HOUSTON, April 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sysco Corporation (NYSE:SYY), the leading global foodservice distribution company, is taking action to improve the sustainability of product packaging. Earlier this year, the company introduced packaging guidelines to encourage all supplier partners to transition to materials and design principles that will collectively reduce our environmental footprint.

“We only have One Planet, and right now that planet is overwhelmed with plastic and packaging waste. This year’s Earth Day theme of ‘Planet vs. Plastics’ was a perfect opportunity to highlight how we are working with our suppliers and customers to reduce plastics and packaging waste,” said Neil Russell, Sysco’s Chief Administrative Officer.

For example, Sysco’s Earth Plus Brand Agave Straw is plastic-free and certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI). Upcycled from residual agave fibers leftover from beverage production, these straws not only mimic the feel and texture of plastic straws with incredible strength and durability, they are also commercially compostable in just 90 days. Customers can find this product as part of Sysco’s One Planet. One Table. assortment which includes products produced with the planet and people in mind.

In addition, Fresh Direct, Sysco’s produce business in Great Britain, recently collaborated with one of its suppliers and customers to transition berries to FSC-certified paper packaging, which will eliminate over 50 tons of plastic waste annually. Fresh Direct also introduced new buffet boxes for fresh produce. The boxes are made from 62% recycled cardboard, are fully recyclable and use less material, removing five tons of virgin cardboard from the supply chain each week and saving more than 1,000 pounds of carbon each year.

Sysco’s Gilchrist & Soames business reported a reduction of more than 168 million single-use bottles in FY2023 by helping customers transition into large bottle formats which included dispenser solutions for everything from shampoo and conditioner to body wash and more. 

Neil continued, “We’re leveraging our position and global scale to make significant, positive shifts in sustainability across the end-to-end food supply chain. From working with our suppliers on transitioning to more eco-friendly and innovative packaging to driving demand for sustainable products in our One Planet. One Table. assortment and helping our customers switch to more planet-friendly alternatives.”

In the United States, Sysco has also started to transition its owned Brand exterior packaging from traditional white to kraft corrugate cases. The shift away from white corrugate saves up to 30% of the energy and up to 17% of the material needed to create these boxes while making them easier for customers to recycle.

During Earth Week, Sysco will host a sustainability summit exclusively for their suppliers to discuss how they can drive growth and support customers together by taking action on sustainability to protect the future of the planet and the resilience of the food supply chains.

Learn more about the actions Sysco is taking to protect the planet by visiting sysco.com/sustainability.

About Sysco
Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers who prepare meals away from home. Its family of products also includes equipment and supplies for the foodservice and hospitality industries. With more than 72,000 colleagues, the company operates 334 distribution facilities worldwide and serves approximately 725,000 customer locations. For fiscal year 2023 that ended July 1, 2023, the company generated sales of more than $76 billion. Information about our Sustainability program, including Sysco’s 2023 Sustainability Report and 2023 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Report, can be found at www.sysco.com.

For more information, visit www.sysco.com or connect with Sysco on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SyscoFoods. For important news and information regarding Sysco, visit the Investor Relations section of the company’s Internet home page at investors.sysco.com, which Sysco plans to use as a primary channel for publishing key information to its investors, some of which may contain material and previously non-public information. In addition, investors should continue to review our news releases and filings with the SEC. It is possible that the information we disclose through any of these channels of distribution could be deemed to be material information.