PepsiCo Cuts Out Grocery Stores And Sells Directly To Consumers Through New Websites

Shopping habits have changed because of the coronavirus outbreak, and companies are responding quickly. PepsiCo
PEP
is cutting out the grocery stores and selling directly to consumers through two new websites it launched this month.

Consumers can shop on PepsiCo’s PantryShop.com and Snacks.com for food and beverages. PantryShop.com offers kits in different categories, such as snacking, hydration, family favorites and protein. Each kit has a variety of PepsiCo products and ranges in price from $29.99 to $49.95. Snacks.com has more than 100 different products that do not have to be purchased in a bundle.

“We’ve seen incredibly strong demand for our snacks during this time, and Snacks.com offers consumers another way to purchase the products they love, delivered right to their door,” Michael Lindsey, chief transformation and strategy officer for Frito-Lay North America, said.

During the coronavirus outbreak, consumers have been stocking up on snacks and other nonperishable items with a longer shelf life. They have also been turning to comfort foods as restrictions force more people to cook and eat at home.

“In these uncertain times, as more and more consumers are using e-commerce channels to purchase food and beverage products, PantryShop.com and Snacks.com offer shoppers another alternative for easy and fast access to products they love,” Gibu Thomas, senior vice president and head of e-commerce at PepsiCo, said.

PepsiCo’s new direct-to-consumer websites eliminate the need for consumers to obtain their snacks from a grocery store while continuing the trend of more brands turning to online shopping alternatives. Wary shoppers are driving the trend as more people prefer to have their groceries delivered instead of risking a trip to the store.

“PantryShop.com and Snacks.com were developed from concept to execution in less than 30 days by leveraging a combination of PepsiCo’s technology, insights, resources and inventory to quickly meet consumers’ evolving needs. In addition to buying for themselves, consumers can ship products as gifts to friends and family via both platforms and the majority of orders on PantryShop.com and Snacks.com will arrive within two business days,” PepsiCo said in a press release.

PepsiCo indicates it plans to expand its line of available products on the websites in the future. Consumers may continue to prefer e-commerce options long after the outbreak is over.