THE PEPSI MACHINE

One evening this past November, Pepsi CEO Steve Reinemund laid out a smorgasbord of snacks for his board of directors to munch on. This was not gentlemanly hospitality; it was pure business. These snacks represented Pepsi's future: a line of products aimed at cashing in on consumers' continuing obsession with healthy food. If all goes well, the line will bring in billions for the company. According to one board member, the treats were "delightful." But more than just the future of Pepsi, this spread in many ways represents everything the company has done right for nearly a decade: finding new ways into people's stomachs - and wallets - and pulling off one of the great turnarounds in American business.