Pepsi's Navy (A Dash of Info)

During the Cold War, selling soda to the Soviet Union wasn’t just difficult—it was nearly impossible. The ruble wasn’t convertible, capitalism was suspect, and Coca-Cola was seen as pure American propaganda. So how did Pepsi pull it off?

This episode unpacks one of the strangest business deals in history: how Pepsi broke into the USSR through bartering, traded soda for vodka, and—briefly—became the owner of a Soviet naval fleet. From Khrushchev’s televised first sip to submarines changing hands, this is a story about soft power, creative capitalism, and the absurd ways the Cold War was quietly negotiated—one can at a time. 

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