Ferran Adrià does like to play with products. And the El Bulli chef has a history of innovation and unlikely pairings. But Pepsi? Recently PepsiCo announced a partnership with Adrià, to work on procedures and techniques for new snack foods, breakfast options and convenience alternatives. Imagine. Molecular gastronomy meets a 7-11.

“This partnership, with arguably the best chef in the world, will enable us to move further forward with new creative concepts and ideas,” PepsiCo chairwoman and CEO Indra Nooyi, said. “We will also share our own creative principles and ideas … in order to help assist Ferran Adria with his mission to create a world leading gastronomic think tank and research facility in the future.” One can only imagine how the soft drink giant can “assist” Adrià, other than providing a hefty influx of cash and maybe some additional carbonation tanks.

PepsiCo owns many brands, among them Frito-Lay, Quaker, Tropicana and Gatorade. And the partnership isn't entirely unprecedented: in 2005, Adrià helped develop a line of chilled vegetable soups for PepsiCo's Spanish Tropicana brand, Alvalle. The Spanish chef will soon have a bit more time on his hands anyway. El Bulli is serving its last meal later this month.

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