OREANDA-NEWS. July 24, 2015. Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) and PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE: PEP) today announced they have entered into an agreement for the marketing, sale and distribution of Starbucks® ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee and energy beverages including Starbucks® Frappuccino® chilled coffee drinks, Starbucks Double Shot® Espresso and Cream, and Starbucks Refreshers® beverages in Latin America. The RTD coffee and energy beverage category in Latin America is an estimated US\\$4 billion business and is projected to grow by 22% over the next five years.*

The agreement leverages the respective strengths of Starbucks and PepsiCo to bring a carefully selected portfolio of Starbucks® RTD coffee and energy beverages to consumers in Latin America unlocking new market opportunities for each company. Starbucks will provide coffee expertise and PepsiCo will sell and distribute Starbucks® RTD coffee and energy beverages leveraging its expansive network and experience across the region. Together, both companies will continue to market, innovate and further develop the brand in Latin America.  

In 2016, consumers in select markets in the Caribbean, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, and Uruguay will see a portfolio of Starbucks® RTD coffee beverages. Over time, the companies plan to expand to other markets in Latin America. 

“Our expansion throughout Latin America in 2016 enables us to deliver high-quality Starbucks coffee in a convenient ready-to-drink format to our customers where they live, work and play,” said Michael Conway, president, Global Channel Development at Starbucks. “PepsiCo’s sales expertise and distribution network makes them the ideal company to work with to unlock the Latin American ready-to-drink market and accelerate local demand for Starbucks.” 

“The North American Coffee Partnership is arguably one of the most successful joint ventures in the beverage industry, and with this new agreement, we bring more than 20 years of partnership success to a region where coffee is part of the culture,” said Laxman Narasimhan, CEO of PepsiCo Latin America. “Together, our highly talented and passionate teams will expand upon the vision set decades ago to create a new blueprint for continued growth in Latin America.” 

Starbucks relationship with PepsiCo began more than 20 years ago when the two companies formed the North American Coffee Partnership (NACP), a joint venture that built the RTD coffee category in the U.S. The NACP now has approximately 97 percent market share** in RTD coffee, and the RTD coffee category is one of the fastest growing liquid refreshment beverage categories in the U.S.

The NACP has grown to more than a \\$1.5 billion retail business***, in terms of annual retail sales as of June 14, 2015. What began with the launch of Starbucks Frappuccino® chilled coffee drinks, now includes a diverse portfolio of coffee and energy beverages: Starbucks® Frappuccino®, Starbucks Double Shot®, Iced Coffee, Iced Espresso Classics ,and Starbucks Refreshers®. Starbucks and PepsiCo will leverage the scale and innovation of the NACP for this new Latin American agreement. 

Since launching its retail operations in Latin America in 2002, Starbucks retail presence has grown to more than 870 stores in 14 markets. Latin America is an important growing region for Starbucks coffee as it supplies more than half of the approximately 400 million pounds of high-quality arabica coffee that Starbucks purchases every year.

PepsiCo and its predecessors have been operating in Latin America for more than 100 years, and its beverages operations and franchises span across all countries within the region and in select markets throughout the Caribbean Islands.


*Based on 2014 Euromonitor results

**Based on IRI data as of 52 weeks ending June 14, 2015 Total US MULOC

***Based on IRI data as of 52 weeks ending June 14, 2015 Total US MULOC

About Starbucks

Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting high-quality arabica coffee. Today, with more than 21,000 stores around the globe, Starbucks is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit our stores or online at Starbucks.com and news.starbucks.com.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than \\$66 billion in net revenue in 2014, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than \\$1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth and shareholder value. In practice, Performance with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs; providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com

Starbucks Cautionary Statement

Certain statements contained herein are not based on historical fact and are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the applicable securities laws and regulations. Generally, these statements can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "feel," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "project," "should," "will," "would," and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These statements are based on information available to Starbucks as of the date hereof, and Starbucks actual results or performance could differ materially from those stated or implied, due to risks and uncertainties associated with its business. These risks and uncertainties include: fluctuations in U.S. and international economies and currencies, our ability to preserve, grow and leverage our brands, potential negative effects of material breaches of our information technology systems if any were to occur, costs associated with, and the successful execution of, the company’s initiatives and plans, including bringing Starbucks® RTD portfolio to Latin America,  the acceptance of the company’s products by our customers, including our RTD products in Latin America, the impact of competition, coffee, dairy and other raw material prices and availability, the effect of legal proceedings, and other risks detailed in the company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the “Risk Factors” section of Starbucks Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 28, 2014.  The company assumes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements.

PepsiCo Cautionary Statement

Statements in this communication that are "forward-looking statements" are based on currently available information, operating plans and projections about future events and trends. Terminology such as "aim," "anticipate," "believe," "drive," "estimate," "expect," "expressed confidence," "forecast," "future," "goals," "guidance," "intend," "may," "objectives," "outlook," "plan," "position," "potential," "project," "seek," "should," "strategy," "target," "will" or similar statements or variations of such terms are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such terms. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted in such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: changes in demand for PepsiCo's products, as a result of changes in consumer preferences or otherwise; changes in the legal and regulatory environment; imposition of new taxes, disagreements with tax authorities or additional tax liabilities; PepsiCo's ability to compete effectively; PepsiCo's ability to grow its business in developing and emerging markets or unstable political conditions, civil unrest or other developments and risks in the markets where PepsiCo's products are made, manufactured, distributed or sold; unfavorable economic conditions in the countries in which PepsiCo operates; increased costs, disruption of supply or shortages of raw materials and other supplies; failure to realize anticipated benefits from PepsiCo's productivity initiatives or global operating model; disruption of PepsiCo's supply chain; product contamination or tampering or issues or concerns with respect to product quality, safety and integrity; damage to PepsiCo's reputation or brand image; failure to successfully complete or integrate acquisitions and joint ventures into PepsiCo's existing operations or to complete or manage divestitures or refranchisings; PepsiCo's ability to hire or retain key employees or a highly skilled and diverse workforce; loss of any key customer or changes to the retail landscape; any downgrade or potential downgrade of PepsiCo's credit ratings; the ability to protect information systems against or effectively respond to a cybersecurity incident or other disruption; PepsiCo's ability to implement shared services or utilize information technology systems and networks effectively; fluctuations or other changes in exchange rates, including changes in currency exchange mechanisms or additional governmental actions in Venezuela; climate change, or legal, regulatory or market measures to address climate change; failure to successfully negotiate collective bargaining agreements or strikes or work stoppages; any infringement of or challenge to PepsiCo's intellectual property rights; potential liabilities and costs from litigation or legal proceedings; and other factors that may adversely affect the price of PepsiCo's common stock and financial performance.

For additional information on these and other factors that could cause PepsiCo's actual results to materially differ from those set forth herein, please see PepsiCo's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent annual report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. PepsiCo undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.