Innovation and growth
"Today we published our PepsiCo UK Health Report - both a review of work to date on health, and a series of commitments for the short, medium and long-term. As the project sponsor I'm left with two overwhelming emotions - excitement, but also a little anxiety.
22 March 2010
Excitement because we are trying to chart a stretching course for our business. Its brave, its public, and it promises real progress and change. It gives everyone across the business a clear sense of direction, and a clear Purpose. The type of creativity towards helping to solve societies' problems that our global CEO Indra has unleashed across the business. We need to find a way to make great crisps without frying them - and with wholegrain or fibre. Longer-term we need to find all-natural sweeteners for our soft drinks.
But there's also a bit of anxiety. My research and development team now bears a huge responsibility. We need to stepchange our development of the ingredients, the technologies, the cooking techniques and the flavours and textures to deliver both great taste and credible nutrition. We need to supply a pipeline of products for our great marketers and sales teams to then commercialise and take to consumers. The good news is that I already have a team stuffed with talented and passionate people. People who come to work every day keen to make a difference - to find a new way to lower salt in our crisps. Or, for that matter, to develop a biodegradable packet. I know they'll respond to the challenge.
I suspect we've just climbed aboard a rollercoaster. There will be ups and downs. But I hope to be able to share progress with you soon."
Rob Hargrove
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