The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) will host its annual meeting and food expo June 25-28 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas. 

PepsiCo, Purchase, N.Y., expanded its Sierra Mist carbonated soft drink brand with the addition of its newest flavor, Strawberry Kiwi Splash.  The new flavor is made with real sugar and does not contain artificial additives or preservatives, the company says.

Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo brand Mountain Dew debuted exclusive content for fans eagerly awaiting the release of Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “The Dark Knight Rises.” Mountain Dew introduced the website, www.dewgothamcity.com, which features never-before-seen Dark Knight content with unprecedented access to Gotham City, the company says.

 Dollar sales in the carbonated soft drink (CSD) category totaled $18.3 billion for food, drug and mass merchandise retailers including Walmart for the 52 weeks ending April 14, according to data from Nielsen, New York City.  

PepsiCo Inc., Purchase, N.Y., will sponsor the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show set for Feb. 3 in New Orleans.

 PepsiCo’s Tropicana brand now is offering its flagship premium orange juice product in a family-sized pitcher.  

PepsiCo, Purchase, N.Y., announced an open call for young entrepreneurs and forward-thinking university students in Brazil to submit business ideas for its digital incubator program PepsiCo10. Now in its third year, PepsiCo10 identifies promising emerging technologies that can be applied to brands to engage consumers in new ways to help drive sales.  PepsiCo10 Brazil will be the first PepsiCo10 program focused on an emerging market.

Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo brands Mountain Dew and Doritos announced the return of their Double XP promotion as part of the Nov. 6 launch of the Halo 4 video game. Double XP provides fans with unique opportunities to experience the next installment of the gaming saga, the companies say.

U.S. beverage-makers including Atlanta-based The Coca-Cola Co., Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo and Plano, Texas-based Dr Pepper Snapple Group announced a new vending program that will launch in municipal buildings in Chicago and San Antonio in 2013.

Customer satisfaction toward purchases in the soft drink and beer categories remained relatively stable in the last year, with both segments showing approximately a 1 percent decrease in scores compared with the previous year, according to a study by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), Ann Arbor, Mich.