As the Official Beverage and Snack Partner of Expo 2020 Dubai, PepsiCo has unveiled a series of innovative products developed in line with its commitment to offer products that taste good and do good for the planet and that will be presented at the event, set to open its doors on October 1, 2021. 

Firstly, PepsiCo will bring Sunbites compostable packaging to Expo 2020 Dubai. Industrially compostable, and bio-based, the new Sunbites packaging includes plant-based materials and boasts a lower greenhouse gas footprint compared to a traditional snack bag.  

Secondly, the Aquafina Water Station is a hydration solution that drives sustainable consumer behavior while delivering personalized, on-the-go experiences. The water station allows consumers to customize their drink, choosing between still or sparkling water, with the option of adding a variety of flavors s well as controlling the flavor intensity. Further personalization includes adjustable carbonation levels and temperature control. The Aquafina Water Station’s QR-enabled reusable bottle also syncs via a connected system, ensuring a user can get their perfect drink at any other Aquafina Water Station, seamlessly.

Lastly, on-site at Expo 2020 Dubai, visitors will discover the Pepsi Go unattended store. Using the power of the Expo 2020 Dubai platform to forge strong partnerships with technology and payment entities, PepsiCo has partnered with Mastercard to develop real-world solutions to meet the growing consumer demand for more autonomy and digital shopping experiences. 

The Pepsi Go experience was designed around shoppers’ needs and brought to life using industry-leading technologies. Customers start their journey by tapping, inserting, or swiping a valid payment card to open the kiosk’s doors. Once inside, the store uses AI and computer recognition technology to track the PepsiCo snacks and beverages shoppers select. To check out, customers simply exit the gates and the Mastercard Payment Gateway Services technology automatically initiates the payment, making checkout queues a thing of the past. The experience is designed to be secure, contactless, and seamless.

“As the Official Payment Technology Partner of Expo 2020 Dubai, we are excited to showcase the future of retail payments at the Pepsi Go store. For over two years, we have been developing this first-of-its-kind checkout experience for the region alongside our strategic partners PepsiCo, and we are thrilled to see it come to life for Expo 2020 Dubai. The gold standard of retail shopping is here, and we welcome visitors to experience this innovation and Start Something Priceless at Expo 2020 Dubai,” said Gaurang Shah, Senior Vice President – Product Management, Digital Payments & Labs, Middle East and Africa at Mastercard.

“At PepsiCo, we’re driving positive environmental impact by investing in innovative offerings that engage and encourage people to make sustainable choices throughout the day. With the Aquafina Water Station and the compostable Sunbites packaging, we are introducing drinking and snacking that tastes good and does good. Pepsi Go unattended store is the result of cross-industry cooperation, allowing industry leaders to collaborate in the incubator of Expo 2020 Dubai and deliver innovations that truly elevate the consumer shopping experience. We look forward to debuting these innovations at Expo 2020 Dubai, creating millions of smiles with every sip and every bite,” said PepsiCo’s MENA and Pakistan GM and President, Aamer Sheikh.