History of Sysco in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: March 30, 2026

Sysco is a multinational corporation focused on the sale, marketing, and distribution of food products, foodservice supplies, and equipment. It serves a wide range of customers, including restaurants, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and sports stadiums. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Sysco operates as a major player in the foodservice industry, providing essential products and services to various establishments.

1966: Discussions Initiated

In 1966, Zero Foods owner John Baugh started discussions with leaders from eight other food distribution companies to form one large corporation, which eventually led to the creation of Sysco.

May 1969: Sysco Formed

In May 1969, Sysco was formed through a merger of nine food distribution companies, with combined sales of approximately $115 million.

1969: Sysco Founded

In 1969, Sysco was founded by Herbert Irving, John F. Baugh, and Harry Rosenthal.

March 3, 1970: Sysco Goes Public

On March 3, 1970, Sysco became a publicly traded company.

March 1970: Initial Public Offering

In March 1970, Sysco held its initial public offering.

1970: First Acquisition

In 1970, Sysco made its first acquisition, purchasing Arrow Foods Distributor.

1980: Growth Through Acquisition

Between 1970 and 1980, Sysco continued to grow by acquiring 25 small food distributors, expanding its trucking fleet, and constructing refrigerated warehouses.

1980: Annual Revenue Recorded

In 1980, Sysco recorded $1.2 billion in annual revenue.

January 1984: Sygma Founded

In January 1984, Sysco founded Sygma, a food service supplier specializing in large chain restaurants.

1985: Industry Leader

In 1985, Sysco was recognized as "the nation's leading food service marketing and distribution company" by The New York Times.

1988: Nationwide Coverage

In 1988, Sysco achieved nationwide coverage through its acquisition of the food distributor CFS Continental.

1995: Increase in Sales

Between 1995 and 2000, Sysco's annual sales increased from $12 billion to $19 billion.

1996: Sysco's prominence in Houston

By 1996, Sysco had become the third-largest company in Houston and had over 30,000 employees.

1999: Acquisition of Newport Meat

In 1999, Sysco acquired Newport Meat, marking its first acquisition of a California company. At the time, Newport Meat had approximately $100 million in annual sales.

2000: Increase in Sales

Between 1995 and 2000, Sysco's annual sales increased from $12 billion to $19 billion.

2002: Expansion into Canada

In 2002, Sysco expanded into the Canadian market by purchasing SERCA Foodservices for $278 million, a company supplying food products and foodservice supplies to approximately 80,000 customers.

2009: First Acquisition Outside of North America

In 2009, Sysco made its first acquisition outside of North America, buying the Irish food distributor Pallas Foods.

2009: Collaboration with World Wildlife Fund

Since 2009, Sysco has collaborated with the World Wildlife Fund to establish targets for the volume of seafood procured from sustainable fisheries.

December 2012: Acquisition of Foodservice Companies

In December 2012, Sysco acquired Appert's Foodservice, Buchy Food Service, Central Seafood Company, and Distagro.

December 9, 2013: Acquisition Announcement

On December 9, 2013, Sysco announced its plans to acquire US Foods for $3.5 billion.

June 24, 2015: Federal Judge Ruling

On June 24, 2015, a U.S. Federal Judge ruled against the merger of Sysco and US Foods, citing concerns over stifled competition.

June 29, 2015: Merger Termination

On June 29, 2015, Sysco terminated its merger agreement with US Foods following the ruling by a U.S. Federal Judge.

February 2016: Acquisition of Brakes Group

In February 2016, Sysco announced the purchase of the Brakes Group for $3.1 billion, expanding its reach to 50,000 restaurants, hotels, and schools across Europe.

2016: Commitment to Cage-Free Eggs

In 2016, Sysco committed to a 10-year plan to source 100% cage-free eggs in its US supply chain by 2026.

October 2017: Acquisition of HFM FoodService

In October 2017, Sysco acquired HFM FoodService, which was later renamed Sysco Hawai'i in 2019.

