Who Owns Pepsi?

• Parent Company: PepsiCo
• Ownership Type: Wholly owned
• Company Type: Publicly Traded
• Stock Ticker: NASDAQ: PEP

• Founded: 1898
• Founders: Caleb Bradham

• Founded: 1965
• Headquarters: Purchase, New York, USA
• Company Type: Publicly Traded
• Stock: NASDAQ: PEP
• Revenue: $93.9 billion (FY2025)
• Employees: Approximately 318,000

Visit PepsiCo website

• Headquarters: Purchase, New York, USA
• Manufacturing / Operations: United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, India

Pepsi operates under PepsiCo's comprehensive sustainability framework, implementing significant initiatives focused on environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and ethical business practices. The brand has established ambitious goals for reducing environmental impact while maintaining its global market leadership in the beverage industry.

Climate Action and Net Zero Commitment: PepsiCo has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, a decade ahead of the Paris Agreement goals. The company's Climate Transition Plan details updated Scope 1, 2, and 3 targets aligned to 1.5°C, reflecting Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi) sectoral guidance on Forest, Land, and Agriculture (FLAG) and Energy & Industry (E&I) emissions. Pepsi's manufacturing facilities are progressively transitioning to renewable energy sources, with the company investing in solar, wind, and other renewable energy projects to power its global operations.

Plastic Reduction and Circular Economy: Pepsi has faced significant scrutiny over its plastic packaging practices, leading to refined sustainability goals focused on driving scale in packaging solutions. The company has been criticized for making misleading claims about plastic recyclability and circular economy potential, with Los Angeles County filing a lawsuit in October 2024 alleging misrepresentation of environmental impacts. In response, PepsiCo has updated its packaging strategy to focus on practical solutions, including increased use of recycled content, development of more recyclable packaging materials, and investment in recycling infrastructure.

Water Conservation and Stewardship: As a beverage company, PepsiCo recognizes water as a critical resource and has implemented comprehensive water stewardship programs. The company focuses on water efficiency improvements in manufacturing, watershed protection in water-stressed regions, and sustainable agricultural water management. Pepsi's water replenishment programs have helped restore water balance in communities where the company operates, demonstrating commitment to responsible water use that benefits both business operations and local communities.

Sustainable Agriculture and Supply Chain: PepsiCo has invested heavily in sustainable agriculture practices, particularly through partnerships with farmers to promote regenerative agriculture, water-efficient farming techniques, and climate-resilient crop varieties. The company works with over 100,000 farmers globally to implement sustainable farming practices that reduce environmental impact while improving farmer livelihoods and crop yields. This approach helps ensure long-term supply chain sustainability while supporting agricultural communities.

Social Impact and Community Engagement: PepsiCo has established comprehensive social impact programs focused on education, economic empowerment, and community development. The PepsiCo Foundation and other corporate social responsibility initiatives support programs in underserved communities, with particular focus on youth education, women's empowerment, and economic opportunity creation. The company's social impact strategy aligns with its business operations, creating shared value for both the company and communities where it operates.

Health and Wellness Innovation: In response to changing consumer preferences and health concerns, Pepsi has expanded its portfolio to include healthier beverage options. The introduction of Pepsi Zero Sugar, reduced-sugar formulations, and investments in brands like Poppi (prebiotic soda) demonstrate the company's commitment to meeting consumer health and wellness expectations while maintaining brand relevance in evolving market conditions.

Environmental Accountability and Transparency: Following criticism and legal challenges regarding environmental claims, PepsiCo has increased transparency in its sustainability reporting and goal-setting. The company has acknowledged system-level obstacles in achieving some sustainability targets and has adjusted its approach to focus on areas where it can make meaningful impact. This more realistic and transparent approach to sustainability goal-setting represents a maturation of the company's environmental stewardship practices.

Pepsi has received significant recognition for its marketing innovation, design excellence, and brand leadership in the global beverage industry, particularly for its ability to maintain cultural relevance and drive consumer engagement through creative campaigns and product innovations.

Marketing and Advertising Excellence: Pepsi has been consistently recognized for its innovative marketing campaigns and advertising creativity. The brand's historic Pepsi Challenge campaign, celebrity endorsements featuring Michael Jackson, and more recent digital marketing initiatives have received numerous awards from advertising and marketing industry organizations. Pepsi's ability to create culturally relevant campaigns that resonate with diverse global audiences has been acknowledged as a key factor in maintaining its competitive position against Coca-Cola.

