HOUSTON, Feb. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sysco Corporation, the global leader in food distribution, is launching a pilot Home Grown by Sysco program dedicated to bringing locally sourced foods and artisan products to more customers and communities.
The Home Grown by Sysco program will make it easier for sales teams and customers to identify about 10,000 locally sourced products on the Sysco Shop website and mobile app. The pilot beginning February 24 includes the Great Lakes, Northeast and South Florida regions in the United States, as well as the Montreal site and British Columbia region in Canada. The goal is to expand the program across the United States within the next 12 months.
The program is a part of Sysco’s One Planet One Table assortment of sustainability related products and is critical to a newly launched sustainability strategy that seeks to bring locally sourced products to more tables around the world.
The pilot defines “locally sourced” as items that originate from a geographic area close to a Sysco distribution center, typically within the same state or province or a designated distance, depending on the site, product and applicable laws.
“Home Grown by Sysco’s expansion is a direct response to ever-growing customer demand for locally grown and raised products as well as artisan items,” said Lauren Contreras, director of sustainable food systems at Sysco.
Locally sourced products have long been available through Sysco, and the Great Lakes Region named their program Home Grown by Sysco in 2021. That name is now being adopted for the pilot program in the United States.
The Great Lakes Region branch of Home Grown by Sysco offers everything from specialty fish, chicken and cheese to artisan Bloody Mary mix.
“This is not only responsive to two-thirds of diners who say table-service restaurants must have locally sourced foods. This is about our commitment to small businesses – from independent restaurants to local suppliers – and the important role we play in their success and growth,” said Peter Peluso, Sysco’s Great Lakes Region president, who helped create the Home Grown by Sysco program.
The pilot program launching later in February will help Sysco improve software and identifiers to make the customer experience seamless and transparent prior to scaling it across North America.
“This program is a critical part of our recently launched sustainability strategy, which includes a commitment to building resilient supply chains and increasing product offerings from emerging suppliers,” Contreras said. “Such vibrant local supply chains are integral to our food system and play a crucial role in Securing the Future of Food for our customers and communities alike.”
About Sysco
Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food and related products to customers who prepare meals away from home. This includes restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments, entertainment venues, and more. Sysco operates 339 distribution centers, in 10 countries, with 75,000 colleagues serving approximately 730,000 customer locations. The company generated sales of more than $81 billion in fiscal year 2025 that ended June 28, 2025.
As the world’s largest food-away-from-home distributor, Sysco offers customized supply chain solutions, bespoke specialty product offerings, and culinary support to drive customers to innovate and optimize their operations. We act as a trusted business partner to our customers, helping them grow through our industry-leading portfolio that includes fresh produce, premium proteins, specialty products, sustainably focused items, equipment and supplies, and innovative culinary solutions.
For more information, visit www.sysco.com. For important news and key information for Sysco investors, visit the Investor Relations section of the company’s website at investors.sysco.com.
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