Abstract

This case is about the supply chain management practices at SYSCO Corporation (SYSCO), the largest foodservice marketing and distribution company in North America. Analysts attributed the company’s success in distribution to its innovative supply chain practices, implementation of the latest Information Technology (IT) tools, building strong relationships with vendors, and having an organized management structure. The case discusses some of the company’s key supply chain initiatives like the National Supply Chain Project, the ChefEx Program, etc., and the benefits that accrued to SYSCO through these initiatives.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Understand the role of supply chain management (SCM) in the foodservice distribution business in North America
• Analyze the supply chain management initiatives adopted by SYSCO Corporation
• Evaluate the importance of redistribution, using new technologies like RFID, and other Information Technology applications to improve the efficiency of the supply chain.

Keywords

SYSCO Corporation, Foodservice Distribution and Marketing, Supply Chain Management, Information Technology, Redistribution Centers (RDBC), ChefEx Program, SYSCO Uniform System (SUS), E-commerce, National Supply Chain Project, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) System, North American Foodservice Market, Performance Food Group, Whole Foods Market Inc., Vendor Relationship