Multinational food and beverage giant PepsiCo today announced it was establishing its first two Digital Hubs dedicated to fostering a strong global digital delivery network—and one is in Dallas.

The hubs, designated for North America and Europe, kickstart PepsiCo’s expansion plans for additional future locations across the globe. Each is expected to create more than 500 high-caliber data and digital jobs over the next three years, while attracting opportunity to the region they’re in.

New York-based PepsiCo will look to the Digital Hubs for influence on planning, making, moving, selling, and delivering products across its global operations. A large part of that is reinvention: The corporation wants to harness the power of existing data and digital talent to drive its digitalization agenda.

Real-time collaboration of digital innovation

The state-of-the-art spaces will rely on design that hinges on the real-time collaboration of digital innovation.

“Our Digital Hubs will support PepsiCo’s efforts to be an even ‘Faster, Stronger, and Better Company,’” Athina Kanioura, PepsiCo’s chief strategy and transformation officer, said in a statement. “By creating an agile and dedicated environment where innovation will thrive, our talent will have the opportunity to lead work that will reach global scale and have a significant impact for PepsiCo for many years to come.”

Athina Kanioura was named PepsiCo’s chief strategy and transformation officer in 2020. [Courtesy Pepsico]

PepsiCo said it’s one of the first major consumer packaged goods companies to build a robust Digital Hub in North America.

Locally, the hub will act as a destination for the development of global solutions for PepsiCo Foods North America and PepsiCo Beverages North America. Its offices in North Texas sit on Headquarters Drive in Plano.

Nearby, one of its divisions, Frito-Lay North America, is headquartered.

Second hub is in Barcelona

The second hub is in Barcelona. It will serve as home to a PepsiCo Center of Excellence for the company’s global digitalization priority programs. 

According to Kanioura, Dallas and Barcelona were chosen strategically for their “topnotch talent,” education systems, and regional infrastructures.

PepsiCo says the hubs will collaboratively accelerate the way critical digital capabilities—AI, machine learning, and more—are developed and deployed. That includes predictive analytics and ecosystem engagement.

The goal is to move toward a future where PepsiCo can provide predictive decision-making tools with improved real-time sales and inventory data. That means more consumers will have consistent products available when and where they need it, and employees can manage complexities with greater efficiency.

The company notes two examples: It is already using artificial intelligence to produce “perfectly consistent Cheetos every time” and it is optimizing water consumption to prevent leaks in manufacturing facilities.

Quincy Preston contributed to this report.

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