In the fast-paced world of consumer goods, where supply chains stretch across continents and people’s tastes change overnight, running a business well isn’t just a job; it’s the lifeblood of the company. Gregg Roden is the architect of that vitality at PepsiCo, the second biggest food and drink company in the world. Roden is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer (COO). He runs a huge network that gets famous brands like Pepsi, Lay’s, Gatorade, and Quaker to more than a billion people every day in more than 200 countries. This low-profile leader, who lives in Plano, Texas, has been turning problems into solutions for more than 30 years. This has helped PepsiCo stay flexible, sustainable, and profitable in a market that is always changing.
A Texas Roots Story: From Aggie to the Head of an Industry
Gregg Roden’s time with PepsiCo is the perfect example of how to succeed at home. He is proud to be an alumnus of Texas A&M University. He graduated in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Distribution, which is a degree that combines engineering, business, and logistics. This made him perfectly ready for the challenges of global supply chains. That year, Roden walked through the doors of PepsiCo and began his career on the front lines of operations. What started out as an entry-level job quickly turned into a series of high-impact jobs, showing how good he was at growing businesses and encouraging new ideas.
Roden worked on his skills early on at PepsiCo Foods North America (PFNA), the division that makes popular snacks like Cheetos and Frito-Lay. He was the Southeast Region Vice President of Supply Chain, where he improved regional distribution as demand grew. After that, he worked as Senior Vice President of Supply Chain for the West Division, where he dealt with the logistical problems of large areas, and as Senior Vice President of Quality, Productivity, and Sustainability. These jobs showed his dedication to not only being efficient, but also to being ethical and environmentally friendly.
By 2020, Roden had become PFNA’s Senior Vice President of Supply Chain, dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic’s unprecedented disruptions. In one important case, he was part of a high-level “Team USA” group of business leaders working with government officials to keep food supply chains stable during lockdowns. His work kept the shelves stocked, even when global shipping was having problems. This shows how good he is at handling crises.
As COO, you are in charge of steering the global ship.
Roden’s job has grown a lot since he was promoted to Executive Vice President and COO a few years ago. He is in charge of PepsiCo’s Global Supply Chain and Operations, which includes North American and International Supply Chains, Global Procurement, and Global Employee Health and Safety. In this time of inflation, geopolitical tensions, and climate change, global security, supply chain strategy and transformation, and holistic cost management are all very important.
Under Roden’s leadership, PepsiCo has worked on big changes. He has been a strong supporter of end-to-end value chain optimization, a strategy he clearly explained in a keynote speech at the North American Supply Chain Executive Summit (NASCES) in 2021. The talk, called “Procurement to Pantry: Achieving Profitable Growth Through End-to-End Value Chain Optimization,” showed how combining procurement, manufacturing, and distribution can lead to long-term profits. Roden talked about how PepsiCo has used data-driven forecasting, AI-enhanced inventory management, and strong supplier networks to get through problems like the 2021 Suez Canal blockage and ongoing shortages of raw materials.
Another important part of his leadership is sustainability. Roden, who used to be the SVP of Quality, Productivity, and Sustainability, made PepsiCo’s core operations more eco-friendly, which helped the company save money and cut its carbon footprint. Some of the projects he oversees are regenerative agriculture programs for potato farmers (important for Lay’s) and water stewardship projects in areas where water is scarce. These actions are in line with PepsiCo’s “PepsiCo Positive” (pep+) strategy, which aims for net-zero emissions by 2040. In 2023, Roden led efforts to work with Unilever and other big companies to test reusable packaging. For example, PepsiCo worked with the San Francisco 49ers to make eco-friendly cups for Levi’s Stadium, which cut down on single-use plastic waste.
Roden puts people ahead of the balance sheet. He is the executive sponsor for Talent Acquisition at PepsiCo’s Texas A&M partnership. He connects the business world with the academic world by hiring the best people to drive innovation. His focus on the health and safety of his employees has been very important since the pandemic. He put in place strong protocols that earned PepsiCo praise for being able to handle tough situations at work.
Industry footprint and outside influence
Roden’s influence goes well beyond the walls of PepsiCo. He is on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the Consumer Brands Association (formerly the Grocery Manufacturers Association). There, he pushes for policies that help U.S. manufacturing and trade. People have asked him to speak on panels about how to make supply chains more resilient. For example, he spoke at a 2020 Innovation Endeavors panel on “Navigating Sales During Uncertain Times,” where he shared tips for keeping things moving during tough economic times.
Roden isn’t a regular on social media—his LinkedIn profile, which was last updated in mid-2025, focuses on work milestones instead of personal stories—but his quiet influence is clear in PepsiCo’s steady performance. The company made $91.4 billion in sales in 2024, with operations accounting for 7% of that growth. This was under CEO Ramon Laguarta. Roden’s all-around cost management has been linked to higher margins, even though input costs went up.
Looking Ahead: How to Run a Business in a World That Changes
As of October 2025, Roden’s world is shaped by AI integration, geopolitical risks, and changing consumer preferences for healthier, traceable products. His past shows that he’ll face these challenges head-on by using technology for predictive analytics, diversifying suppliers to lower risks, and focusing on sustainability to attract Gen Z and millennial buyers.
Gregg Roden’s story is one of quiet determination. He was a Texas engineer who turned operational grit into a global strategy. In an industry where execution is everything, he’s the unsung hero who makes sure that every sip of Pepsi and crunch of a chip goes off without a hitch. PepsiCo wants to make more plant-based and functional drinks, and Roden’s vision will help the company stay ahead of the competition. “It’s about getting from ‘procurement to pantry’ profitably,” he said in his NASCES keynote. Roden has mastered the way to do this.
