Thursday, January 8, 2004
Pepsi cola to return to Iraq after a decade, announce officials
Agence France-Presse
Purchase (New York), January 7
Pepsi cola will be reintroduced to Iraq for the first time in more than a decade under an agreement announced on Wednesday by the soft drink maker, PepsiCo International.
PepsiCo said it signed a deal with Baghdad Soft Drinks Company, Iraq's largest soft drink bottler, to produce and distribute Pepsi cola and the company's other drinks, including 7Up and Mirinda.
The agreement serves an area in central Iraq with some 26 million people. The drinks will be available in the first half of 2004.
PepsiCo said the deal would create some 2,000 new jobs at Baghdad Soft Drinks Company over the next several years.
Pepsi was first launched in Iraq in 1950 and became Iraq's leading soft drink brand, according to PepsiCo.
But the deal with Baghdad Soft Drinks Company ended in 1990, after international sanctions were imposed on Iraq.
"Iraqis have been great supporters of Pepsi over many years, and we're delighted to resume local production," said Saad Abdul-Latif, president of PepsiCo International's Middle East-Africa region.
"We're very fortunate to again be working in partnership with Baghdad Soft Drinks Company, which has the experience, infrastructure and local knowledge to effectively serve the needs of Iraqi consumers."
© Hindustan Times Ltd. 2004.