<PAGE>


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                          -----------------------------

                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                             SECURITIES ACT OF 1934


                                 AUGUST 18, 2000
                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)



                               PEPSIAMERICAS, INC.
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)



               DELAWARE                    1-13914             66-0433580
   (State or Other Jurisdiction of       (Commission         (IRS Employer
            Incorporation)               File Number)      Identification No.)


                            3800 DAIN RAUSCHER PLAZA
                              66 SOUTH SIXTH STREET
                          MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55402
          (Address of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)


                                 (612) 661-3830
              (Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code)

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ITEM 5.   OTHER EVENTS.

          On August 18, 2000, PepsiAmericas, Inc., a Delaware corporation
          ("PepsiAmericas"), entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated
          as of August 18, 2000 (the "Merger Agreement") with Whitman
          Corporation, a Delaware corporation ("Whitman"), and Anchor Merger
          Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of
          Whitman ("Merger Sub"). The Merger Agreement provides for the merger
          (the "Merger") of PepsiAmericas with and into Merger Sub, with Merger
          Sub surviving as a wholly owned subsidiary of Whitman. Simultaneously
          with the Merger, Merger Sub will be renamed "PepsiAmericas, Inc."

          Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, each share of common stock, par
          value $.01 per share, of PepsiAmericas outstanding immediately prior
          to the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement) (other than
          shares owned directly or indirectly by Whitman, which shares will be
          canceled, and shares owned directly or indirectly by Dakota Holdings,
          LLC or Pohlad Companies, which shares will be converted as provided in
          #3 below) will be converted, at the option of the holder thereof,
          into:

          1.        $3.80 in cash, subject to upward adjustment if the average
                    closing price of Whitman common stock during the 15 trading
                    days ending 5 days prior to the date of Whitman or
                    PepsiAmericas shareholder meeting to approve the
                    transaction, whichever occurs first, is greater than $16.07
                    per share or downward adjustment if the average closing
                    price of Whitman common stock during such period is less
                    than $13.15 per share; or

          2.        $3.80 in value of shares of Whitman common stock, subject to
                    adjustment under the circumstances described in #1 above; or

          3.        $2.80 in value of shares of Whitman common stock, plus the
                    right to receive up to an additional $1.50 in nominal value
                    of shares of Whitman common stock if the Merger Sub meets
                    certain EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes,
                    depreciation and amortization) targets through 2002, in each
                    case, subject to adjustment under the circumstances
                    described in #1 above.

          In addition, at the closing of the transaction, PepsiAmericas
          shareholders electing to participate in the earnout described in #3
          will have the right to purchase from Whitman in the aggregate up to
          1.7 million shares of Whitman common stock at a price of $14.61 per
          share. Dakota Holdings, LLC will have the right to purchase any of
          these Whitman common shares not purchased by the other PepsiAmericas
          shareholders.


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<PAGE>

          Upon completion of the transaction, PepsiAmericas Chief Executive
          Officer, Robert Pohlad, will be elected to Whitman's Board of
          Directors and will become Chief Executive Officer of Whitman.

          The Merger is intended to constitute a tax-free reorganization under
          the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

          Prior to its execution, the Merger Agreement was approved by the
          respective Boards of Directors of Whitman and PepsiAmericas. The
          consummation of the Merger is subject, among other things, to the
          approval of the Merger by the shareholders of PepsiAmericas, to the
          approval of the issuance of Whitman common stock by the shareholders
          of Whitman and to certain regulatory approvals. In connection with
          execution of the Merger Agreement, Dakota Holdings, LLC and PepsiCo,
          Inc. entered into separate voting agreements with Whitman and
          PepsiAmericas, respectively, to approve the Merger and the issuance of
          Whitman common stock.

          Copies of the Merger Agreement, certain exhibits thereto and the joint
          press release issued by Whitman and PepsiAmericas on August 21, 2000
          are filed as exhibits hereto and are incorporated by reference herein.

ITEM 7.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.

(a) - (b) Not applicable.

(c)       Exhibits:

          2.1   Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of August 18, 2000, among
                Whitman Corporation, Anchor Merger Sub, Inc. and PepsiAmericas,
                Inc.

          99.1  Voting Agreement, dated as of August 18, 2000, between Whitman
                Corporation and Dakota Holdings, LLC (in the form of Exhibit A
                to the Merger Agreement).

          99.2  Voting Agreement, dated as of August 18, 2000, between
                PepsiCo, Inc. and PepsiAmericas, Inc. (in the form of Exhibit B
                to the Merger Agreement).

          99.3  Joint Press Release issued by Whitman Corporation and
                PepsiAmericas, Inc. on August 21, 2000.


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                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Date:  August 24, 2000                     PepsiAmericas, Inc.


                                           By:  /s/ John F. Bierbaum
                                              -------------------------------
                                                John F. Bierbaum
                                                Chief Financial Officer and
                                                Vice President


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<PAGE>

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


The following is a list of the Exhibits filed herewith.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT
NUMBER    DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT
------    ----------------------

<S>       <C>
2.1       Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of August 18, 2000, among
          Whitman Corporation, Anchor Merger Sub, Inc. and PepsiAmericas, Inc.

99.1      Voting Agreement, dated as of August 18, 2000, between Whitman
          Corporation and Dakota Holdings, LLC (in the form of Exhibit A to the
          Merger Agreement).

99.2      Voting Agreement, dated as of August 18, 2000, between PepsiCo, Inc.
          and PepsiAmericas, Inc. (in the form of Exhibit B to the Merger
          Agreement).

99.3      Joint Press Release issued by Whitman Corporation and PepsiAmericas,
          Inc. on August 21, 2000.
</TABLE>


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