Pepsi to pep up ap with Rs 1,200 crore

Hyderabad: The arguments for and against Telangana played out subtly at an event to announce PepsiCo’s decision to build its largest beverage plant at Sri City, Chittoor district. The project will cost Rs 1,200 crore.

T discussed at Pepsi launch

Hyderabad: The arguments for and against Telangana played out subtlety at an event organised to announce PepsiCo’s decision to build a new beverage plant at Sri City, Chittoor district as Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and industries minister J. Geeta Reddy highlighted their stands.

“Even people, who have stayed in Hyderabad about 20 years back for a few months, relate to this city as their home. What should people like us, who had born and brought here, feel. That’s why, we want to stay with you ma’am (Geeta Reddy),” the CM said, throwing the entire hall (including Geeta) in laughter.

Earlier, D. Sivakumar, chairman and CEO of PepsiCo India, had briefly narrated how he had spent his time in Hyderabad — especially Abids buying books and staying near YMCA Secunderabad, and also his stint as area sales manager for coastal region and said that his visit to Hyderabad was like a home coming to him.

Espousing the cause for Telangana, Geeta Reddy pitched for a further capacity expansion at Pepsi’s bottling plant at Sanga Reddy in Medak district. “I am happy about Pepsi’s decision to set up the largest beverage plant at Sri City. But I also want Pepsi to expand its bottling plant at Sanga Reddy in Telangana to even out in both states — if and when it happens,” she said.

Pepsi said that the beverage plant, which would be coming up at Chittoor, would be its largest in India, with an investment of Rs 1,200 crore. The proposed plant will be completed in three phases. Once it is fully operational, the plant will provide direct and indirect employment to over 8,000 people.