PepsiCo joins gourmet snack bandwagon with Red Rock Deli

Global and local brands go premium to win discerning consumers

November 27, 2025

PepsiCo — Representative image of Red Rock Deli. The brand enters the Indian market with a selection of exotic, globally inspired flavours produced locally to suit Indian tastes.

In a marked shift from its popular and low-cost Lay’s brand, and in tune with a trending shift to premiumization amid a clutter in the mass market, PepsiCo India has introduced its premium gourmet chips brand, Red Rock Deli, to the Indian market as announced in November 2025.

Known for its exotic, chef-inspired flavors, the brand – born in Australia and recognized worldwide for its gourmet-style chips – aims to bring a sophisticated snacking experience to Indian consumers.

Manufactured locally at PepsiCo’s plants in Channo (Sangrur, Punjab) and Kosi Kalan (Mathura, Uttar Pradesh), Red Rock Deli products are said to use advanced cooking methods such as Kettle Cooked, Baked, and Popped to deliver distinctive textures and taste profiles.

The range is crafted with high-quality ingredients, including sunflower oil, and offers globally inspired flavors specially adapted to suit Indian palates.

The brand is positioned to appeal to urban consumers who seek premium yet accessible snacking options. Initially, Red Rock Deli products will be available exclusively through quick commerce platforms, ensuring convenience and availability in major cities.

The Kettle Cooked and Baked variants are priced at ₹60, while the Popped variant, currently launching in South India, is priced at ₹125. With this launch, PepsiCo India is expanding its portfolio into the growing premium snacks segment, combining international flair with local innovation.

“Today’s urban consumers are seeking premium, chef-inspired snacks that feel both elevated and accessible. Introducing the brand in India is catering to this consumer shift toward richer textures, bolder ingredients, for intentional snacking moments,” Saakshi Verma Menon, chief marketing officer, Foods, PepsiCo India, has been quoted by the media as saying.

With intensifying competition and mounting pressure in the mass-market segment, and underscoring a broader shift toward quality, innovation, and evolving consumer preferences, FMCG companies such as Marico, Emami, ITC, Tata and others are increasingly focusing on premium products and new-age snacking and packaged food categories—ranging from high-end ghee and yogurts to gourmet snacks.

PepsiCo’s latest move aligns with this trend, as supermarket shelves witness a surge in premium food offerings fueled by innovation from emerging players like Beyond Snacks, RPSG-backed Too Yum!, and Cremica’s Opera Chips.

The shift to premiumization is also quite evident in the personal care space as already written by Packaging South Asia earlier this year, as brands look to reshape the marketing landscape across multiple sectors to target the new, evolving customer who aspires for a small slice of the elite pie.

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Naresh Khanna – 23 September 2025

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