PepsiAmericas, the soft drink bottler, has announced that it will invest roughly $150m by 2011, in a plant it opened in southern Romania.

PepsiAmericas’ investment is among the largest this year in recession-hit Romania, where foreign direct investment is expected to fall by more than half to around EUR4 billion ($5.74 billion) from last year’s EUR9 billion, reported Reuters.

Consumption levels have been on the decline in Romania, since the global financial crisis dried up credit lines, boosted unemployment and soured consumer mood. But Pepsi is optimistic about the recovery of the market in Romania.

The company has already invested $85m in the plant, which is its third in Romania. It is expected to raise the country’s overall output by 35% and is also expected to employ 250 people

Tags | announcement, News, pepsico america, Romania