Olympian Joannie Rochette Named As An Ambassador For The Pepsi Refresh
Project

Figure Skater Joins The Pepsi Social Good Movement As Grant Recipients
Get Ready To Celebrate

Note to Editors:  A photo of Ms. Rochette is available with this release.

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Oct. 28 /CNW/ - Canadian figure skating darling Joannie Rochette, who captured the hearts of people around the world when she courageously skated to a bronze medal at the 2010 Olympic Games, will serve as an Ambassador for the Pepsi Refresh Project - a groundbreaking social movement that will award more than $1 million in grants to fund refreshing ideas that make the world a better place.

As a Pepsi Refresh Project Ambassador and spokesperson, Rochette will support and encourage individuals and groups across Canada to submit their ideas to the Pepsi Refresh Project.  She will also participate in events to celebrate grant recipients and their impact on their communities. Rochette hopes to take her experience of achieving her Olympic dream to everyday people to inspire them to realize their dreams through the Pepsi Refresh Project.

"It's an absolute honour for me to become an Ambassador for the Pepsi Refresh Project," said Ms. Rochette.  "I look forward to helping Canadians foster positive change - it's a passion of mine."

"We couldn't be more proud to welcome Joannie to the Pepsi Refresh Project," said Dale Hooper, Vice President Marketing, PepsiCo Beverages Canada. "Her strong will, compassion and desire to support social good will bring an exciting new dimension to the Pepsi Refresh Project, and we believe those qualities will resonate very well with Canadians."

Rochette joins Dev Aujla, Founder and Executive Director of DreamNow, a charitable organization that produces ideas that provide good for the world, who has been an Ambassador for the Pepsi Refresh Program since the program's inception. Motivated by their own personal stories of courage and optimism, both believe in the power of bringing people together and, through the Pepsi Refresh Project, aim to help make doing good mainstream.

The addition of Rochette as a Pepsi Refresh Project Ambassador is revealed just as Canadians are celebrating the first group of ten grant winners who collectively will receive $200,000 to fund their ideas.

Among the first round of winners was Samantha Youssef of Montreal's Studio Technique who plans to use her $10,000 grant to provide a space in Montreal where visual artist students can come together and interact, expand their skill set and practice their technique.

"I am so excited to be a grant recipient so I can expand my artistic studio," said Ms. Youssef.  "I hope my story will help inspire more people to bring their ideas forward to refresh the world."

The Pepsi Refresh Project accepts up to 300 new ideas every other month. The next date for new idea submissions is December 1. Right now, Canadians can vote for their favourite Pepsi Refresh ideas submitted on October 1 at www.refresheverything.ca.

About the Pepsi Refresh Project
In an effort to support those who generate innovative, optimistic ideas, the Pepsi Refresh Project (www.refresheverything.ca; www.icicestmieux.com) will award over $1 million in grants.  Every other month, individuals and organizations can apply for grants to benefit a variety of projects and site visitors can vote for the best ideas for funding.  The Pepsi Refresh Project is an evolution of the Joy It Forward initiative Pepsi launched in 2009, which showed the brand as an optimistic catalyst for idea creation.  Pepsi will fund projects that make a difference in six categories: Health, Arts & Culture, Food & Shelter, The Planet, Neighbourhoods and Education.  The Pepsi Refresh Project can be found at www.refresheverything.ca, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pepsicanada or on Twitter, @PepsiCanada

PepsiCo Canada and the Pepsi Brand
PepsiCo's businesses in Canada are organized into two business units. PepsiCo Foods Canada includes Frito Lay Canada and the Quaker Foods & Snacks business.  PepsiCo Beverages Canada includes the Pepsi, Gatorade and Tropicana businesses.  The Pepsi Brand has been bringing fun and refreshment to Canadian consumers for over 75 years. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.ca.

About PepsiCo, Inc.
PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 19 different product lines that each generates more than $1 billion in annual retail sales. Our main businesses - Frito-Lay, Quaker, Pepsi-Cola, Tropicana and Gatorade - also make hundreds of other nourishing, tasty foods and drinks that bring joy to our consumers in more than 200 countries. With annualized revenues of nearly $60 billion, PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth, called Performance with Purpose. By dedicating ourselves to offering a broad array of choices for healthy, convenient and fun nourishment, reducing our environmental impact, and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, PepsiCo balances strong financial returns with giving back to our communities worldwide. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

Find the Pepsi Refresh Project at:
www.twitter.com/pepsicanada
www.facebook.com/pepsicanada

/NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: Photos accompanying this social media release are also available at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members of the media/

For further information:

Maureen Juniper or Kelly Mansell
PraxisPR
Office: 905-949-8255 ext. 226 or 221
[email protected] or [email protected]