HOUSTON, TX - As winter approaches in the Northern Hemisphere, restaurants and foodservice operators are beginning to plan for potential challenges ahead due to the ongoing pandemic restrictions. To provide relief for its clients, Sysco has announced that it will be eliminating mimimum delivery size requirements for customers’ regularly scheduled delivery days. This announcement comes as part of the company’s Restaurants Rising campaign, and will be effective November 16 for all FreshPoint, Newport Meat, Buckhead Meat, and U.S. Broadline customers.

“No other distributor is doing more than Sysco to help the restaurant industry succeed,” said Kevin Hourican, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Eliminating minimum delivery requirements is our latest offering to show our customers that Sysco is on a mission to make it easier to do business with us. Combined with our value-added services and world-class sales team, we are helping restaurants—especially smaller, independent businesses—stay in business, better run their business, and evolve their business to drive increased traffic, now and in a post-pandemic world.”

By removing delivery requirements, Sysco is helping to lead the industry in measures to help its restaurant customers remain successful during such uncertain times, according to a press release. Although helpful for its small and large clients, Sysco’s announcement will especially benefit independent restaurant operators who are planning ahead for changes in demand due to winter weather and COVID-19 restrictions.

In an interview with CNBC, Hourican explained that the new campaign is meant for all Sysco customers and is something that Sysco wants to share with all of its clients.

“We’re not doing this as an opt-in program,” he said. “We have the largest salesforce in the industry, and we’re literally going to go customer by customer by customer to ensure that they know about this news.”

In addition to removing minimum ordering requirements, Sysco’s new campaign also includes:

• Free Restaurant Marketing Tools - Restaurants need to promote their business more than ever before. Our team can produce marketing solutions such as banners and posters that can be printed locally
• Discounts on solutions and services customers need right now-Sysco’s partners offer special discounts for important services restaurant operators need, such as delivery, mobile ordering, and menu services
• Free Sysco Foodie Solutions - Sysco has the expertise to help operators resolve business issues and generate new revenues. Sysco’s Foodie Solutions Toolkits offer a curated collection of the best industry practices, easy-to-use templates and exclusive, chef-tested products
• Easy Credit Card Payment - This option provides convenience for both existing and new customers.
• Fast Onboarding for new customers - New customers can onboard in less than 24 hours and begin to benefit from the powerful suite of services, tools, and solutions Sysco offers

Although high percentages of restaurant closures were orginally predicted at the start of the pandemic, Sysco has seen far less of its customers having to close doors due to restrictions and changes in demand.

“We reported recently that less than 10 percent of our customers are currently closed, and our job through these coming winter months is to help all of them be successful through the services and the food product and expertise that we provide to them,” Hourican continued in the CNBC interview.

As the foodservice market prepares for the upcoming winter changes, what other programs will be introduced to help restaurants succeed during these shifting times? Keep reading AndNowUKnow as we keep you updated.

Sysco