Cristina Leo assumes general management of PepsiCo Puerto Rico
The executive, who arrived in the island one month ago after leading markets in Latin America and the Caribbean, aims to demonstrate growth potential in a mature market while strengthening local talent and production.
File photoThe short version
- El Nuevo Día reported that Cristina Leo took over as general manager of PepsiCo Foods Puerto Rico with the goal of reinventing the market
- According to Primera Hora, Leo arrives with over two decades of experience and most recently served as Chief Marketing Officer for the region in Guatemala
- Both outlets state the company operates a snack manufacturing plant in Barceloneta for 44 years that produces over 5,500 tons of food with 116 employees
- El Nuevo Día and Primera Hora noted Leo prioritizes strengthening the local team in sales and manufacturing while expanding healthier snack options
New leadership and vision
Cristina Leo has assumed the role of general manager of PepsiCo Foods Puerto Rico, El Nuevo Día reported. She arrived in the country one month ago following a career of more than 20 years leading markets in Latin America and the Caribbean, with her most recent position as Chief Marketing Officer for the region in Guatemala. Leo told reporters it is a challenge she assumes with much enthusiasm and joy, stating "Where others see limits, I see opportunities."
Leo is convinced that Puerto Rico still has room for growth. Her approach draws from expertise in insights, innovation and marketing. She explained that her background in insights taught her to listen, understand data and connect it with ideas, while innovation has shown her to challenge the status quo. Marketing, she added, helps turn those ideas into reality for the consumer. Primera Hora reported the same combination will guide her leadership style in Puerto Rico.
What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
Es un reto que asumo con mucho entusiasmo y alegría. Donde otros ven límites, yo veo oportunidades.
Our translation: It is a challenge that I assume with much enthusiasm and joy. Where others see limits, I see opportunities.
The source's own statement, as quoted by El Nuevo Día. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
Manufacturing and regional role
PepsiCo maintains a snack manufacturing plant in Barceloneta that has operated for 44 years, producing more than 5,500 tons of food and employing 116 people, according to both El Nuevo Día and Primera Hora. Leo described the facility as one that continues to renew and transform itself, producing not only for Puerto Rico but also with capacity for other markets. The plant manufactures exclusive local products such as Tostitos Spicy Quesadilla, Tostitos Walking Taco and varieties of Chicharrón Isleño, which she said have export potential.
Leo stated that PepsiCo Puerto Rico has much to contribute at the regional and Caribbean level, with the ability to understand the Caribbean consumer from Puerto Rico. She pointed to the country's geographic advantage and the distribution center in Cataño as factors that position PepsiCo and Puerto Rico to offer good practices, talent and leadership for the region, the Caribbean and Latin America. El Nuevo Día reported these views.
Adapting to consumer changes
Leo described the Puerto Rican consumer as more informed, digitally connected and conscious of purchase decisions. This evolution has broadened discussions around snacks amid growing interest in options that support a more balanced lifestyle. Both outlets reported that PepsiCo views changes in habits and demographics as an opportunity to transform, adapt and innovate by introducing products aligned with wellness.
The company has added baked alternatives such as Simply and Lay’s Baked, options like Smartfood and NKD, as well as the Quaker portfolio of cereals and oat-based nutritious snacks. At the same time, it maintains offerings for those seeking convenience, indulgence or signature flavors from brands including Doritos and Cheetos. Leo said the goal is a broad enough range so each consumer can find a product that matches their priorities at any given moment.
Focus on local talent
For Leo, who is originally from Venezuela, the island represents more than a consolidated market. She has emphasized people as central to driving reinvention. Her number one priority is to continue strengthening the professional team in sales and manufacturing and to develop capabilities that allow collective growth, Primera Hora reported.
She also aims to integrate Puerto Rico into larger regional and global conversations so the market can consolidate and expand. Looking ahead, Leo envisions her tenure as the start of a virtuous circle of growth that encompasses everyone, with a stronger operation, a more developed team, a renewed vision and greater capacity to generate opportunities, according to both El Nuevo Día and Primera Hora.
Where the sources differ
El Nuevo Día and Primera Hora agree on all core facts, including Leo's recent arrival, her background, the Barceloneta plant details, her quotes on opportunities and priorities, the description of the Puerto Rican consumer, and the company's product innovations. The articles are nearly identical in content and structure, with only minor differences in phrasing and the truncation of the final quote in Primera Hora. No numerical or factual conflicts exist between the two reports.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not specify the exact start date of Leo's role beyond her arrival one month before publication. They provide no details on current sales figures, market share, specific growth targets or timelines for new product launches. Future export plans for local products are mentioned only as potential without named destination markets or projected volumes. The articles also omit any information on how the leadership change was announced internally or any comments from previous management.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Reporting Cristina Leo asume la gerencia general de PepsiCo Puerto Rico y se propone reinventar el mercado
- Reporting Cristina Leo quiere reinventar PepsiCo Puerto Rico: “Donde otros ven límites, yo veo oportunidades”
How we checked this
Both El Nuevo Día and Primera Hora published substantially the same article on the appointment of Cristina Leo as general manager of PepsiCo Foods Puerto Rico. All details on her background, the Barceloneta plant, consumer trends and priorities rest on statements attributed directly to Leo in these reports.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.