Exhibit 99.2

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



           SYSCO Expects EPS of $0.24 for First Quarter of Fiscal 2002

     Houston,  August 1, 2001 -- Charles H. Cotros, chairman and chief executive
officer  of SYSCO  Corporation  (NYSE:  SYY)  today  appeared  on the  Bloomberg
television  network and CNNfn to discuss SYSCO's fiscal 2001 earnings which were
announced earlier today and included a 12.8 percent increase in sales and a 30.0
percent increase in diluted earnings per share.

     Mr.  Cotros  expressed  optimism  that  SYSCO  would  continue  to meet its
long-term  growth  objectives  and expects  earnings  per share of $0.24 for the
first quarter of fiscal 2002 that ends September 29, 2001.

     SYSCO is the largest foodservice marketing and distribution organization in
North America,  generating  sales of $21.8 billion for the fiscal year 2001 that
ended June 30, 2001. The company provides food and related products and services
to about 370,000 customers,  including  restaurants,  healthcare and educational
institutions, lodging establishments and other foodservice operations. The SYSCO
distribution  network currently extends  throughout the entire contiguous United
States and portions of Alaska, Hawaii and Canada.

Forward-Looking Statements
     Certain  statements made herein are  forward-looking  statements  under the
Private  Securities  Litigation  Reform  Act of 1995.  They  include  statements
regarding  SYSCO's  ability to  achieve  its  long-term  growth  objectives  and
expectations  with respect to earnings per share for the first quarter of fiscal
2002.  These  statements  involve  risks  and  uncertainties  and are  based  on
management's  current  expectations  and  estimates;  actual  results may differ
materially.  Those risks and  uncertainties  that could impact these  statements
include the risks relating to the foodservice distribution industry's relatively
low profit  margins and  sensitivity  to general  economic  conditions;  SYSCO's
leverage  and  debt  risks;  the  successful   completion  of  acquisitions  and
integration of acquired  companies;  the risk of interruption of supplies due to
lack of long-term contracts,  severe weather,  work stoppages or otherwise;  and
internal  factors  such as the ability to control  expenses.  In  addition,  the
decision to pursue  acquisitions and "fold-outs"  could vary due to construction
schedules and the timing of other  expenditures,  while the  implementation  and
timing  of  "fold-out"   operations  and  acquisitions   could  be  impacted  by
competitive conditions,  labor issues,  weather,  satisfactory completion of due
diligence and other matters.  For a discussion of additional  factors that could
cause  actual  results to differ  from those  described  in the  forward-looking
statements,  see the  Company's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K, as amended by Form
10-K/A,  for the fiscal year ended July 1, 2000 as filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.


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