BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 30. The Carlsberg Group is expanding its strategic partnership with PepsiCo in a new agreement to become the PepsiCo bottler in the Republic of Azerbaijan as of 1 January 2027.
With this new strategic partnership, the Carlsberg Group will take over the production, sale and distribution of the PepsiCo soft drinks portfolio in Azerbaijan.
The production of PepsiCo portfolio will be continued via current PepsiCo Bottler Mars Overseas, while Carlsberg production plant in Xirdalan will go through major reconstruction and capacity extension.
With the new agreement in place, Carlsberg will have bottling agreements with PepsiCo in 15 markets: the UK, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos and Cambodia, as well as Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania from 2029 and Azerbaijan from 2027.
The expanded partnership underscores the shared commitment of the Carlsberg Group and PepsiCo to build scalable, locally relevant beverage operations that support long-term growth in Azerbaijan.
Jacob Aarup-Andersen, Carlsberg Group CEO, says: “We’re excited about the further expansion of our long-standing partnership with PepsiCo to Azerbaijan. With the new agreement, we’re adding PepsiCo’s iconic brands to our strong local beer portfolio in the country and significantly growing our business in that market, which will allow us to offer consumers more relevant and diverse choices across occasions”.
“This partnership represents a significant opportunity for our company and our people. With volumes expected to nearly double, substantial investments planned for our production site, and the creation of new job opportunities, Carlsberg Azerbaijan is well-positioned to become one of the leading beverage producers in the country.” – adds Krasimir Lazarov, Managing Director Carlsberg Azerbaijan.
