Britvic and PepsiCo renew exclusive partnership

Britvic has announced a new, exclusive 20-year franchise bottling agreement for the production, distribution, marketing and sales of PepsiCo's carbonated soft drink brands in Great Britain, including Pepsi, 7UP and Mountain Dew.

The agreement extends the relationship to 31 December 2040 and includes the Rockstar energy brand, for which Britvic will take responsibility for from 1 November this year.

Britvic has also made a commitment for all plastic bottles in GB to be made from 100% recycled plastic (rPET) by the end of 2022 – three years earlier than originally planned, and ahead of the previous target of 50%. This will cover the entire GB portfolio of Britvic-owned and PepsiCo brands.

Paul Graham, managing director of Britvic GB, said of the news: “Over the past 34 years we’ve built an exceptional relationship with PepsiCo, harnessing the power of their brands and using our expertise to grow and develop them into firm favourites in the UK soft drinks category. The renewal of this partnership echoes the trust that has been built over this period and the confidence that PepsiCo has in Britvic to lead these brands for the next two decades. Adding Rockstar to the portfolio represents an additional feather in the cap of our incredible production, sales and marketing teams.

“I’m especially proud of the work we’re doing together to deliver on our rPET sustainability commitments, three years ahead of schedule. It is no mean feat, and the dedication of our respective teams further serves to demonstrate that sustainability is truly at the heart of our business strategies.

"We want to be a net positive contributor to the people and the world around us. We’re committed to minimising waste and using resources in a sustainable way in all parts of our business and manufacturing. Accelerating this move to 100% recycled plastic is the right next step for Britvic to help reduce our impact on the planet.”

Silviu Popovici, chief executive of PepsiCo Europe, added: “We are very pleased to announce this new and enhanced exclusive bottling appointment with Britvic in Great Britain, as well as further strengthening our portfolio with the exciting addition of Rockstar. This decision was based on our history of sustained strong performance in the market, backed by Britvic’s ongoing commitment to significantly invest behind our brands.

“More importantly, our shared values have led to sustainability forming an integral part of this new agreement, which includes our latest mutual commitment to ensure that all of our bottles are made from 100% recycled plastic by the end of 2022. This is in support of PepsiCo and Britvic’s vision of creating a circular economy on plastic and build a world where plastics need never become waste. We very much look forward to the next chapter of our strengthened relationship with Britvic.”