From Seed to Smile

Rooted in Agriculture

Behind every bag of Lay’s, every crunch of Doritos, and every bite of Quaker Oats, there’s a story that begins long before it reaches the shelf. It starts in the field—where soil, seed, and sunlight meet innovation and purpose.

At PepsiCo, agriculture isn’t just important for our business, it’s part of our story. Every day, our teams collaborate with farmers, suppliers, and communities across the globe to help build a more sustainable and resilient food system for generations to come. This commitment is powered by PepsiCo Positive (pep+), our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of everything we do.

Every associate has a role to play in shaping the future of food because at the heart of our transformation is our people: talented, passionate, and united by a shared commitment to excellence across every brand, border, function, and team.

Meeting the People Behind Every Smile

Our associates are showing that meaningful work can happen anywhere—from the lab to the field, from procurement to sustainability and beyond. What connects them all is a shared belief: when you work with purpose, every day is a chance to make an impact.

Jimena Pérez | Sustainable Agriculture Manager, Mexico

Jimena is aiming to future-proof farming systems across Latin America — and proving that transformation starts with vision.

“When people think of PepsiCo, they picture manufacturing plants or distribution centers. But, really, PepsiCo is an agricultural company at its core. Without potatoes, corn, and more than twenty other crops, we wouldn’t be who we are,” she says.

Daniela Nemec | Procurement Senior Director, North America

For Daniela, procurement is about bridging the gap between the farm and shelf and planning seasons— and decades— ahead.

“Most people don’t realize how connected my role is to the farm,” she explains. “I need to understand how engaged farmers are, how weather is impacting what I’ve negotiated, and even think 10 years ahead about developing new crops.”

Her optimism for the future is rooted in action.

Nazire Özsoy | Positive Agriculture Lead, Turkey & Russia

Nazire’s role is where the impact happens—listening to farmers, shaping strategies, and building trust.

“What I love most about my job is communicating with farmers and working directly with them,” she says. “I’m really excited to help us achieve our sustainability targets.”

For Nazire, collaboration is both personal and professional.

Mercedes Yartu | Agro Manager, Spain

Mercedes’s role spans every stage of the journey—from planting to tasting.

“What I love is being able to see the potatoes planted, growing, harvested, processed, and then tasting them to see how amazing they are,” she says.

Despite PepsiCo’s global scale, Mercedes finds meaning in close, personal connections. “Even though we are a big company, we have very personal relationships with the farmers we work with. We talk about the season like friends, and that makes the work even more meaningful.”

Looking ahead, she’s proud of PepsiCo’s efforts to spread regenerative agriculture.

Planting Purpose

At PepsiCo, agriculture is the foundation of our products, and it’s our people who make us smile at what’s next. Whether they’re working directly with farmers, developing new sustainable sourcing strategies, or helping reimagine our food systems, our associates are cultivating more than crops—they’re creating impact and shaping a better future for all.