PepsiCo executive highlights China's dynamic consumer market

A senior executive with PepsiCo Foods China said the country's consumer landscape, combined with its large population and market scale, presents distinctive opportunities for international brands.

Evrim Sen, senior vice-president and general manager of PepsiCo Foods China, made the comments during a Lay's farm tour in late March in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province. The event marked the launch of a new limited spring harvest potato chip variety.

"China is an incredibly dynamic market with sophisticated consumers who expect strong value, great products, and great experiences," Sen said.

According to PepsiCo, the farm tour was designed to give Chinese consumers a closer look at the origin and handling of potatoes used in its products. Sen said the goal was to build a stronger connection between the brand and consumers by increasing transparency about farming and production processes.

The company has implemented a 24-hour harvest-to-packaging standard for its spring potato chips. Lay's has also added a traceability QR code on its products for consumers to view information about field harvesting, production line processing, and final packaging.

"Consumers, especially younger generations, want more than just a product; they want to understand where it comes from, how it's made, and the story behind it," Sen said.

At the Zhanjiang farm, technologies including AI-powered drones and digital farm management systems are used to support quality control and agricultural sustainability, according to Sen.

He added that the company plans to continue offering products focused on freshness and flavor innovation for the Chinese market.