PepsiCo has opened its “most sustainable factory” in Poland to cater to the domestic market in Europe and export to over 20 countries, including the Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, and Hungary.
Silviu Popovici, CEO of PepsiCo Europe, believes Poland is a strategic market with significant development potential. The beverage giant has been investing here for over 30 years. The $320 Million plant is the company’s fifth project in the country “The opening of this new, environmentally sustainable snack facility is a major milestone for PepsiCo in Europe. All of PepsiCo’s production facilities are characterized by a high level of process automation.”
Popovici said the new plant, with its automated finished goods warehouse, an auto-palletizing system, and systems for automatic packaging, will be a leader. It will use new sustainability solutions like collecting rainwater for reuse and generating its own energy via rooftop solar panels.
Besides low utility consumption, the plant generates its own energy via solar panels. PepsiCo also plans to introduce an onsite solar farm. It will recover heat process water and rainwater for use in building utilities. The factory will use leftover potato peelings to help power the facility using anaerobic digestor technology and convert them into a low-carbon fertilizer which is given back to the farmers to help them grow their next crop.
Moreover, the plant brings to light new sustainable solutions such as the electrification of steam generation and an electric fleet of company cars with dedicated charging stations. The company said that waste reduction in all its forms and across the value chain is a strategic imperative for PepsiCo and a key tenet of its PepsiCo Positive ambition.
The new plant shows how circular economy principles can be used throughout the entire cycle of a snack. PepsiCo has been working with local communities in Poland and sources over 200,000 tonnes of sustainably grown potatoes each year. With the new facility, the company will expand the Polish farming program to cover 19,000 acres and over 80 farms in the near future.
Also Read: Coca-Cola Targets Gamers With Limited-Edition Flavor ‘Coke Ultimate Zero Sugar’
