Future-proofing the world of snacks
The Challenge
Snacking is shifting toward health, and PepsiCo needed to future-proof its portfolio with healthier, better-for-you products. China was a key growth market, but its tastes are highly specific and global concepts rarely travel well. The brief called for a local-out approach: build from Chinese consumers’ own food culture, flavous and health beliefs, then scale outward, rather than adapting Western products for the market.
Methods
Consumer immersion: Field ethnography, Consumer Quantitative Survey, Qualitative concept testing; Concept development; Ideation sprints; Multi-disciplinary stakeholder management
The Work
Account lead on PepsiCo, bridging the US global innovation team and the China market. Ran futures and growth projects from immersion through ideation to incubation. Briefs included the "future of healthy snacking”, “taking an iconic breakfast into dinnertime”, and “repositioning a portfolio as a functional health product for the Silver Generation”.
The Impact
A chicken protein chip that launched through e-commerce and Sam’s Club China. The client called the insights “deeply local, East for East,” and the work helped seed PepsiCo’s local innovation hub in China.
Won the “Audacity” award as part of WhatIf! internal awards program for my leadership on the account.
Keywords
CPG, Food & Beverage Innovation, Health and wellness, China, New product development
What launched
Lay’s ‘air-popped chicken breast crisp’ went on sale in 2022 via select channels and eCommerce.
Product & Packaging
In-Store
eCommerce
