ASTANA, Kazakhstan, May 20. Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Olzhas Bektenov, held a meeting with the president of PepsiCo for the Russia, Belarus, Caucasus, and Central Asia region, David Manzini, Trend reports.
The discussions concentrated on the operationalization of the
initiative to establish a snack manufacturing facility in the
Almaty jurisdiction.
The data indicates that the forthcoming PepsiCo facility is poised
to emerge as the preeminent manufacturing hub in Central Asia. In
the aftermath of the prior discussions conducted in June 2024, the
capital infusion was originally earmarked at $160 million.
Nonetheless, the organization has now resolved to significantly
amplify the capital allocation.
"The production capacity and potato processing volume will increase threefold—from 70 to 210 thousand tons, which will ensure about 70,000 tons of finished products annually. Around 900 jobs will be created at the facility," the statement reads.
Furthermore, as part of the project, local raw materials will be brought to the table—Kazakhstani farms will be in the driver's seat supplying potatoes. On that account, by 2035, PepsiCo plans to fully localize the cultivation of chip varieties. Currently, approximately 15 farms from the Pavlodar, Akmola, Karaganda, and Almaty regions and the Zhetisu region are involved in the program. The project also includes expanding raw material storage and developing scientific approaches to increasing yields and product quality.
"We highly appreciate the support from the Kazakhstani authorities. As a foreign investor, favorable conditions have been created for us, and we are receiving the necessary support. We see high potential, which is why we decided to double our investment in Kazakhstan," noted David Manzini.
Following the meeting, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was tasked with preparing an investment agreement between the government of Kazakhstan and PepsiCo within two weeks. The Ministry of Agriculture will also make necessary amendments to the Subsidy Rules to reimburse part of the expenses incurred by entities in the agro-industrial complex for investment purposes in order to create the most favorable conditions for the investor.
The initiation of the inaugural phase of the initiative and the deployment of the initial cohort of Kazakhstani offerings are slated for March 2026, with the facility anticipated to achieve optimal operational capacity by September 2027.
