How Gen Z is Using Snacks to Express values, Build Community, and Share Culture
PepsiCo is adapting by meeting them in content – and building a strategy shaped for the TikTok generation
In a world where livestreams double as shopping malls and Gen Z treats snacks like selfie props, the rules of consumer engagement have changed. For the next generation of shoppers, flavour is just the starting point. What matters just as much is how a product looks in their feed, how it connects to their values, and whether it earns a like before it earns a sale.
PepsiCo sees this shift not as a disruption, but as a call to action.
“Gen Z doesn’t separate content from commerce, or consumption from conversation”, said Aditya Ahuja, Cluster GM for PepsiCo Foods Malaysia and the Philippines. “So we don’t just think in terms of snacks. We think in terms of experiences that resonate across their culture, values, and community”.
The Rise of the Social Snack
PepsiCo’s recent innovations show how this thinking plays out in real time.
Take Lay’s Double Crunch – an intense-flavoured, deep-ridged snack launched to complement the moments that matter most to Gen Z: late-night study breaks, brainstorming sessions, gaming streams. Its bold packaging, built with digital impact in mind, was designed not just to sit on shelves but to pop in TikTok feeds and Instagram Stories.
This visual-first approach came full circle in April, when Lay’s launched its UEFA Jumbo Pack, featuring football icon Lionel Messi. The collectible design helped drive real-time engagement during a livestream on TikTok Shop, where a single session accounted for 70% of total Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) – proving just how strongly Gen Z responds to products designed to feel timely, exclusive, and inherently shareable.
It’s part of a broader shift PepsiCo is leaning into – a world where snacks are built to be scrolled, shared, and celebrated just as much as they are to be eaten.
Turning Engagement into Conversion
PepsiCo’s embrace of digital commerce in Malaysia goes beyond aesthetics. The company is rapidly scaling its presence on platforms where Gen Z lives and shops – especially TikTok.
Its livestream commerce strategy has shown huge promise, yielding 25 livestreaming hours per month and reaching 30,000+ shoppers monthly through livestream selling, creator-led demos, and buzz-worthy product drops. Paired with occasion-driven partnerships and quick commerce bundles, these initiatives earned the company the Foodpanda Collaborative Excellence Award, a recognition of PepsiCo’s ability to blend shopper-centric thinking with both speed and scale.
“We’re not adapting to trends – we’re anticipating behaviours”, added Aditya. “We study what makes Gen Z tick, and then we design with intention, not random gimmicks. That’s how we’ve turned TikTok from an awareness channel into a commerce engine”.
Purpose with a Payoff
For today’s consumers, product isn’t enough – values matter. PepsiCo’s strategy in Malaysia reflects a dual focus: making a difference in the community and supporting healthier everyday choices.
One of its biggest commitments is tackling food insecurity, both globally and at home. In 2024, to observe World Food Day, PepsiCo partnered with The Assembly Soup Kitchen (TASK) to distribute 1,000 food packs to underserved communities in Kuala Lumpur’s Chow Kit area – benefitting refugee school students, the homeless, and B40 families. It’s part of a larger global mission that has seen the company contribute over USD 14 million (approximately RM59 million) to the World Food Programme to date.
At the same time, health-conscious Gen Z consumers continue to shape how PepsiCo reformulates its offerings. The Quaker 3-in-1 range now features less sugar and sodium, striking the right balance between modern nutrition and familiar taste. And with the Jom Quaker Fit rewards programme, each purchase becomes a gateway to something more – spa passes, gym vouchers, and healthy dining deals – blending wellness with digital engagement in a way that speaks to this generation’s lifestyle.
Building Belonging Through Community
PepsiCo’s connection with Gen Z goes deeper than product design or platform strategy. It’s also about fostering a sense of community and shared purpose, where every campaign becomes a chance for young consumers to see themselves reflected, included, and involved.
Football is one of the strongest forces of connection in Malaysia, and PepsiCo tapped into this collective passion to bring communities together through Lay’s. This year’s UEFA Champions League campaign didn’t just offer a ticket giveaway – it created a shared celebration of football culture across 60 locations, uniting more than 80,000 fans through interactive games, community challenges and on-the-ground experiences that turned everyday places into hubs of excitement and belonging.
By pairing real-world engagement with social storytelling, the campaign built moments that felt as personal as they were shareable. And with the upcoming FIFA 2026 partnership on the horizon, PepsiCo is doubling down on this approach – embedding Lay’s in the heart of communities that don’t just watch football, but live it together.
“Today’s generation doesn’t want to be spoken to – they want to be invited in”, said Aditya. “By creating shared experiences around the things they care about, like football, we’re not just showing up in their world, we’re becoming part of it.”
Looking Ahead
As Gen Z reshapes the consumer landscape with every swipe, scroll, and stream, PepsiCo’s strategy in Malaysia offers a clear blueprint: meet them where they are, speak the language they live in, and build a brand that belongs in their world, not just their pantry.
###