PepsiCo has locked in a new 11-year distribution agreement with Taco Bell, keeping the soda giant as the chain’s exclusive beverage provider through 2036, even as sister restaurant KFC moves to Coca-Cola in the United States. The deal renewal, announced Thursday, underscores PepsiCo’s continued international foothold across Yum Brands’ portfolio, the parent company that was spun off from PepsiCo in 1997. While KFC’s U.S. locations will switch to Coke, Taco Bell will continue serving exclusive branded drinks like Mountain Dew Baja Blast across the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Ireland, and Thailand.
Meanwhile, in Burkina Faso, President Ibrahim Traoré has intensified a separate crackdown on illicit trade, warning that the country’s ban on certain imported alcoholic beverages is not being fully enforced. The government outlawed the production, sale, and possession of alcoholic energy drinks in June 2024, specifically targeting the imported German beverage brand Vody. Despite these regulations, border customs officers continue to intercept concealed shipments of contraband beverages daily.
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During a high-level government meeting in Ouagadougou, Traoré emphasized that “the ban is not enough; traffickers are still managing to bring these products in, and customs seizes concealed shipments every day”. He cautioned officials that “a nation cannot be built on a sick youth, lacking clarity and direction,” urging regional governors to increase efforts to protect public health through new local sports initiatives. The push aligns with his broader economic sovereignty agenda, which has expanded state control over strategic sectors and tightened local content requirements while welcoming foreign investment.
While PepsiCo’s global deal with Taco Bell secures a long-term commercial partnership, Traoré’s focus remains on domestic enforcement and public health, signaling a divergence in priorities between global beverage conglomerates and the Sahelian nation’s regulatory crackdown.
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