February 2018: Acquisition of Doerle Food Services

In February 2018, Sysco acquired Doerle Food Services, a foodservice based in Louisiana.

March 2018: Acquisition of Kent Frozen Foods

In March 2018, Sysco acquired Kent Frozen Foods.

2019: HFM FoodService Renamed

In 2019, HFM FoodService was renamed Sysco Hawai'i.

2019: Sysco Enters the UK Market

In 2019, Sysco expanded into the UK market through the purchase of Brakes, forming Sysco GB.

2020: Stake in Pacific Star Foodservice

In 2020, Sysco acquired a 50% stake in Pacific Star Foodservice.

January 2021: Plans to Increase Purchases

In January 2021, Sysco announced plans to increase purchases of sustainable seafood, particularly from fisheries certified by the Marine Stewardship Council and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council.

May 2021: Acquisition of Greco and Sons

In May 2021, Sysco acquired Greco and Sons, a distributor of Italian specialty food products.

November 2021: FreshPoint Acquires Paragon Foods

In November 2021, FreshPoint, a division of Sysco, acquired Paragon Foods.

December 2021: Carbon Footprint Reduction Target

In December 2021, Sysco announced its intention to reduce its carbon footprint by 27.5% by 2030.

2021: Acquisition of Greco & Sons

In 2021, Sysco acquired Greco & Sons, an importer and distributor of Italian food products. Greco & Sons operates as an independent division within the company.

May 2022: Purchase of Electric Trucks

In May 2022, Sysco committed to purchasing 800 Freightliner eCascadia electric trucks.

August 2022: First Electric Delivery Truck in the UK

In August 2022, Sysco's UK division launched its first electric delivery truck.

November 2022: Delivery of First Electric Trucks

The first vehicles from Sysco's order of 800 Freightliner eCascadia electric trucks were delivered in November 2022.

February 2023: Sygma Operations Update

As of February 2023, Sygma was operating 15 distribution centers and delivering goods to 13,000 chain franchises throughout the United States.

April 2023: Electric Vehicle Hub Construction

In April 2023, Sysco announced the construction of an electric vehicle hub in Riverside, California.

April 2023: Teamsters Strike

In early April 2023, Teamsters members at Sysco locations in Louisville and Indianapolis went on strike seeking higher wages and an end to "barbaric" work schedules.

October 2023: Purchase of Edward Don & Company

In October 2023, Sysco announced it was purchasing Edward Don & Company, a food service supplies and equipment distributor. This acquisition provided additional space and kitchen design capabilities.

October 2023: Allegations of North Korean Labor Use

In October 2023, The Outlaw Ocean Project released a report alleging China's use of North Korean labor, including accounts of sexual abuse.

November 2023: "One Planet. One Table." Assortment Launched

Sysco's "One Planet. One Table." assortment of products, which includes approximately 3,000 food items backed by at least one of 20 sustainability certifications and standards, launched in November 2023.

December 2023: Sysco Ireland Plans Acquisition

In December 2023, Sysco Ireland announced plans to acquire Ready Chef Ltd.

January 2024: Contract Suspension

Following allegations regarding human and labor rights abuses, Sysco published a statement in January 2024 noting the suspension of all contracts with Dalian Haiquing Foods.

February 2024: Partnership with Nutritics

In February 2024, Sysco's UK division partnered with Nutritics, a foodservice technology firm, to develop a system to quantify the carbon footprint of the food served by food businesses.

June 2024: Sysco Employee and Customer Statistics

As of June 2024, Sysco has approximately 76,000 employees and serves 730,000 customer locations.

September 2024: Electric Tractor Operations

As of September 2024, Sysco operates 130 heavy-duty electric tractors across the US, Canada, Sweden, and the UK.

October 2024: Acquisition of Cambell's Prime Meat

In October 2024, Sysco acquired Scotland-based meat and fish supplier, Cambell's Prime Meat.

2024: Hiring Discrimination Settlement

In 2024, Sysco agreed to pay a settlement following a Department Of Labor review regarding hiring discrimination allegations against female employees.