RESPONDING TO COVID-19

A Message from Chairman & CEO Robert Gamgort

It is during times of uncertainty that I am reminded of the tremendous resiliency and generosity of the human spirit. The outbreak of COVID-19 has profoundly changed our lives, our work and the ways we interact with one another. Yet, together, we persevere. From nurses and doctors to grocery store cashiers and delivery drivers, these essential workers are bravely serving our communities and are true heroes in this pandemic. I am immensely proud of our own frontline employees who are working selflessly to manufacture, distribute and stock store shelves with the essential goods our communities need.

Our first priority, always, is to keep our employees safe and healthy. We’ve taken extraordinary precautions to do this and to provide the support our employees and their families may need during this unprecedented time.

We continue to deliver for our customers and consumers, working hard around the clock to fulfill strong demand. We are finding innovative ways to quickly adapt to changes in shopping behaviors, with more than half of North America impacted by stay-at-home, shelter-in-place and closure of non-essential business orders.

We are also focused on providing for our communities by supporting frontline healthcare workers who are fighting this crisis day in and day out head on. We don’t make masks or medical equipment at our Company, but we do make beverages and, through our new Fueling The Frontline program, we are donating Keurig brewers, coffee and other beverages to hospitals in need, as our way to say thank you for the unwavering commitment and courage of the entire medical community.

I want to thank our 26,000 employees for everything they’re doing to come together as ONE KDP in support of those we serve and in demonstrating deep compassion for each other and our communities. The coming weeks are likely to be challenging, but I am confident that our Company will emerge even stronger and more united. I’m optimistic that this will be true of our communities as well. Together, we will overcome this challenge.

Be well and stay safe,

Bob Gamgort
Chairman and CEO

April 6, 2020

Keep employees safe & healthy

We have taken extraordinary precautions to keep our teams safe and supported, including following the guidance provided from health authorities and government agencies. Key actions we have taken include:

• Implemented enhanced, comprehensive sanitation protocols across all facilities;
• Introduced health screenings for employees as they report to work;
• Instituted guidelines to keep on-site employees separated while working in our facilities, ensuring social distancing protocols are followed at all times;
• Implemented detailed protocols for managers in the event an employee becomes sick, to protect both the employee and co-workers;
• Directed office employees to work from home, leveraging technology and collaboration tools;
• Provided financial incentives and enhanced paid sick time, along with back-up childcare assistance, as needed.

Deliver for our customers & consumers

Our teams are working hard to keep our operations running smoothly to ensure our products are available for those who want and need them. We will continue to serve our retail customers – such as mass merchandisers, grocery stores, club stores, convenience and drug stores, military bases and hospitals. Our teams are finding innovative ways to meet rising demand and adapt to channel shifts as more and more people stay at home during this pandemic. Consumers continue to seek out our brands which have become an essential part of their daily lives – especially water, coffee, juice and carbonated soft drinks – and we’re doing everything we can to deliver what they need.

Provide for our communities

We are proud of KDP’s heritage of giving back to our communities and we have ramped up our efforts during this global pandemic. Through our Fueling the Frontline program we are supporting the wellbeing of the brave healthcare workers on the frontline by donating our Keurig brewers, coffee and other beverages to hundreds of hospitals and thousands of breakrooms in our Boston and Dallas headquarters markets, hard-hit communities across the country and other hospitals in need. Additionally, we have gifted our own frontline employees with a free brewer and coffee, as recognition for their continued hard work and dedication and have empowered our U.S employees currently working remotely to recognize an essential worker in their own community with a free brewer and coffee.

KDP has also made a $250,000 donation to the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation (NRAEF) Employee Relief Fund to support cash grants provided to U.S. restaurant workers financially impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. To further support this initiative, Dr Pepper – the most widely available fountain brand nationwide – launched “We’re a Pepper” t-shirts, with 100% of all profits going directly back to the NRAEF Employee Relief Fund.