Design Innovation Awards: Pepsi Smart Can Beverage won the 2025 A' Advertising, Marketing and Communication Design Award, recognizing the brand's innovation in creating interactive and technologically advanced packaging solutions. The Pepsi Smart Can represents the first of its kind in the beverage industry, demonstrating Pepsi's commitment to integrating digital technology with traditional beverage packaging to enhance consumer experience and engagement.

Industry Leadership Recognition: PepsiCo has been recognized as the top supplier in Kantar's 2025 PowerRanking for the 10th consecutive year, highlighting the company's excellence in supply chain management and partner relationships. This recognition reflects Pepsi's ability to maintain strong operational performance while delivering consistent quality and service to its global network of bottling partners and retail customers.

Sustainability and Environmental Awards: Despite facing criticism over environmental practices, PepsiCo has received recognition for its sustainability initiatives, including the Terra Carta Seal awarded by HRH The Prince of Wales for demonstrating commitment to environmental stewardship. The company's climate action goals and water stewardship programs have been acknowledged by environmental organizations and sustainability rating agencies.

Product Innovation Recognition: Pepsi has been recognized for product innovation, particularly in the development of new flavor formulations, reduced-sugar options, and packaging innovations. The introduction of Pepsi Max, Pepsi Zero Sugar, and various flavor extensions has demonstrated the brand's ability to adapt to changing consumer preferences while maintaining core brand identity and taste profiles.

Corporate Reputation and Trust Awards: PepsiCo has been recognized in various corporate reputation rankings, including Newsweek's 2024 Most Trusted Companies in America in the Food & Beverage Industry and the Wall Street Journal's Best-Managed Companies rankings for multiple consecutive years. These awards reflect the company's overall business performance, governance practices, and stakeholder relationships.

Design and Creative Industry Recognition: PepsiCo Design + Innovation has been actively involved in the design and creative industry, serving as a presenting sponsor for the 2025 PRINT Awards and participating in various design juries and creative competitions. This involvement demonstrates Pepsi's commitment to design excellence and creative innovation across all aspects of its business operations.

Technology and Digital Innovation: Pepsi has received recognition for its technology integration and digital marketing initiatives, including awards for mobile marketing campaigns, social media engagement, and digital consumer experiences. The brand's ability to leverage technology to enhance consumer engagement has been acknowledged as a competitive advantage in the increasingly digital beverage marketplace.

Is Pepsi a subsidiary of PepsiCo?
Pepsi is not a separate subsidiary but rather the flagship brand of PepsiCo. It operates as PepsiCo's primary carbonated soft drink brand rather than as an independent company.

Is Pepsi publicly traded?
The Pepsi brand itself is not publicly traded as a separate entity. However, parent company PepsiCo is publicly traded on NASDAQ under ticker PEP, allowing investors to own shares in PepsiCo and its brand portfolio.

When was Pepsi first created?
Pepsi was originally created in 1898 by Caleb Bradham as "Brad's Drink" and renamed Pepsi-Cola in 1903, making it one of America's oldest soft drink brands.

Who founded Pepsi?
Pepsi was founded by Caleb Bradham, a pharmacist from New Bern, North Carolina, who created the drink as a digestive aid and originally marketed it as a healthy beverage.

What is Pepsi's market position?
Pepsi is the second-largest carbonated soft drink brand globally, competing directly with Coca-Cola and maintaining strong market share in many international markets, particularly among younger consumers.

Pepsi has faced several significant controversies in recent years, primarily related to environmental practices and marketing disputes. In 2025, PepsiCo was named among the worst contributors to plastic pollution in the Indian Himalayan Region, drawing criticism from environmental groups and raising concerns about the company's plastic waste management practices.

The company has been involved in legal proceedings related to plastic pollution, with the State of New York filing a lawsuit against PepsiCo in 2024 after finding significant plastic pollution in the Buffalo River. While the lawsuit was dismissed in early 2026, the case highlighted growing regulatory scrutiny of beverage companies' environmental impact and packaging waste management.

PepsiCo has also faced criticism for alleged greenwashing practices, with environmental groups questioning the company's sustainability claims and accusing it of downgrading its climate and packaging commitments. Trellis Law reported in 2025 that PepsiCo had watered down key climate, water, and packaging commitments, citing a lack of system-wide investment in cleaner technologies.

In the marketing realm, Pepsi has occasionally faced trademark disputes and advertising challenges. The brand has been involved in several high-profile advertising controversies over the years, though recent campaigns have generally avoided major regulatory issues. The company has also faced criticism from health advocates regarding the marketing of sugary beverages to children and young adults, though PepsiCo has maintained that its marketing practices comply with industry self-regulation standards.