Pepsi Cola commits to use local sugar in Bacolod plant

BACOLOD CITY , Philippines  – The Pepsi Cola Products Philippines Inc. has committed to use sugar from Negros instead of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in its production facility here.

This in compliance with the requirements of the Sugar Regulatory Administration, according to Jun Manuel, Pepsi’s vice president for legal and government affairs, who reported that the company purchased 2.3 million bags of locally-produced sugar this year.

Next year, Manuel said the company would acquire two million bags to be withdrawn in monthly tranches but this may be increased depending on the demand.

“That is our commitment to help the sugar industry by getting all sugar from Negros,” he said.

While there was a reduction in the sugar purchases, from 2,741, 182 bags in 2015 to 2,390,664 bags last year, Manuel it was due to their reformulation of the content of beverages to reduce its calorie content.

However, he said they remain the top local sugar consumer in the country with a 24.2 percent share in 2016.

“This is three times more sugar than our closest competitor” Manuel said.

Lyndon Cuadra, Pepsi vice president and senior general manager for Visayas, said that while other plants are using 70 percent local sugar and 30 percent HFCS, “It is our commitment not to allow the use of HFCS in Bacolod, and to use locally made sugar.”