PepsiCo vs Procter & Gamble: Founders, CEOs and History
PepsiCo was founded in 1965 by Caleb Bradham, Donald M. Kendall, Herman W. Lay and is led by Ramon Laguarta. Procter & Gamble was founded in 1837 by William Procter, James Gamble and is led by Shailesh Jejurikar.
Company facts
PepsiCo
- Founded
- 1965
- Headquarters
- Purchase, New York, United States
- Current CEO
- Ramon Laguarta
- Employees
- 306,000
Procter & Gamble
- Founded
- 1837
- Headquarters
- Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
- Current CEO
- Shailesh Jejurikar
- Employees
- 109,000
Founders
PepsiCo
Caleb Bradham
Caleb Bradham created "Brad's Drink" at his New Bern pharmacy in 1898, renamed it Pepsi-Cola and incorporated the Pepsi-Cola Company in 1902.
Donald M. Kendall
Donald M. Kendall led Pepsi-Cola and engineered its 1965 merger with Frito-Lay to form PepsiCo, which he ran as CEO until 1986.
Herman W. Lay
Herman W. Lay (1909-1982) started his career as a snack food salesman. In 1932, he opened a snack food operation in Nashville, Tennessee, eventually purchasing the manufacturer and renaming it H.W. Lay & Company.
Procter & Gamble
William Procter
William Procter was an English-born candlemaker who settled in Cincinnati, Ohio, and built a candle-making business there. In 1837, on the advice of his father-in-law, he went into partnership with his brother-in-law James Gamble to form Procter & Gamble.
James Gamble
James Gamble was an Irish-born soap maker in Cincinnati who joined William Procter in 1837 to form Procter & Gamble. He concentrated on soap formulation and efficient production, and the company later launched Ivory Soap, known for floating in water.
CEOs and their tenures
PepsiCo
- D. Wayne Calloway1986–1996
Chief Executive Officer
He more than doubled PepsiCo's revenues during his tenure and heavily invested in the restaurant division before it was later spun off.
Source - Roger Enrico1996–2001
Chief Executive Officer
He dramatically simplified the company's structure, allowing it to focus resources on its core grocery and convenience store distribution networks.
Source - Steven Reinemund2001–2006
Chief Executive Officer
He oversaw significant international expansion and revenue growth, setting a strong operational foundation before handing leadership to Nooyi.
Source - Indra Nooyi2006–2018
Chief Executive Officer
Under her 12-year tenure as CEO, PepsiCo's revenue grew by more than 80%, and she fundamentally reshaped the company's identity from a junk-food purveyor to a diversified global food and beverage giant.
Source - Ramon Laguarta2018–present
Chairman of the Board & Chief Executive Officer
He sustained strong organic revenue growth and protected operating margins through historically challenging supply chain conditions, while committing the company to major sustainability and packaging reduction goals.
Source
Procter & Gamble
- Jon Moeller2021–2026
Chief Executive Officer; later Executive Chairman
As CFO and later CEO, he successfully stabilized P&G's declining revenue by enforcing strict pricing power during severe global inflation.
Source - Andre Schulten2021–present
Chief Financial Officer
As CFO, he maintained the company's industry-leading gross margins and managed the complex financial exit from the Russian market in 2022.
Source - Shailesh Jejurikar2026–present
President and CEO
Mumbai-born P&G veteran of more than 37 years who previously led Fabric & Home Care and served as Chief Operating Officer.
Source
Timeline: PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble side by side
1837Procter & Gamble
Company Founded in Cincinnati
William Procter and James Gamble sign a partnership agreement on October 31, 1837, establishing Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, Ohio, with combined capital of approximately 7,192 dollars.
1862Procter & Gamble
Civil War Army Contracts Fuel Expansion
P&G wins contracts to supply the Union Army with soap and candles, generating significant revenue that enables manufacturing expansion and introduces millions of American soldiers to P&G products for the first time.
1882Procter & Gamble
Ivory Soap Launches Nationally
Harley Procter and James Norris Gamble introduce Ivory soap, promoted as 99 and 44/100 percent pure and notable for its floating characteristic.
1890Procter & Gamble
Company Incorporates and Expands Nationally
Procter & Gamble incorporates in Ohio with capital of 4.5 million dollars and begins building manufacturing capacity outside Cincinnati, establishing the operational infrastructure for national distribution that the Ivory soap advertising campaign had created…
1898PepsiCo
Pepsi-Cola Invented in North Carolina
Caleb Bradham formulated the original digestive cola syrup in his drugstore.
1911Procter & Gamble
Crisco Shortening Introduced
P&G launches Crisco vegetable shortening, the first hydrogenated vegetable oil product marketed to American consumers as an alternative to lard and butter.
1931Procter & Gamble
Brand Management System Invented
P&G executive Neil McElroy writes a famous internal memo proposing that each brand have its own dedicated management team responsible for competing against all rivals including other P&G brands.
