the Kosi Kalan plant will also give benefits to over 5,000 local farmers in Uttar Pradesh as PepsiCo India intends to source 1,50,000 tonnes of potatoes, its raw materials annually from the local sources in the state.
Since 1990, PepsiCo has been producing carbonated soft drinks and non-carbonated beverages in UP through franchisees.
These units are functioning in Greater Noida, Kosi, Satharia-Jaunpur, Kanpur Dehat and Hardoi. This is the first time that the company has set up a greenfield project in UP.
Earlier in 2004, Coca-Cola had winded up its operations at Plachimada in Palakkad owing to large scale protest from people over exploitation of groundwater.