PepsiCo is breaking into new territory with the launch of Driftwell, created to help consumers relax and get some beauty sleep.
"Driftwell is designed for anyone who just can't seem to shut down their mind at the end of the day, and it helps them with that relaxation moment because of the L-theanine in the product — 200 mg — which helps consumers relax," Emily Silver, vice president of innovation and capabilities at PepsiCo Beverages North America, told Cheddar on Tuesday.
PepsiCo notes in a fact sheet for Driftwell that 55 percent of Americans experience high stress throughout the day, with 45 percent reporting they lie awake at night because of said stress.
The coronavirus pandemic has become a significant source of stress worldwide, which creates a unique opportunity for a product like Driftwell.
"I think now is the perfect time to launch," Silver said. "We plan to put this online in [the fourth quarter] and get that out there to consumers who are looking for it now more than ever given the pandemic and everything that's going on."
PepsiCo's arguably most well-known drink remains Pepsi, which contains caffeine. However, Silver said PepsiCo has been "a total beverage company" for decades.
"A good portion of our portfolio contains caffeine, which is a need that many consumers are looking for, and then they're also looking for the unwind," Silver said. "So this helps build out our portfolio and build out this emerging category helping consumers unwind at the end of the day."
Silver said Driftwell's concept came from an internal competition to source ideas from associates worldwide. It was the winning pick out of more than 6,000 submissions.
Driftwell will be available online in December and in select brick and mortar retailers in early 2021.
The Rev. Al Sharpton is set to lead a protest march on Wall Street to urge corporate America to resist the Trump administration’s campaign to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The New York civil rights leader will join clergy, labor and community leaders Thursday in a demonstration through Manhattan’s Financial District that’s timed with the anniversary of the Civil Rights-era March on Washington in 1963. Sharpton called DEI the “civil rights fight of our generation." He and other Black leaders have called for boycotting American retailers that scaled backed policies and programs aimed at bolstering diversity and reducing discrimination in their ranks.
President Donald Trump's administration last month awarded a $1.2 billion contract to build and operate what's expected to become the nation’s largest immigration detention complex to a tiny Virginia firm with no experience running correction facilities.
Chipmaker Nvidia is poised to release a quarterly report that could provide a better sense of whether the stock market has been riding an overhyped artificial intelligence bubble or is being propelled by a technological boom that’s still gathering momentum.
Cracker Barrel said late Tuesday it’s returning to its old logo after critics — including President Donald Trump — protested the company’s plan to modernize.
Low-value imports are losing their duty-free status in the U.S. this week as part of President Donald Trump's agenda for making the nation less dependent on foreign goods. A widely used customs exemption for international shipments worth $800 or less is set to end starting on Friday. Trump already ended the “de minimis” rule for inexpensive items sent from China and Hong Kong, but having to pay import taxes on small parcels from everywhere else likely will be a big change for some small businesses and online shoppers. Purchases that previously entered the U.S. without needing to clear customs will be subject to the origin country’s tariff rate, which can range from 10% to 50%.
Southwest Airlines will soon require plus-size travelers to pay for an extra seat in advance if they can't fit within the armrests of one seat. This change is part of several updates the airline is making. The new rule starts on Jan. 27, the same day Southwest begins assigning seats. Currently, plus-size passengers can pay for an extra seat in advance and later get a refund, or request a free extra seat at the airport. Under the new policy, refunds are still possible but not guaranteed. Southwest said in a statement it is updating policies to prepare for assigned seating next year.
Cracker Barrel is sticking with its new logo. For now. But the chain is also apologizing to fans who were angered when the change was announced last week.
Elon Musk on Monday targeted Apple and OpenAI in an antitrust lawsuit alleging that the iPhone maker and the ChatGPT maker are teaming up to thwart competition in artificial intelligence.
