PepsiCo to invest over Rs 1,000 crore in Gorakhpur greenfield project

Indicating an early traction gained by the under-construction 91-km Gorakhpur Link Expressway, a leading Pepsico beverage bottler is investing more than Rs 1,000 crore in a greenfield plant in Gorakhpur — which was represented by chief minister Yogi Adityanath in the Lok Sabha multiple times.

Varun Beverages — the second-largest bottling company of Pepsico in the world outside the United States — will invest Rs 1,071 crore in the project, the land for which will be provided by the Gorakhpur Industrial Development Authority (GIDA).

GIDA CEO Pavan Agarwal said Varun Beverages has sought 60 acres in the vicinity of the Gorakhpur Link Expressway for the proposed project.

In the first phase, GIDA will allot 45 acres to the company for the plant, which will generate about 1,500 jobs.

Varun Beverages will produce carbonated soft drinks, beverage-based syrups, packaged drinking water, juice drinks, milk-based drinks and value-added dairy products in the Gorakhpur unit. “GIDA will fast-track the process and issue the land allotment letter in a week,” he added.

GIDA is fast emerging as a preferred destination for big projects. Other projects, which have been green-signalled by the state include Plastic Park and a flatted factory project. These two projects are expected to provide jobs to almost 10,000 local youth.

In the last four years, 259 industrial entities have acquired land from GIDA and collectively invested Rs 1,000 crore in their plants across different sectors viz. food processing, manufacturing, industrial products, textile, etc. This created 5,000 fresh jobs.

These firms included Gallantt Ispat Limited, Shuddh Plus Hygiene, Crazy Bakery Udyog, Ankur Udyog Limited, Spice Laminates Private Limited, Aditya Motors Private Limited, India Glycol Private Limited, RK Oxygen Private Limited and Samastha FIDS.