PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA) and the Seattle Kraken have announced a new partnership that will deliver thirst-quenching PepsiCo products to passionate Kraken fans in Seattle while committing to the sustainability goals of Climate Pledge Arena. As a signatory, PepsiCo will join the pledge to commit to regularly reporting greenhouse gas emissions, implementing decarbonization strategies and neutralizing any remaining emissions to achieve net-zero annual carbon emissions by 2040.
As part of the deal, PBNA will be the exclusive carbonated soft drink, water, sports performance (Gatorade), energy, tea, juice and mixers provider of the Seattle Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena. To celebrate the new partnership, commitment to the community and the sustainability goals of Climate Pledge Arena and the Kraken, a monorail train on the Seattle Center Monorail will be wrapped as the Pepsi Zero Sugar Express, with epic, unapologetic fan giveaway moments throughout the season.
“Seattle is one of the most iconic communities in America – a bustling urban city that has kept community and sustainability at the forefront of their lives for decades,” said Claudia Calderon, vice president of Marketing for PepsiCo Beverages North America’s West Division. “As the newest member of the Climate Pledge Arena team and the Kraken faithful, PBNA is committed to giving fans the unapologetic experiences they need to cheer on the Kraken from the first puck drop through the final horn, while staying true to the values of the team and community. The Pepsi Zero Sugar Express will bring that energy and responsibility to the forefront of our collective efforts, and we can’t wait to see the franchise get off to an exciting start in a few weeks’ time.”
While the Pepsi Zero Sugar Express monorail car comes online this weekend, October 9th, the party really gets started during the opening week of the Climate Pledge Arena, kicking off with the grand opening Coldplay concert on October 22, followed by the Kraken’s first home game on October 23.
An emcee will host the 90 second ride to the arena to get fans hyped for the festivities. Riders will receive a token to put toward a local charity organization – the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition (DRCC) and Bike Works – as a thank you for choosing sustainable transportation, once they arrive at the Seattle Center Armory. PBNA will commit to donating $30,000 between the organizations to continue their missions to positively impact the local community.
Once fans arrive at the Armory and make their way into the arena, Pepsi Zero Sugar Express riders will receive a limited-edition Pepsi Zero Sugar Kraken mask and a chance to win exciting prizes including gift cards for the Kraken Team Shop, ORCA cards for free public transit rides and premium tickets to future Kraken games.
“We are thrilled to partner with PBNA, a brand with world-renowned products and a dedication to the community,” said Tod Leiweke, CEO of the Seattle Kraken. “The foundation of our partnership centers around commitment to our fans and our community. Through shared sustainable efforts, we’re excited to enhance experiences at Climate Pledge Arena and look forward to pioneering new and unique moments that celebrate our fans all over Seattle.”
PBNA plans to introduce sustainable packaging within the arena, aligning with Climate Pledge Arena’s commitment to being 100% free of single-use plastics by 2024.
The new partnership is the latest in a line of sustainability-focused announcements from parent company PepsiCo, such as new goals to improve packaging sustainability and all Pepsi-branded¹ products in the U.S. to be converted to 100% rPET bottles by 2030, with Pepsi Zero Sugar beginning to be sold in 100% rPET bottles by 2022. PepsiCo estimates that moving to a 100% rPET bottle will lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by approximately 30% per bottle, with 22 global markets now offering a PepsiCo product in 100% rPET packaging and 11 European markets moving key Pepsi-branded products to 100% rPET bottles by 2022.
These important steps are a part of pep+ (PepsiCo Positive), a strategic end-to-end transformation with sustainability at the center of how the company will create growth and value by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for the planet and people. pep+ includes new goals to cut virgin plastic per serving by 50% across PepsiCo’s global food and beverage portfolio by 2030², using 50% recycled content in its plastic packaging, among other levers. pep+ will guide one of the world’s most respected food and beverage companies and a leading actor in the transformation of the global food system in charting a new course for its business operations – from sourcing ingredients, making and selling its products in a more sustainable way; to inspiring consumers through its iconic brands to make better choices for themselves and the planet; to supporting communities and improving livelihoods throughout its supply chain.
