EXHIBIT 99.1

SYSCO Corporation                            NEWS RELEASE
1390 Enclave Parkway                         ------------
Houston, Texas 77077-2099
(281) 584-1390
                                    FOR MORE INFORMATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE               Contact:  Diane Day Sanders
                                              Vice President and Treasurer
                                              (281) 584-1303


                             SYSCO INTERNATIONAL CO.
                   SELLS $200 MILLION IN SENIOR NOTES DUE 2012

     HOUSTON, May 23, 2002 - SYSCO International Co., a wholly-owned  subsidiary
of SYSCO Corporation (NYSE:SYY),  has sold $200 million of senior notes due June
1, 2012 in a private offering with registration  rights. The notes bear interest
at a rate of 6.10  percent per annum,  which will be paid on December 1 and June
1,  beginning  December  1,  2002.  The  notes  are  fully  and  unconditionally
guaranteed by SYSCO Corporation,  are unsecured,  include a redemption privilege
which allows the company to retire the notes at any time prior to maturity  with
a make whole  provision  and are not  subject to any sinking  fund  requirement.
Proceeds  from the  offering  will be used to repay  commercial  paper issued by
SYSCO  International  Co.  in  connection  with  the  acquisition  of the  SERCA
foodservice business in Canada.

     The notes have not been  registered  under the  Securities  Act of 1933, as
amended,  or applicable state securities laws, and were offered and sold only to
qualified  institutional buyers in reliance on Section 4(2) under the Securities
Act.  Unless  registered,  the notes may not be  offered  or sold in the  United
States except  pursuant to Rule 144A or another  applicable  exemption  from the
registration  requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities
laws.

     This  announcement  is  neither an offer to sell nor a  solicitation  of an
offer  to buy any of these  securities.  This  press  release  is  being  issued
pursuant to and in accordance  with Rule 135c under the  Securities Act of 1933,
as amended.

     SYSCO is the largest foodservice marketing and distribution organization in
North America. Generating sales of approximately $22.6 billion for calendar year
2001,  the company  provides  products and  services to over 400,000  customers,
including   restaurants,   healthcare  and   educational   facilities,   lodging
establishments and other foodservice operations. The SYSCO distribution network,
supported by more than 46,000 employees, currently extends throughout the United
States and Canada.  For more information  about SYSCO,  visit the company's home
page at www.sysco.com.


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