Photos: PepsiCo brings zero-staffed snack store and sustainable solutions to Expo 2020 Dubai

On September 5, PespiCo, the official snack and beverage partner to Expo 2020 Dubai, briefed select media on three brand new innovations to be stationed across the world fair site. Previously the food and beverage company introduced Aquafina water in recyclable aluminium cans, which the audience will hydrate from on site. PepsiCo’s dedicated pavilions in each of the three Thematic Districts -- Pepsi + Lay’s Plus Pavilion in Opportunity District; Gatorade Bolt Pavilion in Mobility District; and Aquafina Drop Pavilion in Sustainability District -- are also set to receive visitors.

“Our innovations actually have the potential to change the way we shop and consume our products today,” said Aamer Sheikh, President and General Manager at PepsiCo. “We’re offering consumers more sustainable choices, new ways to shop… giving them the opportunity to select products that are good for the planet.” The eco-conscious vision goes hand-in-hand with Expo 2020 Dubai’s goal to host one of the most sustainable World Expos in history.

Baked multigrain snack Sunbites will come in limited-edition eco-friendly packets at Expo. “We want to make sure that 100 per cent of our packaging is either recyclable, compostable or biodegradable,” said Sheikh. The material is plant-based, which makes it a first for the company in the region, and hence completely compostable. Sheikh said that the innovation even takes greenhouse gases into consideration; composting means less emissions are released into the atmosphere than with traditional packaging.

For its second innovation, PepsiCo is bringing a water station that can allow you to customise your drinking water, be it sparkling or still, flavoured or plain. The feature comes paired with a special reusable tumbler with unlimited refills to help visitors cut down on their plastic consumption. These bottles will be up for purchase in either blue or white. It also carries a QR code that visitors must scan to unlock the machine and create their own bespoke drink; in case the visitors come with their own bottle, there will be a master QR code available for the same purpose. For your second refill, the stations will remember your exact recipe with the help of your unique code.

Personalisation options on the Aquafina water station screen even extend to the intensity of the flavours (lime, peach, strawberry and raspberry lime), the temperature of your water and the level of carbonation. Quantifying the positive impact visitors will have made on the planet by the end of their fill, the machine displays the number of plastic bottles saved by the entire network of 30 stations across the Expo site.

For the final demonstration, carried out through a virtual reality (VR) experience, Mustafa Shamseldin, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at PepsiCo, unveiled the company’s unattended store called Pepsi Go. Stationed across four different locations on site, Pepsi Go will be a staff-less, cashless store designed for snacking on the go. Its artificial intelligence vision or AI-based technology will allow visitors to walk in, authenticate their method of payment, grab a snack or two from the shelves and simply walk out.

“Expo 2020 Dubai is known for being a place for innovations,” said Shamseldin, adding that the fair will act as a launch pad for debuting all three solutions beyond Expo. The 18-square-metre smart store attends to four people at once, after which it automatically bars entry till the number drops. Once visitors scan their card, the last four digits will be used to identify the customer, who can then view their digital receipt on the screens inside. Refunds are, too, automatic; all you have to do is drop the product back in the store.

In response to COVID-19 protocols, Shamseldin told Gulf News that the entire shopping experience would be contactless, making it ideal for the current climate.