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.
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A big-screen adaptation of the anime “Chainsaw Man” has topped the North American box office, beating a Springsteen biopic and “Black Phone 2.” The movie earned $17.25 million in the U.S. and Canada this weekend. “Black Phone 2” fell to second place with $13 million. Two new releases, the rom-com “Regretting You” and “Springsteen — Deliver Me From Nowhere,” earned $12.85 million and $9.1 million, respectively. “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” is based on the manga series about a demon hunter. It's another win for Sony-owned Crunchyroll, which also released a “Demon Slayer” film last month that debuted to a record $70 million.
The Federal Aviation Administration says flights departing for Los Angeles International Airport were halted briefly due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility. The FAA issued a temporary ground stop at one of the world’s busiest airports on Sunday morning soon after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted that travelers would see more flights delayed as the nation’s air traffic controllers work without pay during the federal government shutdown. The hold on planes taking off for LAX lasted an hour and 45 minutes and didn't appear to cause continued problems. The FAA said staffing shortages also delayed planes headed to Washington, Chicago and Newark, New Jersey on Sunday.
Boeing workers at three Midwest plants where military aircraft and weapons are developed have voted to reject the company’s latest contract offer and to continue a strike that started almost three months ago. The strike by about 3,200 machinists at the plants in the Missouri cities of St. Louis and St. Charles, and in Mascoutah, Illinois, is smaller in scale than a walkout last year by 33,000 Boeing workers who assemble commercial jetliners. The president of the International Association of Machinists says Sunday's outcome shows Boeing hasn't adequately addressed wages and retirement benefits. Boeing says Sunday's vote was close with 51% of union members opposing the revised offer.
