Exhibit 99.1
                                                                 ------------


SYSCO Corporation                                                NEWS RELEASE
1390 Enclave Parkway
Houston, Texas 77077-2099
(281) 584-1390
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                   FOR MORE INFORMATION
                                          CONTACT: Diane Day Sanders
                                                   Vice President and Treasurer

     SYSCO'S RECORD $19.3 BILLION SALES DRIVES FISCAL 2000 EPS UP 26 PERCENT
                     FOR 24TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR OF INCREASES


     HOUSTON,  AUGUST 2, 2000 -- SYSCO Corporation  (NYSE: SYY) today reported a
26 percent increase in diluted earnings per share of $1.36,  before a charge for
an accounting change, for the 52 weeks of fiscal 2000, which ended July 1, 2000.
This represented the 24th consecutive year of earnings increases and compares to
$1.08 per share  earned in the 53 weeks of fiscal 1999.  Sales  reached a record
$19.3 billion,  which was 11 percent above the $17.4 billion  attained in fiscal
1999. Net earnings,  before the first quarter $8 million  accounting change that
required  start up costs to be expensed as  incurred,  grew 25 percent to $453.6
million versus the $362.3 million net earnings achieved last year.

     These  results are  attributed  to a continued  focus on customer  service,
internal efficiencies and SYSCO Brand products.  Fourth quarter results showed a
strengthening  of  trends  seen all  year.  Diluted  earnings  per share for the
13-week  fourth quarter were $0.43, a noteworthy 23 percent higher when compared
to the $0.35 per share  earned in the  14-week  fourth  quarter of fiscal  1999.
Similarly,  when comparing the 13-week versus  14-week  quarters,  sales totaled
$5.3  billion,  a 9 percent gain above sales of $4.8 billion  during last year's
final quarter.  Net earnings  reached $144 million,  23 percent more than fourth
quarter 1999 net earnings of $116.9 million.

     "High levels of economic growth and consumer confidence  throughout SYSCO's
fiscal  year,  as well as mild  winter  weather,  favorably  impacted  our sales
growth," said Charles H. Cotros,  chairman and chief  executive  officer.  "Real
growth of 4 percent for the meals-prepared-away-from-home  industry in the March
quarter (the latest  calculated) was the strongest that has occurred in the last
11 quarters,  according to industry  sources.  During  SYSCO's  fiscal 2000, our
39,000-plus  loyal employees  exemplified our 30-year  commitment to outstanding
customer service,  allowing SYSCO to outperform its industry again.

     "Strategies that have been pivotal to our results include a sustained focus
on growing both marketing  associate-served  sales and the SYSCO Brand. Sales to
that  customer  segment  represented  about 55.4 percent of SYSCO's  traditional
foodservice  sales  during  fiscal 2000  compared  to 54.1  percent for the same
period  last  year.  SYSCO  Brand  product  sales  as  a  percent  of  marketing
associate-served sales also continued to trend upward, reaching 51.4 percent for
the fourth  quarter and 50.4 for the entire year, as compared to 48.8 percent in
last year's fourth quarter and 48.1 percent for fiscal 1999."

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     "In addition,  the  specialty  meat-cutting  and fresh  produce  operations
acquired  during the past year marked a new  direction for SYSCO - expansion via
widening  product  breadth.  We now offer customers in certain areas  precision,
custom-cut CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF (TM) steaks and other protein products,  as well
as a  broader  spectrum  of  specialty  produce  items.  The  addition  of these
companies  not  only  has  enhanced  our  competitive  advantage,  but  also has
strengthened  sales  and  profitability,  as  the  specialty  meat  and  produce
companies  have  exceeded  performance  expectations  and  are  contributing  to
earnings.  Likewise,  we are pleased with the two broadline  companies  acquired
during the year - Watson Foods in Lubbock,  Texas and Doughtie's Foods,  located
in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, both of which are premier distributors in
their respective  marketplaces and have expanded our coverage in those areas. In
the aggregate,  annualized sales of the fiscal 2000  acquisitions  totaled about
$l.3  billion,"  Mr.  Cotros  continued.

     "Another  internal  objective was the completion of the installation of the
SYSCO Uniform System (SUS),  SYSCO's  enterprise-wide  technology  solution," he
said.  "The new system is improving  productivity  and  efficiency and giving us
more  sophisticated  tools to fulfill  customers'  needs and desires,  moving us
closer to the error-free service we aspire to through the C.A.R.E.S.  initiative
(Customers  Are Really  Everything  to  SYSCO)."

     SYSCO also has been  active in  Internet-based  business-to-business  (B2B)
strategies,  according  to Mr.  Cotros.  Last  week the  company  announced  the
formation,  in conjunction with Cargill,  Inc., McDonald's Corporation and Tyson
Foods,  Inc., of electronic  Foodservice  Network (eFS Network),  a company that
will operate an independent B2B marketplace to facilitate sales and purchases to
the  foodservice  industry.  Based in Chicago,  eFS Network  will be open to all
segments  of the  industry - from  foodservice  suppliers  and  distributors  to
multi-unit operators - to help maximize Internet-based  efficiencies and savings
for its participants across the entire supply chain. He said this arrangement is
unlike  typical  B2B  strategies  because it will allow  participation  from all
segments of the food supply chain.

