PepsiCo switches to canola oil to slash saturated fat content in snacks
According to PepsiCo ANZ CEO Danny Celoni, customers were “looking to make healthier choices and we saw this as an opportunity to source local Australian canola oil, which has better benefits from a health perspective in saturated fats.”
He added PepsiCo wants to give fans the option to indulge when they want with the prospect of making a better choice.
Canola oil is a monounsaturated fat, touted to be healthier than polyunsaturated fats, especially for people at risk for heart disease.
PepsiCo made the switch for Smith’s chips last year and has now rolled out the change across its other snack brands, meaning “90% of our local snack portfolio meets our global PepsiCo 2025 goal to reduce saturated fat in our products to no more than 1.1g per 100 calories,” added Celoni.
However, he noted “the number one focus is for our consumers to still receive the exact same taste they love.”
The move is a massive win for Aussie farmers, as the snack giant will be sourcing over 14,000 tonnes of locally-produced canola oil costing more than “80% of the produce [it uses, including] potato and corn” sourced locally to the tune of AU$120m annually.
PepsiCo ANZ is also in the process of rolling out the voluntary Health Star Rating on front-of-pack packaging. The company aims to have the rating on 67% of its snacks by the end of 2019, on track to meet government guidelines of 70% by 2023.
Celoni revealed PepsiCo is also investigating the possibility of introducing gluten-free and vegan options in the future.
