PepsiCo to Cut About 1,000 North American Jobs as It Simplifies Its Structure
PepsiCo North America CEO Ram Krishnan told employees the company will simplify its structure over the coming week. The Wall Street Journal reported the plan would cut about 1,000 jobs.
PepsiCo plans to cut about 1,000 jobs in North America, The Wall Street Journal reported on Nov. 9. That day, PepsiCo North America CEO Ram Krishnan told employees in a memo that the company would make changes across parts of the organization over the coming week, Bloomberg News reported.
TLDR
- The job count was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Krishnan’s memo, as reported, did not give a number.
- Krishnan’s memo said the company aims to simplify its structures, clarify accountability and make decisions faster, according to Bloomberg.
- PepsiCo had about 306,000 employees worldwide at the end of last year, including about 125,000 in the U.S., according to a company filing.
- In the third quarter, North America beverage volume fell 2% and North America food volume was flat, BeverageDaily reported.
What the Memo Said
Krishnan wrote that too much of how PepsiCo works today remains complex and fragmented, Bloomberg reported. He said changes would roll out over the coming week. The memo, as reported, did not specify which teams or functions would be affected.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the figure of about 1,000 jobs. Bloomberg’s report did not say which departments are affected, and BeverageDaily reported that the cuts could be announced as early as next week.
The Pressure on North America
PepsiCo cut its full-year earnings forecast, citing struggles in the U.S., BeverageDaily reported. The outlet cited weak consumer demand, higher input costs, competition from Coca-Cola and the spread of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs as strains on the North American business.
PepsiCo has cut prices on flagship snacks such as Lay’s and Doritos by 15%, BeverageDaily reported. Bloomberg reported that the company recently lost its KFC U.S. restaurant contract to Coca-Cola.
Activist investor Elliott Investment Management took a stake of about $4 billion in PepsiCo about a year ago, BeverageDaily reported.
Why It Matters
PepsiCo employs about 125,000 people in the U.S., according to a company filing cited by Bloomberg. A cut of about 1,000 roles would be a small share of that workforce. The memo frames the changes around speed and simpler decision-making as North America beverage volume falls and food volume stays flat.
Sources: Bloomberg News, via Transport Topics (Kristina Peterson, Nov. 9, 2026); BeverageDaily (Thomas West, Nov. 10, 2026); Reuters, via CTV News (Nov. 9, 2026), citing The Wall Street Journal.