1946Procter & Gamble
Tide Detergent Launches
P&G introduces Tide synthetic detergent, which rapidly becomes the best-selling laundry product in the United States and establishes the template for all future P&G brand development: superior product performance, heavy consumer advertising, and sustained mark…
1961Procter & Gamble
Pampers Diapers Introduced
P&G introduces Pampers disposable diapers, transforming the infant care category and creating what will become one of the company's most globally significant brands.
1965PepsiCo
Historic Merger of Pepsi-Cola & Frito-Lay
Donald Kendall and Herman Lay created PepsiCo, uniting snacks and soft drinks.
1975PepsiCo
Launch of the Pepsi Challenge
National blind taste tests shook Coca-Cola's market dominance and redefined advertising.
1997PepsiCo
Restaurant Business Spun Off
PepsiCo spun off its restaurant businesses (Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC) as Tricon Global Restaurants, now Yum! Brands, in 1997.
1998PepsiCo
Acquisition of Tropicana ($3.3B)
Acquired chilled orange juice leader Tropicana to dominate morning beverages.
2001PepsiCo
Acquisition of Quaker Oats & Gatorade ($13.4B)
Acquired Quaker Oats, adding sports hydration pioneer Gatorade to the portfolio.
2005Procter & Gamble
Gillette Acquired for 57 Billion Dollars
P&G completes the acquisition of Gillette Company for approximately 57 billion dollars in an all-stock transaction, adding Gillette razors, Braun appliances, Oral-B dental products, and Duracell batteries to the P&G portfolio.
2006PepsiCo
Indra Nooyi becomes CEO
Indra Nooyi became CEO of PepsiCo in 2006. Chief executive of PepsiCo from 2006 to 2018.
2011PepsiCo
Wimm-Bill-Dann Acquired
PepsiCo completed its acquisition of the Russian dairy and juice company Wimm-Bill-Dann in 2011.
2014Procter & Gamble
Portfolio Transformation Announced
CEO A.G. Lafley announces P&G's plan to divest more than 100 brands and focus the company on approximately 80 core brands in ten product categories.
2018PepsiCo
Acquisition of SodaStream ($3.2B) & Ramon Laguarta Appointed CEO
Acquired SodaStream to pioneer eco-friendly dispensing; Ramon Laguarta took over as CEO.
2019Procter & Gamble
Portfolio Simplification Completed
P&G completes the brand portfolio simplification, having divested more than 100 brands and consolidated around approximately 65 core brands.
2022PepsiCo
Strategic Distribution Alliance with Celsius ($550M)
Secured master global distribution for fast-growing energy brand Celsius.
2024Procter & Gamble
Fiscal Year 2024 Net Sales Reach Approximately 84 Billion Dollars
P&G reports fiscal year 2024 net sales of $84.0 billion and net earnings attributable to P&G of about $14.9 billion, and raises its quarterly dividend 7% to $1.0065 per share, its 68th consecutive annual increase.
2025PepsiCo
poppi Acquisition and Elliott-Backed Plan
Closed the $1.95 billion poppi deal and announced a North America cost and pricing reset in December.
2026PepsiCo
Price Cuts on Core Snacks
Lowered prices on major Frito-Lay brands by up to 15% to recover US volumes.
Acquisitions
PepsiCo
- poppi2025$1.9B
- SodaStream International2018$3.2B
- The Quaker Oats Company (including Gatorade)2001$13.4B
- Tropicana Products1998$3.3B
Procter & Gamble
- Gillette2005$57B
- Gillette2005Undisclosed
- Richardson-Vicks1985$1.2B
Questions about PepsiCo vs Procter & Gamble
Who is the CEO of PepsiCo, Inc. and The Procter & Gamble Company?
PepsiCo, Inc. is led by Ramon Laguarta and The Procter & Gamble Company is led by Shailesh Jejurikar. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was PepsiCo, Inc. founded vs The Procter & Gamble Company?
The Procter & Gamble Company was founded in 1837 — 128 years before PepsiCo, Inc., which was founded in 1965. The Procter & Gamble Company's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger PepsiCo, Inc..
How many employees does PepsiCo, Inc. have compared to The Procter & Gamble Company?
PepsiCo, Inc. employs approximately 306,000 people, while The Procter & Gamble Company employs approximately 109,000. PepsiCo, Inc. has the larger workforce at 306,000 employees, compared to The Procter & Gamble Company's 109,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are PepsiCo, Inc. and The Procter & Gamble Company headquartered?
Both PepsiCo, Inc. and The Procter & Gamble Company are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded PepsiCo, Inc. and The Procter & Gamble Company?
PepsiCo, Inc. was founded by Caleb Bradham, Donald M. Kendall, Herman W. Lay. The Procter & Gamble Company was founded by William Procter, James Gamble.
Which company has a longer operating history — PepsiCo, Inc. or The Procter & Gamble Company?
The Procter & Gamble Company has been operating for approximately 189 years, making it the more established of the two companies. PepsiCo, Inc. has been in operation for around 61 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the PepsiCo vs Procter & Gamble overview