PepsiCo Chief Financial Officer and Vice Chairman Hugh Johnston attributed the company's favorable earnings forecast to the company's investment in "non-carbonated" brands, particularly in the area of nutritious, guilt-free foods.
Johnston told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" that the money the company has funneled into research and development, especially with its health-conscious brands like Sabra and Naked, is causing consumers to choose PepsiCo's products as nutrition becomes more important to consumers.
The company reported adjusted quarterly profit on Thursday that was eight cents above estimates, at $1.40 per share, while revenue also exceeded forecasts. It also raised its full-year forecast, as demand for snacks and beverages continued to rise.
While Johnston was reluctant to concretely predict the company's status in emerging markets, where PepsiCo experienced 8-percent growth, he noted that business was picking up in China, Mexico, and Russia, and attributed the company's 4-plus percent revenue growth in part to that international strength.
Johnston mentioned that the company's newer beverage lines, like Naked's cold pressed juices and Lipton's Pure Leaf Tea, were selling particularly well. "We're basically selling out of capacity on Lipton right now," he said. The company is expecting to launch a new tea collection that Johnston said will take it from premium to "super-premium" in global markets.
— Reuters contributed to this report.