"Talking Sabor": Pepsi® Partners With Celebrity Chef Aarón Sánchez and COCINA to Celebrate the Fusion of Latin Food and Flavor in Limited-Edition Series, Streaming on Hulu

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Sizzling new series takes viewers on a cross-country tour of the best Latin fare at Hispanic-owned small businesses across the U.S.; Pepsi gifts Hulu gift cards to guests who dine at participating "Talking Sabor" restaurants nationwide on April 24 

PURCHASE, N.Y., April 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Pepsi® announced the premiere date for its first-ever streaming series, "Talking Sabor," a food-focused collaboration with restaurateur and award-winning celebrity chef, Aarón Sánchez and COCINA, which he co-founded. During the eight-episode, limited edition program, Chef Aarón and Pepsi invite food enthusiasts and flavor aficionados to talk sabor (flavor) like never before at some of the most diverse Latin food eateries across the country. In a bold and entertaining in-car interview style format, Chef Aarón and a lineup of special guests visit 16 restaurants in four major cities to showcase the best of Hispanic culture, community, and of course, cuisine.

Set to launch April 24 exclusively on Hulu, the series sees Sánchez visiting Hispanic-owned small businesses in Los Angeles, Houston, Miami and New York, where his focus is solely on celebrating flavor and the special feeling you get when sharing delicious food with friends and family. In each episode, Chef Aarón and his guests visit two restaurants to hear the stories of the hardworking business owners (many run as multi-generational family businesses), taste the signature dishes that have turned locals into loyalists, and select a favorite dish from each restaurant to share with each other, paired with an ice cold Pepsi or Pepsi Zero Sugar.

"'Talking Sabor' is a journey to the heart of what makes Latin cuisine so special – its ability to bring people together through rich flavors and stories," said Chef Aarón Sanchez. "Collaborating with Pepsi and Disney has allowed us to turn the spotlight on the vibrant traditions and diverse communities behind Hispanic-owned small businesses. Every episode, every dish, and every story is a testament to the beauty of sharing a meal and savoring the incredible tapestry of Latin culture."

"Talking Sabor" is one of the newest and largest initiatives as part of the Mejor con Pepsi (Better with Pepsi) brand campaign, which highlights the rich diversity of Latin cuisine while reminding fans that no matter your Latin food preference, every dish is always #MejorConPepsi. This year, the brand partnered with PepsiCo Juntos Crecemos (Together We Grow), an enterprise-wide initiative to support restaurants, bodegas and carnicerías, to amplify the Mejor con Pepsi efforts. Each restaurant featured on "Talking Sabor'' is part of the Juntos Crecemos platform, which provides support to help them grow and scale their businesses while contributing to the economic prosperity of local communities.

"Food has always been an important cornerstone of Hispanic culture, especially in its ability to foster connections, amplify celebrations, and create community," said Esperanza Teasdale, Vice President & General Manager, Hispanic Business Unit, PepsiCo Beverages North America. "We're proud to work with such a renowned talent, Chef Aarón Sánchez, to showcase the richness of Latin cuisine, the vibrancy of our culture, and the stories of amazing Hispanic-owned small businesses through 'Talking Sabor.'" 

AS SEEN ON HULU – "TALKING SABOR" MENU TASTINGS
On April 24, to celebrate the official debut of "Talking Sabor," consumers are invited to visit the 16 restaurants featured in the show to enjoy a specially curated menu with dishes tasted and shared in each episode by Chef Aarón and his special guests. In each city, the first 30 households to order from the "Talking Sabor" tasting menus at each of the participating restaurants will be gifted a complimentary $25 Hulu gift card from Pepsi to watch the show at home. (Subject to availability. See gift cards for details, terms, conditions and (if applicable) fees. All trademarks are property of their respective owners. The gift cards featured are not sponsors or otherwise affiliated with this company. Hulu gift subscriptions can be redeemed by visiting hulu.com/start/gifting and inputting the subscription code. When gift balance is expended, access to Hulu will end unless you provide another payment method, in which case monthly subscription charges will apply until you cancel. Remaining gift balance will be forfeited upon cancellation. May not be exchanged or used to offset amounts owed to Hulu; cannot be resold; not refundable or redeemable for cash, unless required by law.  Issued by, and represents a legal obligation solely of, Hulu, LLC. Hulu is not responsible for lost or stolen gift cards or codes. Visit www.hulu.com/start/gifting_terms for full terms and conditions.)

"Talking Sabor" is a creative media collaboration between PepsiCo, Chef Aarón Sánchez and MECENAS Media, and distributed exclusively on Hulu. The limited-edition series is a first of its kind for Pepsi, and one of the many new ways that the iconic brand continues to connect with Hispanic consumers through shared cultural passion points. For more information, visit www.wearecocina.com/talking-sabor. 

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $91 billion in net revenue in 2023, driven by a complimentary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.

PEPSI and the Pepsi Globe are registered trademarks of PepsiCo, Inc.

About MECENAS
MECENAS, parent company of COCINA, is a minority-owned publishing and media powerhouse, connecting brands with America's vibrant multicultural communities. Our portfolio includes COCINA, the gold standard for Latin Food co-founded by Aarón Sánchez, STARPICKS, a personalized free content streaming platform, and a suite of publishing units that cater to diverse audiences spanning gaming, esports, and on-demand audio. With exclusive partnerships with some of the nation's premier content distribution platforms and a robust owned and operated audience platform reaching over 75 million devices, MECENAS stands as one of the largest independent media companies in the multicultural landscape. Learn more at MECENASGroup.com.

About Disney Advertising
Disney Advertising builds relationships between brands and audiences with the imagination and innovation that has defined The Walt Disney Company for nearly 100 years by leveraging the most advanced ad portfolio powered by technology and data to drive outcomes and impact for clients. Disney Advertising is committed to the evolution of the global media ecosystem by prioritizing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as a business imperative, and as a key to greater representation in storytelling.

SOURCE PepsiCo, Inc.