Sysco LABS, the Global in-house Centre (GIC) for Sysco, the world leader in foodservice; celebrated a decade of Sysco’s successful presence in Sri Lanka. The mark the occasion, the company hosted a special event which brought together esteemed guests including the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka – Her Excellency, Julie Chung, dignitaries from the American Embassy, Leadership of the American Chamber of Commerce, Sysco’s Global Technology Leadership Team, Sysco LABS’ Leadership Team, and representatives from the media.
Speaking at the event, Tom Peck, Executive Vice President and Chief Information & Digital Officer at Sysco, emphasized the pivotal role of technology in Sysco’s present and future endeavors, emphasizing the company’s vast scale. “With 72,000 colleagues and over 725,000 customer locations world-wide, Sysco operates at a global scale which requires vast technology inputs to success. As the global market leader, Sysco is driven by innovation and harnessing new technology, and that’s where the team in Sri Lanka gives us a competitive edge.”
Mr. Peck highlighted Sysco LABS as a critical component of its growth strategy, serving as a key tech enabler to drive Sysco’s global progress and enhance operational efficiency across its extensive network. “By leveraging cutting-edge technology, Sysco aims to continue providing exceptional service to its customers while driving sustainable growth and remaining at the forefront of the industry’s evolution.”
Sysco LABS’ journey began in 2013 when Sysco recognized the potential of Sri Lankan talent in revolutionizing global foodservice. Since Sysco’s full acquisition in 2017, Sysco LABS has grown to become Sysco’s largest Global In-House Center.
Lise Monahan, Vice President and Chief Information Officer (Americas), who leads Sysco’s Global In-House Centers speaking about the milestone, said: “Sysco LABS Sri Lanka plays a crucial role in both the day-to-day operations of Sysco, but also in being an enabler for the organization’s global expansion. The teams here have a deep knowledge of our systems and work closely with our other teams across the world to continuously deliver solutions that enable Sysco to cater to its customer needs. It’s great to see our team being an active member of the Sri Lankan tech and corporate communities, supporting the local IT industry with knowledge sharing and capacity building initiatives while also contributing to the country’s tech talent pipeline through its programs like Project Summit which is designed to accelerate the careers of young engineers.”
Over the past 10 years, the company has evolved greatly in terms of the solutions it delivers to Sysco, constantly growing the team, including the establishment of Sysco Technology’s Global 24×7 Operations Command Centre and the units that build and develop Sysco’s e-Commerce platforms and operations. The company’s latest expansion includes the launch of a Sysco Cybersecurity Operations Center, further adding to its diverse portfolio of expertise in the technology field.
Sharing his thoughts on the milestone, Rasika Karunatilake, Managing Director of Sysco LABS, said: “Our journey from a team of 100 to nearly 1000 colleagues is a testament to our relentless pursuit of innovation and excellence. Sysco LABS has evolved from a primarily product company to an organization that delivers a diverse array of technology solutions across 10 domains at an enterprise scale. Through our team’s ingenuity, relentless dedication and expertise, we are transforming the global foodservice industry landscape.”
About Sysco LABS
Sysco LABS is the Global In-House Center of Sysco Corporation (NYSE: SYY), the world’s largest foodservice company. Sysco is a Fortune 500 company and the global leader in the trillion-dollar foodservice industry.
Sysco employs 72,000 associates, has 330+ smart distribution facilities worldwide and over 14,000 IoT-enabled trucks serving 725,000 customer locations. For fiscal year 2023 that ended July 1, 2023, the company generated sales of more than $76 billion.
Sysco LABS delivers the technology that powers Sysco’s end-to-end operations. With engineering teams based out of Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Austin and Houston, TX, Sysco LABS enables Sysco’s entire supply chain delivering enterprise-grade technology that Is revolutionizing the industry.
Sysco LABS’ technology is present in the end-to-end foodservice journey, enabling the sourcing of food products, merchandising, storage and warehouse operations, order placement and pricing algorithms, the delivery of food and supplies to Sysco’s global network, the in-restaurant dining experience of the end-customer and much more.
Img.01.– Ambassador to the United States, Her Excellency, Julie Chung being welcomed to the event by Sysco LABS Sri Lanka Managing Director – Rasika Karunatilake
Img.02. – Sysco LABS Sri Lanka Managing Director – Rasika Karunatilake addresses the gathering
Img.03. – Lise Monahan, Sysco’s Vice President and Chief Information Officer – Americas addresses the gathering
Img.04. – Tom Peck, Executive Vice President and Chief Information & Digital Officer at Sysco, leads the celebration of 10 years of Sysco’s operations in Sri Lanka
Img.05. – Representatives from Sysco’s Global Technology Leadership team with Ambassador Julie Chung and Managing Director, Sysco LABS Sri Lanka – Rasika Karunatilake
Img.06. – Representatives from Sysco’s Global Technology Leadership team with representatives from the Sysco LABS Sri Lanka Leadership team
Img.07. – Tom Peck – Executive Vice President and Chief Information & Digital Officer – Sysco, addresses the gathering
Img.08. – Ambassador to the United States, Her Excellency, Julie Chung addresses the gathering
