The short answer
PepsiCo is cutting about 1,000 jobs across its North American business, CNBC reported on November 9, 2026. Reuters said the Wall Street Journal first reported the figure and that the cuts fall on the North America food and beverage business. The cuts are job losses, and they are expected over the following week, according to both CNBC and Reuters. Neither outlet gave a share of staff, but PepsiCo employed about 306,000 people worldwide as of December 27, 2025, including roughly 125,000 in the United States, per the company figure cited by Reuters and CNBC.
What happened
Ram Krishnan, the CEO of PepsiCo North America, told employees about the changes in a letter on Monday, November 9, 2026, according to CNBC and Reuters, which both said they obtained the letter. The Wall Street Journal broke the news earlier that day, per CNBC and Reuters. Reuters attributed the 1,000 figure to the Journal and in its own reporting said only that PepsiCo is cutting some jobs. Neither CNBC nor Reuters reported a public statement or a securities filing from PepsiCo that gives the number.
Who is affected
The cuts are in PepsiCo's North American business, which includes its food unit (snacks such as Frito-Lay) and its beverage unit, according to Reuters. Neither CNBC nor Reuters named specific teams, offices or states. As of November 10, 2026, no state WARN notice tied to this round had been reported in these sources. A WARN notice is a filing an employer makes with a state when it plans a large layoff at one site, usually 60 days ahead.
When it takes effect
The cuts are expected over the week after the November 9 letter, per CNBC and Reuters. Neither outlet gave last working days or an end date.
What the company said
In his letter, Krishnan said PepsiCo North America wants to be a stronger business that grows faster than the rest of its industry, and that to get there it needs to move faster and be more connected while still investing in its people and brands, according to CNBC. Reuters reported that the letter described the cuts as a way to simplify the company's structure, act faster and put money behind the areas that will drive growth. CNBC said the goal is to streamline operations and better connect teams across the North American business.
Both outlets tied the cuts to weak sales at home. PepsiCo lowered its full-year earnings outlook in October 2026, citing softness in North America, per Reuters and CNBC. In the third quarter, the North American beverage unit's volume fell 2% and the North American food unit's volume was flat, according to CNBC. Reuters noted that the turnaround effort followed activist investor Elliott Investment Management taking a stake of about $4 billion in PepsiCo a year earlier.
Earlier cuts at PepsiCo
- In November 2025, PepsiCo told the state it would close a Frito-Lay plant in Orlando, ending 454 jobs, and a nearby warehouse by May 9, 2026, ending 46 more, according to Food Processing. Workers were told they would get 60 days of severance pay, per the same report.
- In February 2026, PepsiCo filed a California WARN notice to close a Frito-Lay distribution site, with 248 layoffs and operations ending on June 6, according to Food Dive. Food Dive reported that manufacturing at the site had already ended in 2025.
Questions people ask
How many people is PepsiCo laying off?
About 1,000 jobs across North America, according to CNBC on November 9, 2026. Reuters attributed the same figure to the Wall Street Journal. PepsiCo employed about 306,000 people worldwide as of December 27, 2025, including roughly 125,000 in the United States.
Which parts of PepsiCo are affected?
The cuts are in the North America food and beverage business, per Reuters. No specific teams, offices or states have been named in the reporting.
When do the PepsiCo layoffs happen?
The job cuts were expected over the week after Ram Krishnan's November 9, 2026 letter to employees, according to CNBC and Reuters. No last working days have been reported.
Why is PepsiCo cutting jobs?
Krishnan's letter said the goal is to simplify the structure, move faster and invest in growth, per Reuters and CNBC. The cuts follow PepsiCo's October 2026 cut to its earnings outlook, which it blamed on weak results in North America, where beverage volume fell 2% in the third quarter, according to CNBC.
Has PepsiCo had layoffs before?
Yes. PepsiCo closed a Frito-Lay plant and warehouse in Orlando with 500 jobs ending, announced in November 2025 per Food Processing, and filed a WARN notice for 248 layoffs at a Frito-Lay distribution site in Rancho Cucamonga, California in February 2026, per Food Dive.