     Mr. Cotros also  indicated  that fiscal 2000 real sales  growth,  after the
effects of acquisitions and inflation, and adjusted for the extra week in fiscal
1999,  was 9.2 percent and, for the fourth  quarter,  adjusted real sales growth
was 8.9%.  Acquisitions  represented 3.5 percent of total sales for the year and
6.5  percent  for the final  quarter.  Food  costs,  which  experienced  minimal
inflation  during the first two quarters of the year and slight deflation during
the third fiscal  quarter,  returned to about 2.2 percent  inflation  during the
final quarter,  resulting in approximately  0.4 percent inflation for the entire
year, he noted.

     In concluding his remarks Mr. Cotros  commented,  "The close of fiscal 2000
marked the  culmination of Bill Lindig's  30-year career with SYSCO.  Our former
chairman  strongly  influenced  SYSCO's  growth  and  future  direction  and was
instrumental in effecting a smooth  transition for the new management team. More
than ever  before,  SYSCO's  well-executed  strategies,  as well as  programs to
control expenses,  position us to provide  outstanding service to our customers.
We plan ongoing growth  internally,  as well as externally,  through product and
geographic   extension,   and  are  very  optimistic  about  our  future  in  an
ever-expanding market."

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     SYSCO is the largest foodservice marketing and distribution organization in
North  America.  SYSCO  provides its  products and services to about  325,000 to
350,000 customers.  The SYSCO distribution  network currently extends throughout
the entire  contiguous  United  States and Alaska as well as portions of Canada.

     Certain  statements made herein are  forward-looking  statements  under the
Private  Securities  Litigation  Reform  Act of 1995.  They  include  statements
regarding  strategies and programs that position the company to control expenses
and to provide  outstanding  service and continued  acceleration of growth, both
internally and externally.  These statements involve risks and uncertainties and
are based on current expectations and management's estimates; actual results may
differ  materially.  Those  risks and  uncertainties  that  could  impact  these
statements  include  internal  risks  that  management's  plans may not  produce
desired results, the risks relating to the foodservice  distribution  industry's
sensitivity to economic conditions; the successful completion and integration of
fold-outs, the successful integration of acquisitions;  the risk of interruption
of supplies due to lack of long-term contracts,  severe weather,  work stoppages
or otherwise;  competition;  and other risk factors detailed in SYSCO's Form S-3
(File No. 333-34036) filed with the Securities and Exchange  Commission on April
5, 2000.

     The comparative financial data for the fourth quarters of fiscal years 2000
and 1999 are summarized below.

($000  omitted  except  for share and per share
data)
                                              FOR THE PERIOD ENDED
                                    -----------------------------------------
                                    JULY 1, 2000                 JULY 3, 1999
                                      (13 WEEKS)                   (14 WEEKS)
                                      ----------                   ----------
SALES                            $     5,271,764                   $4,818,633

Costs and expenses
Cost of sales                          4,255,205                    3,909,856
Operating expenses                       764,594                      697,444
Interest expense                          17,854                       19,097
Other, net                                 (131)                          641
                                    ------------                    ---------
Total costs and expenses               5,037,522                    4,627,038
                                    ------------                    ---------

EARNINGS BEFORE INCOME TAXES             234,242                      191,595
Income taxes                              90,183                       74,722
                                    ------------                    ---------

NET EARNINGS                     $       144,059                   $  116,873
                                    ============                   ==========
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE         $          0.43                   $     0.35
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE       $          0.43                   $     0.35

BASIC AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING     331,648,095                  330,586,514
DILUTED AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING   336,636,328                  334,811,582

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The  comparative  financial  data for fiscal years 2000 and 1999 are  summarized
below.

($000 omitted except for share and per
share data)
                                                  For the Period Ended
                                                  --------------------
                                           July 1, 2000          July 3, 1999
                                           (52 Weeks)             (53 Weeks)
                                           ----------             ----------

TOTAL SALES                             $  19,303,268           $  17,422,815

Costs and expenses
    Cost of sales                          15,649,551              14,207,860
    Operating expenses                      2,843,755               2,547,266
    Interest expense                           70,832                  72,839
    Other, net                                  1,522                     963
                                         ------------            ------------
Total costs and expenses                   18,565,660              16,828,928
                                         ------------            ------------

EARNINGS BEFORE INCOME TAXES                  737,608                 593,887
Income taxes                                  283,979                 231,616
                                         ------------            ------------
EARNINGS BEFORE CUMULATIVE                    453,629                 362,271
   EFFECT OF ACCOUNTING CHANGE
Cumulative effect of accounting change         (8,041)                  -----
                                         ------------            ------------
    NET EARNINGS                        $     445,588            $    362,271
                                         ============            ============

EARNINGS BEFORE ACCOUNTING CHANGE:
   BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE             $        1.38            $       1.09
   DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE                    1.36            $       1.08

CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF ACCOUNTING CHANGE:
   BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE             $       (0.02)           $       ----
   DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE           $       (0.02)           $       ----

NET EARNINGS:
   BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE             $        1.35            $       1.09
   DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE           $        1.33            $       1.08

BASIC AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING          329,582,474             332,913,546
DILUTED AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING        334,777,928             336,796,669

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