US-based food, snack, and beverage company PepsiCo’s India unit has announced plans to build a food manufacturing plant in Nalbari, Assam.

Located at the AIDC Industrial Park, Banekuchi, Bonbhag Solmari, Nalbari district, this facility will be developed on 44.2 acres of land.

The company will invest Rs7.78bn ($93.54m) into the facility, which is expected to be operational in 2025.

The company intends to source 50,000t of potatoes from the state for its Lay’s chip brand in a bid to support and improve the livelihoods of thousands of farmers in the coming years.

It will also offer growth opportunities to the farmers with the use of advanced technology, high-quality seeds, and cost-effective machinery.

The factory will also increase the need for 60,000t of cold storage space in the following years.

The investment is estimated to create significant potential for businesses in the micro, small and medium enterprises sector, including those that produce packaging materials such as laminates, cartons, scrap and other local ancillary industries.

In a Twitter post, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the facility will create around 450 jobs, with a goal of having a 100% diverse workforce that includes at least 75% women.

PepsiCo India president Ahmed ElSheikh said: “In alignment with the Government of India's Self-Reliant India vision (Atmanirbhar vision), our investment in the greenfield facility in Assam stands as a significant milestone in our pursuit of this goal. Through the creation of employment opportunities and by empowering the farming community, our aim is to support the government's drive for self-sufficiency in potato production.

“Our skilling initiatives will further focus on fostering an ecosystem of economic empowerment for the women of Assam, equipping them with essential training and parity in opportunities.

“With this new facility, we anticipate a transformative impact on Assam’s entire ecosystem, reinforcing our ‘partnership of progress’ with the state government.”