PepsiCo to double investment in snack production plant in KazakhstanAmerican multinational corporation PepsiCo intends to more than double its investments in the largest salted snacks production plant in Central Asia, scheduled to launch in 2026, the press service of the Kazakh government reported.According to the press service, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov discussed the implementation of the plant’s construction project in the Almaty region with David Manzini, PepsiCo’s head for Russia, Belarus, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. The plant will produce Lays chips, among other products."The new PepsiCo plant will be the largest in Central Asia. Following previous negotiations in June 2024, the investment amount was initially planned at $160 million. Today, the company has decided to increase investments by more than twofold," the statement reads.PepsiCo’s regional head informed that the first phase of the project and the release of the first batch of Kazakh-produced goods are planned for March 2026, with the plant expected to reach full capacity by September 2027.According to the press service, production capacity and potato processing volumes will triple—from 70,000 to 210,000 tonnes—ensuring approximately 70,000 tonnes of finished products annually. The plant will create around 900 jobs.The plant will source potatoes from local farmers.By 2035, PepsiCo plans to fully localize the cultivation of potato varieties suitable for chip production. Currently, around 15 farms from the Pavlodar, Akmola, Karaganda, Almaty, and Zhetysu regions are participating in the program.Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to prepare an investment agreement between the Kazakh government and PepsiCo within two weeks.Within the same timeframe, the Ministry of Agriculture will introduce necessary amendments to subsidy regulations to compensate part of the costs incurred by agribusiness entities during investments, ensuring the most favorable conditions for the investor. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX