In an exclusive event launch on 27th October 2022, PepsiCo and Ali Bin Ali Beverages, with the support of the Government of the State of Qatar, launched the new Aquafina's 100% recycled plastic bottles. The recycled bottles, which were launched at Ali Bin Ali Beverages production plant in Doha, Qatar, was graced by the attendance of Eng. Youssef Al Emadi representing the Minister of Commerce and Industry, and Eng. Hussain Saad Alkubaisi representing the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Special attendance was made by CEO Africa, Middle East and South Asia at PepsiCo, Mr. Eugene Willemsen; PepsiCo CEO for the Middle East, Mr. Aamer Sheikh; Vice Chairman and Executive Vice President of Ali Bin Ali Holding, Mr. Nabeel Ali Bin Ali; and General Manager of Ali Bin Ali Beverages, Mr. Marc Karam. In addition, other key personnel from PepsiCo and Ali Bin Ali Beverages, as well as other stakeholders from across the region including the media, attended the event.
Aquafina is the first beverage brand in Qatar, and the GCC region, to introduce locally manufactured, 100% recycled plastic bottles. With just one bottle, you can contribute positively to the country's drive to achieve its sustainable goals.
Manufactured in the Ali Bin Ali Beverages bottler plant, the new 100% recycled plastic bottles are the latest initiative in PepsiCo’s sustainability agenda to help lead a green recovery under the pep+ (#PepsiCoPositive) strategy to find ways to reduce virgin plastic use by 50% by 2025 and transform the way people drink water.
Find out what PepsiCo CEO for the Middle East, Aamer Sheikh, and Marc Karam, the General Manager of Ali Bin Ali Beverages had to say about the launch below.
According to Mr. Sheikh, PepsiCo’s vision aims to make the world a place where packaging never becomes a waste. To achieve its vision, last year, PepsiCo launched pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) a strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how the company creates value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people.
Speaking about the 100% recycled plastic bottles launch in Qatar, Mr. Sheikh said:
"We want to make sure that through pep+ we'll be driving sustainable value, competitive advantage, and positive actions for the planet and people. PepsiCo’s pep+ ambition aims to design 100% of its packaging to be recyclable, compostable, biodegradable or reusable by 2025 and to cut virgin plastic from non-renewable sources per serving across its global beverages and convenient foods portfolio by 50% by 2030. So, therefore, launching a 100% recycled plastic bottles is a key milestone towards that journey and towards a more sustainable future."
But of course, success in achieving these goals is also credited to the effort that goes into manufacturing the bottles.
Mr. Karam, shared about the production challenges the team faced, as the recycled plastic is deemed a raw material, and one that is not readily available everywhere. However, by working together, PepsiCo and Ali Bin Ali Beverages overcame this issue to make the dream a reality.
Mr. Marc Karam commented on the launch.
"The opportunity is to convert our past habits into new habits, looking after the environment, looking after the future generations, and doing the right thing in terms of the industry. We are responsible for the choices we make as an industry. Our consumers and customers today, as well as the company, want to go in that direction."
The launch is also an important milestone that sees the private sector contribute to Qatar achieving its Vision 2030 sustainability goals.
Mr. Marc Karam added that:
"Anything we do to protect our environment to move towards a more sustainable model contributes to the Qatar 2030 Vision which is all about sustainability, recyclability, living a better life in our footprint, whether its carbon footprint, plastic footprint, and so forth.
This is only a small step with big impact, there are so many other things that we can do more in terms of sustainability. But for us as a leading industry, it is important that we contribute to a more sustainable future in our own field. In fact, we reuse, recycle, and we reduce, that's how we do it."
The launch of the Aquafina 100% recycled bottles comes at a momentous time when PepsiCo and Ali Bin Ali Beverages are marking their 60th anniversary of partnership. Nonetheless, the launch is set to be key initiative in addressing one of the challenges affecting humanity today – environmental degradation. Through it, the brand embraces greener means of manufacturing its products thereby acting on climate change.
The new packaging will launch with the 330ml and 500ml Aquafina bottles.
Cover image credit: PepsiCo
Join the Ripple Effect and get your 100% Recycled Bottles! Remember that even small steps can make a big impact. Let us know what you think in the comments! Do share this article - it keeps us going!
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