Kazakhstan plans to inaugurate a new PepsiCo snack production plant valued at $160 million in 2026
Kazakhstan plans to launch a full-scale snack production plant, based on American multinational food, snack, and beverage corporation PepsiCo and valued at $160 million of private foreign investment, in 2026. Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov discussed this project at a meeting with David Manzini, President of PepsiCo for Central Asia, Russia, Belarus, and the Caucasus on June 14.
The Prime Minister highlighted that by localizing production and transferring innovative technologies, Kazakhstan aims to enhance the deep processing of its agricultural products.
The new PepsiCo snack production plant, set to be the largest in Central Asia, will be located in the Almaty Region. It will initially produce up to 16,000 tons of salty snacks annually, including Lays potato chips, with plans to increase capacity to 21,000 tons by 2027. During construction, the project will employ up to a thousand people, with approximately 350 permanent jobs created once operational.
PepsiCo intends to prioritize local raw materials, aiming to contract Kazakh farmers for initial potato batches totaling between 50,000 to 66,000 tons annually from 2026 to 2030, with further expansion anticipated. The plant will focus on high-level processing and sustainability, aiming to recycle all waste generated.
Bektenov emphasized the project's significance for agricultural development, increasing farmer incomes, and bolstering the national economy. This initiative aligns with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's economic diversification goals and stems from agreements between Tokayev and PepsiCo President Ramon Laguarta.
The plant is part of a group of priority investment projects under special government supervision, totaling 704 projects valued at 32 trillion tenge (US$70.5 billion) as of early 2024, expected to create 122,500 jobs.
The United States remains one of Kazakhstan’s key investment partners, with over $53 billion invested in the country's economy over the past two decades. Major U.S. corporations like Chevron, ExxonMobil, Pfizer, General Electric, and Wabtec operate successfully across various sectors in Kazakhstan.(Source:astanatimes)
