New York ? PepsiCo Inc. plans to cut 750 jobs and close a snack manufacturing plant in Louisville, Ky., as part of a plan to streamline its operations.

The maker of Pepsi, Gatorade and Tropicana drinks and Frito-Lay snacks also said Tuesday it was reaffirming its earnings outlook for 2003 and expected double-digit growth in earnings per share in 2004.

The company, based in Purchase, N.Y., said most of the 750 job cuts, representing about a half percent of its worldwide work force of 142,000 people, would come in its North American operations.

The Frito-Lay snack plant in Louisville will be closed in the first quarter of 2004.

Pepsi’s Frito-Lay division operates a plant in Topeka.