PepsiCo

The new iPad wasn't the only big thing to be unveiled last week: Taco Bell had a big launch, too -- a new taco shell that's made with Doritos nacho chips. Taco Bell is hoping consumers will scarf down "Doritos Locos Tacos" and drive a turnaround in its lackluster sales.

Pepsi is hoping to win back soda drinkers with a compromise. Some people don't like the calories in regular soda, but loathe the taste of zero-calorie diet drinks. So the nation's No. 2 cola company is rolling out "Pepsi Next," a cola that has about half the calories of regular Pepsi at 60 calories per can.

The Patriots and Giants will interrupt the entertainment to run some football plays, but everyone knows the Super Bowl is all about the commercials, and at $3.5 million for 30 seconds, sponsors must think they'll get their money's worth. But will their shareholders feel the same way?

For the first time since 2009, Social Security recipients will get a COLA increase in their checks in 2012. But that 3.6% bump probably isn't going to cover the real rise in your expenses. So where should you invest to find that extra income?

There's an unusual cola war brewing in the home-based pop market between SodaStream and Primo Water. But why make your own soda? Is it easier? Cheaper? Healthier? You're probably going to like all three answers.

For most of the past decade, buying Oreos or Trident gum for your kids meant sending money to the Marlboro Man. Those brands have gone their separate ways, but there are still many odd matches in the wild world of conglomerates, where companies own siblings that don't really look like one another.

From PepsiCo to Avon to Xerox, these women are responsible for some of the biggest companies and brands that consumers touch and feel everyday. And this year, there's a new No. 1 on Fortune's list of the most powerful women.

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has grand plans to cut through the partisan noise and remind our country's politicians of their problem-solving duties: On Tuesday, he's hosting a gigantic, public telephone town hall, and asking all "concerned Americans" to join his movement and participate.

Rafi Mohammed, author of The Art of Pricing, says Coca-Cola is selling itself short. Some of its beverages, such as Coke Zero, could be priced higher, potentially raising the company's margin and profit. But in the Cola Wars, could higher prices cause a customer retreat?

As food prices continue to rise, many food companies are shrinking packages instead of raising item prices. But don't be fooled: You're definitely paying more for less.