PepsiCo Bottler Halts Operations in Mexican Town

An exclusive bottler of PepsiCo Inc. is halting operations in a Mexican town where it has become too dangerous to operate, almost three months after rival Coca-Cola Femsa did the same. The company, Grupo Gepp, suspended beverage-distribution operations in Ciudad Altamirano, about 170 miles (275 kilometers) southwest of Mexico City, “to guarantee the security of its people and its supply chain,” PepsiCo said in an emailed statement. In a separate statement, Grupo Gepp, which bottles and distributes beverages for PepsiCo in Mexico, said the closure was temporary.