PepsiCo and Frito-Lay: A Salty Combination?

In April 2018, Indra Nooyi, CEO and Chair of the Board of PepsiCo, was asked if the company should keep its snacks and beverages businesses together. PepsiCo was doing well in general. Its 2017 annualized dividend per share had increased by 50 percent, and it returned $38 billion to shareholders. However, the company's report for the quarter told a familiar story. Revenues for its snacks division, Frito Lay North America, grew by 3 percent, while revenues for its North American Beverages division fell by 1 percent. Were snacks and beverages actually better together, or would a separation allow each business to maximize its potential? Nooyi's response reflected the strong conviction among PepsiCo's leadership that keeping them together created synergies that made the company more valuable than the sum of its parts. Many investors, however, were just as convinced that PepsiCo would be more efficient and profitable as two pure play companies. This case provides background on the company and the snacks and beverage markets while asking students to consider Pepsico's best strategy for future growth.