PepsiCo is poised to purchase Chinese online snack vendor Be & Cheery owned by Haoxiangni Health Food Co.

PepsiCo had proposed the Be & Cheery acquisition before the coronavirus outbreak began in China.

Valued at US$705 million, the acquisition will help PepsiCo strengthen its position in Mainland China as the company suffers slowing business growth globally.

“Be & Cheery adds direct-to-consumer capability, positioning us to capitalise on continued growth in e-commerce, and a local brand that is able to stretch across a broad portfolio of products, through both online and offline channels,” said Ram Krishnan, CEO of PepsiCo Greater China.

“We also expect to leverage Be & Cheery’s innovation and consumer insights capabilities to drive innovation in other key PepsiCo growth markets.”

The acquisition still needs approval from Haoxiangni’s shareholders and other customary conditions, according to the company.

Founded in 2003, Be & Cheery is one of the China’s largest online snack companies. Its products include nuts, dried fruits, meat snacks, baked goods and confectionery.