PepsiCo began its journey in the UAE more than six decades ago and has reflected the country’s growth strategy ever since.
During that time, it has developed a business rooted in domestic partnerships, and an operating model aligned with the UAE’s focus on industrial growth, resilience and economic diversification. It has adopted the Make it in the Emirates mindset.
Today, the company’s presence in the UAE represents continuity, long-term commitment and confidence in a country recognised for resilience and sustained growth.
Millions of people across the Emirates consume PepsiCo products every day, including brands such as Lay’s, 7UP, Cheetos, Aquafina, Doritos, Mirinda, Tostitos and Quaker, as well as Pepsi.
But central to the company’s relationship with the UAE is a steady, reliable and expansive operation that has today more than 2,000 employees across its UAE regional head office, as well as its bottling partners’ manufacturing sites and distribution network.
Through its long-standing local bottling partners, Dubai Refreshment Company (DRC) and Abu Dhabi Refreshment Company (ADRC), two manufacturing facilities and five warehouses support consistent delivery across retail, hospitality and food service sectors.
A lot of this was possible through placing trust in the UAE’s resilience and ‘can do’ attitude. Participation in Make it in the Emirates (Miite) 2026 underpins the significance.
PepsiCo attaches to that industrial strategy and its full confidence in the country, with two milestone announcements to come during the Adnec event this week.
Visitors can expect to hear how PepsiCo will continue its investment through further expansion – as well as a partnership with event host, the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoAIT). The two organisations will work on the Future Industries Lab, a national initiative to boost the competitiveness of local industries, highlighting PepsiCo’s support of UAE growth by backing Emirati talent and SMEs.
Full details of the agreements will be revealed at the event, during which the company will celebrate its local legacy in the Industrial Museum, a new segment for Miite 2026. It will showcase archival photographs from our bottling partners, and include historical moments with UAE leadership through the years.
PepsiCo’s participation in the overall exhibition comes at a time when the country’s resilience has once again been tested and proven amid a period of heightened geopolitical events, during which the UAE has continued to demonstrate economic resilience and operational continuity.
Miite 2026 is a reminder that this business, like many across the country, is built on partnerships and shaped by long-term relationships across government entities, suppliers and retailers, driving mutual growth, continuity, and employment.
PepsiCo’s business model includes presence at popular attractions such as Global Village and Dubai Parks and Resorts, and other venues where communities come together, including Dubai Arts and culture hub Alserkal Avenue. The company is currently partnering on the Blank Space initiative at the Al Quoz destination, supporting creative collectives with temporary display space, resources, and visibility, until the end of May.
The company has aligned itself with the UAE’s national sustainability priorities through its pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) strategy, based on a vision to deliver a more sustainable, people-centric future.
A founding member of the Circular Packaging Association, PepsiCo works with its partners to improve resource efficiency and advance circular economy practices in which materials are utilised longer to reduce waste.
PepsiCo runs youth empowerment programs, aligning with the UAE’s compelling start-up and SME culture, set to be highlighted and further progressed during this fifth Miite edition.
PepsiCo returns to the exhibition as a familiar food and beverages producer strengthening UAE resilience by meeting sustained local demand through reliable supply chains and fulfilling the Make it in the Emirates mission to further position the country as a global manufacturing hub.
