PepsiCo Debuts Energy-Efficient, HFC-Free Cooler at Super Bowl

PURCHASE, N.Y., Feb. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In Miami temperatures are heating back up and excitement is building for the Super Bowl, but PepsiCo is doing its best to cool things down and keep the energy lower than ever. PepsiCo announced today it will place the first hydrofluorocarbon-free (HFC-Free) coolers in the United States throughout Miami as part of a pilot project to reduce the carbon footprint of its refrigeration equipment. The 35 new, innovative coolers use less energy than a 100-watt light bulb and will be in and around the host city starting next week.

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100202/NY48446 )

"PepsiCo is strongly committed to reducing its carbon footprint by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in its coolers," said Robert Lewis, vice president of packaging and equipment for PepsiCo.  "Energy consumption accounts for at least 95 percent of GHG emissions in coolers, and introducing these energy-efficient, HFC-free coolers is the next step in PepsiCo's strategic sustainability initiative to reduce harmful emissions from all of its refrigeration equipment."

On average, the new units use 44 percent less energy than 2008 models, and 20 percent less energy than Energy Star requirements. In addition, the new units use Hydrocarbon R290, a natural, environmentally responsible refrigerant that cuts direct GHG emissions by 99 percent.

"In addition to reducing energy consumption, we also continue to focus on using natural refrigerants – hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon dioxide (CO2) – to phase out harmful HFCs from our machines," said Lewis. "We introduced the first vending machine using CO2 technology to the U.S. market last year, and today we are introducing the first HC cooler to the U.S. market."

PepsiCo plans to place coolers at Sun Life Stadium for the Super Bowl. In addition, coolers will be at American Airlines Arena, one of the first LEED-certified arenas in the country, and at Florida International University. Additional coolers will be placed in various retail, grocery and convenience stores throughout Miami.

PepsiCo has a long track record of improving the environmental impact of its coolers and vending machines.  Since 2007, PepsiCo has saved more than 875,000 metric tons of GHG emissions – the equivalent of removing more than 167,000 cars from the road, according to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calculations. On average, PepsiCo's coolers consume 48 percent less energy than 2004 models, and its vending machines use 44 percent less energy than 2004 models.

In 2006, PepsiCo joined other industry leaders and environmental groups in Refrigerants Naturally! (RN), a global initiative focused on addressing climate change and ozone layer depletion caused by HFC in point of sale refrigeration equipment. As part of RN, the group is working together to eliminate use of HFC in refrigerated point-of-sale equipment.  RN is supported by Greenpeace and the United Nations Environment Programme and is recognized as a "Partnership for Sustainable Development" by the UN Commission on Sustainable Development.  

PepsiCo's mission to deploy more sustainable refrigeration equipment is part of the company's commitment to sustainable growth, defined as Performance with Purpose.  PepsiCo has announced goals to reduce water consumption by 20 percent, reduce electricity consumption 20 percent, and reduce fuels consumption by 25 percent per unit of production by 2015 as compared to 2006.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded PepsiCo a 2009 Energy Star Sustained Excellence Award in recognition of its continued leadership in protecting the environment through energy efficiency. And in 2009, PepsiCo was named for the third time to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) and for the fourth time to the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (DJSI North America) for exemplifying leadership in sustainability among the leading 10 percent of the world's top 2,500 companies.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 18 different product lines that each generates more than $1 billion in annual retail sales. Our main businesses - Frito-Lay, Quaker, Pepsi-Cola, Tropicana and Gatorade - also make hundreds of other nourishing, tasty foods and drinks that bring joy to our consumers in over 200 countries. With more than $43 billion in 2008 revenues, PepsiCo employs 198,000 people who are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth, called Performance with Purpose. By dedicating ourselves to offering a broad array of choices for healthy, convenient and fun nourishment, reducing our environmental impact, and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, PepsiCo balances strong financial returns with giving back to our communities worldwide. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

SOURCE PepsiCo