PepsiCo has inaugurated a new snacks plant in Saudi Arabia.
The facility, which is situated in Dammam, is the company’s 15th manufacturing plant in the Middle East.
The site is expected to create in the region of 300 jobs and will be used to produce a range of PepsiCo snacks, including Lays Forno.
“The Middle East is a dynamic food and beverage market and a critical engine of growth for PepsiCo,” said the company’s chairman and CEO, Indra Nooyi.
“Over the years, PepsiCo and Saudi Arabia have prospered together and the investment in this plant is testament to our belief in PepsiCo’s bright future in this country and the wider region,” she added.
At 55,000m2, the Dammam plant will significantly enhance PepsiCo’s production capabilities within the Kingdom. The facility was built in accordance with criteria outlined by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building standards.
“The plant will be a critical hub for our company, bringing some of PepsiCo’s best-loved snacks and newest innovations to Saudi Arabia and markets throughout the region,” commented Nooyi.
PepsiCo says that the Middle East represents a key component of its overall plan to drive growth in developing and emerging markets, which accounted for 35% of the firm’s net revenue in 2013.