PepsiCo’s food division has established a strong foothold in the snacking market with popular brands like Doritos, Quaker Oats, and Lay’s. However, executives at the packaged food giant, which boasts over $90 billion in global annual revenue, recognize that there is still much to learn, despite their extensive resources and decades of experience. As PepsiCo Foods seeks to gain every possible edge in the fiercely competitive food industry—with rapidly changing consumer preferences—the New York-based company is turning to external expertise for assistance. In August, they convened their first Culinary Advisory Board.
This panel consists of six culinary experts: Ali Bouzari, co-founder and chief science officer of Pilot R&D; Andrew Kaplan, host of the Beyond the Plate Podcast and executive vice president of culinary operations at Rachael Ray; Ellen Bennett, founder and chief brand officer of Hedley & Bennett; Eric Adjepong, a professional chef and Food Network host; Tiffany Derry, co-founder of T2D Concepts and restaurant owner; and Tyler Malek, co-founder and head ice cream maker at Salt & Straw. According to Carolyn Braff, vice president of culinary at PepsiCo Foods, these chefs, culinary scientists, and restaurateurs are expected to provide valuable real-world insights due to their close connections with consumers.
The board’s mission includes aiding PepsiCo Foods in product innovation by offering a fresh perspective on public perceptions of the company and providing candid feedback on its offerings and strategies—insights that may be difficult to obtain internally. PepsiCo Foods indicated that this advisory board will complement its own culinary teams, which comprise ten full-time chefs and over 150 food scientists and other specialists in culinary arts, cooking technologies, baking and pastry, food science, and nutrition. The six culinary advisors will collaborate with PepsiCo Foods for a minimum of one year and will be compensated for their contributions.
In a conversation with Food Dive, Braff discussed the initiative. She expressed that, while PepsiCo is well-known for snacks, the company aspires to gain recognition for food as well. Acknowledging the need for diverse perspectives, she emphasized the importance of collaborating with individuals who have experience at various stages of the food journey. The board aims to assist in shaping the future of PepsiCo Foods by providing an external viewpoint that the company currently lacks, ultimately helping the brand to make a meaningful impact in consumers’ lives.
When discussing the skills and insights these culinary experts bring, Braff highlighted their ability to offer honest critiques and identify areas for improvement that internal employees might overlook. These advisors are immersed in the industry and can provide feedback on PepsiCo’s reputation among chefs and cooks, helping to reveal blind spots. Moreover, having credible voices from outside the company can facilitate connections with influential organizations, enabling PepsiCo to receive straightforward feedback that may be harder to obtain from its own staff.
As PepsiCo Foods strives to shift its focus from snacks to more substantial food offerings, the company seeks these advisors’ assistance in addressing critical questions around procurement and sustainable sourcing. For instance, they are exploring how to effectively convey the story of their Lay’s potato sourcing to both the culinary community and broader consumers. One advisor is specifically tasked with redefining the Stacy’s Pita Chip brand, aiming to expand its identity beyond pita chips to encompass a broader Mediterranean culinary narrative.
Although PepsiCo Foods currently lacks a presence in the ice cream market, Tyler Malek’s expertise in unconventional flavors is expected to play a significant role in the company’s strategy. He is collaborating with Quaker to explore innovative flavor profiles for rice cakes, leveraging his background in ice cream to enhance the flavor experience in this new context.
Braff is optimistic that the ideas generated by the advisory board will translate into new products. The collaboration aims to enrich the product pipeline and enhance the company’s credibility within the culinary community. By working with renowned chefs and leveraging their insights, PepsiCo Foods hopes to navigate retail partnerships more effectively, making it easier to communicate their expansion strategies and the value of their new offerings.
Additionally, as the company explores innovative ingredients like calcium citrate and cissus quadrangularis in its product development, the advisory board’s insights will be invaluable in ensuring these ingredients are integrated effectively into PepsiCo Foods’ future offerings. Through this collaborative approach, PepsiCo Foods aims to redefine its culinary landscape and solidify its position in the food industry.