When a global enterprise like PepsiCo sets out to solve a logistics challenge, the solution has to work at scale, and it has to move fast. That’s exactly what happened when PepsiCo Labs identified an opportunity to provide a higher level of service to smaller customers. The team didn’t just look inward — it looked to the startup ecosystem for partners who could execute.
Enter OneRail.
In Episode 461 of the Let’s Talk Supply Chain podcast, recorded live at Manifest 2025, OneRail Founder & CEO Bill Catania joins Anna Farberov, General Manager of PepsiCo Labs, to share how this partnership came together — and how it’s now delivering measurable results across one of the world’s most complex supply chains.
From embedding OneRail’s technology into PepsiCo’s operations to redesigning warehouse workflows for courier-based fulfillment, this is a blueprint for how enterprise and startup collaboration can drive real innovation.
Keep reading to learn more, and watch the full episode to hear directly from Catania and Farberov on this fascinating partnership story.
How PepsiCo & OneRail Connected
PepsiCo Labs isn’t your typical innovation arm. Led by Farberov, the team’s mission is clear: Find technology that solves real, operational problems across PepsiCo’s global business. This means identifying startups that possess speed, agility and a willingness to integrate into complex environments.
On the other side of the equation is Catania and OneRail, a business that has evolved into a full-scale last mile fulfillment platform that powers 300,000-plus deliveries a day across retail, healthcare and other sectors.
OneRail’s execution-first approach is what caught PepsiCo’s attention. As the Labs team looked to expand last mile capacity and improve service levels for smaller high-potential accounts, they tapped into their global innovation-scouting network. The ask was to find a partner who could complement PepsiCo’s internal fleet with technology-driven flexibility and operational expertise.
The result was a fast-moving, high-impact collaboration between PepsiCo and OneRail. Or as Farberov put it during the podcast:
“They have the solution, we have the problem. They have the expertise and entrepreneurial mindset, they can move fast; we have the business expertise and industry understanding. When we’re able to feed that back, that’s when the magic happens.”
Inside the PepsiCo Labs Model
PepsiCo Labs didn’t emerge from a desire to simply experiment with new tech. It began with a white paper and a strategic question: How can PepsiCo effectively collaborate with the external innovation ecosystem to solve real business problems? That was six years ago. Today, the Labs team has transformed that question into a repeatable and scalable model for corporate-startup collaboration.
The approach is structured, rigorous and deeply pragmatic. The team starts with a clear business challenge and works backward to identify startups that can deliver measurable impact. The scouting process includes a global network of venture capital firms, innovation hubs and industry experts, forming a pipeline of potential partners.
But the bar is high. Every prospective solution is vetted through a hands-on, data-driven process, and only the most promising make it through. Even then, only about half the startups that enter the funnel ultimately succeed within PepsiCo’s ecosystem — a testament to the company’s standards and commitment to execution.
For OneRail, that diligence was a differentiator rather than a deterrent. It signaled that PepsiCo was serious about solving complex problems, not just collecting pilots. And it set the tone for a partnership built on performance, rather than potential.
What the Partnership Solves
PepsiCo has long been a leader in managing large-scale distribution with its own dedicated fleet. But as customer expectations evolved and as order profiles diversified, it became clear that the company needed to adapt its last mile strategy. The ultimate question was: How do you deliver smaller, more frequent orders with the same consistency and excellence as full-truckload shipments?
OneRail’s flexible fulfillment platform and nationwide courier network enabled PepsiCo to augment its internal fleet and reach previously underserved accounts. These were smaller customers (like retailers and foodservice operators) who didn’t always fit into traditional delivery models but represented meaningful business and brand-loyalty opportunities.
By plugging into OneRail’s last mile execution platform, PepsiCo unlocked a new level of responsiveness, visibility and delivery efficiency. The result was a smarter, more agile supply chain that could scale its services to the full range of customers without compromising performance.
OneRail’s Approach: Listening First
For OneRail, success with PepsiCo started by simply listening. From the very first conversation, the team took a consultative approach, working to understand the specific challenges within PepsiCo’s existing infrastructure, workflows and delivery goals.
PepsiCo needed a tailored rather than off-the-shelf solution. Its warehouses were designed for traditional parcel and LTL shipping — not on-demand, courier-based fulfillment. To make it work, OneRail team members spent significant time getting to know different departments and teams at PepsiCo, from operations on the warehouse floor to senior leaders in the C-suite. Every stakeholder had a role in shaping how the solution would be deployed.
The goal was to integrate and work within PepsiCo’s systems, aligning with the company’s processes and enhancing what was already working. That meant adapting the OneRail platform to fit PepsiCo, rather than expecting the business to conform to the technology.
As Catania put it:
“It’s their warehouse, it’s their process — we’re serving PepsiCo, so that’s the way we approach it.”
That mindset helped OneRail earn trust across teams, proving that the technology was both capable and collaborative.
From Alignment to Impact: Delivering at Scale
OneRail’s transparency, flexibility and commitment to solving problems in real time established the foundation for a true collaboration. Regular feedback loops allowed both sides to continuously adapt, refine processes and push the program forward with confidence.
The results speak for themselves.
PepsiCo saw a measurable increase in top-line revenue by reaching customers who had previously been underserved by traditional delivery models. Visibility into orders improved. Service levels became more consistent across a broader range of customer types. What began as a pilot quickly became a proven model for last mile success.
As Farberov shared, the impact was clear:
“We just increased topline. It goes into selling more products, shipping more products, to customers who were under-serviced.”
Looking ahead, both teams are focused on scaling what’s already working. In 2025, the partnership will expand to more PepsiCo sites and explore additional use cases. The roadmap is focused on continuing to solve problems, deliver value and keep building for what’s next.
The Future of Last Mile, Built Together
The partnership between OneRail and PepsiCo demonstrates how enterprises and startups can co-innovate with purpose. It shows what’s possible when a company with global scale partners with a platform built to move fast, solve real problems, and integrate deeply into existing operations.
If your organization is navigating similar last mile challenges, OneRail can help. Schedule a demo to discover how OneRail’s streamlines fulfillment, expands capacity and elevates the customer experience.
