Pepsi Plans Big Mexican Investment

Soda in Mexico is far sweeter than in the US. I remember we had a Sprite when we were in Guadalajara; it tasted as if it were almost all sugar.

PepsiCo Inc. plans to spend as much as $3 billion in Mexico over the next five years, in its latest move to expand its snack and beverage businesses outside the U.S. as sales slow at home.

The Purchase, N.Y., maker of Pepsi-Cola, Lay's potato chips and other snacks and drinks said it will spend about $2 billion of the funds on local research and development, manufacturing, distribution, marketing and advertising for its Sabritas and Gamesa foods businesses.

The company's plans also include bringing some of its Mexican brands to the U.S. market, to grab a greater share of sales to the rapidly growing Hispanic population.