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                                                                      EXHIBIT 23

                       SYSCO CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

                     INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS' CONSENT


As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the incorporation of our
report included in this Form 10-K for the year ended July 3, 1999, into the
company's previously filed (i) Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 of the
Registration Statement and Prospectus of Sysco Corporation relating to the
offering of Sysco Common Stock under the Sysco Corporation Management Incentive
Plan (Registration No. 2-73392), (ii) Registration Statement and Prospectus of
Sysco Corporation relating to the Sysco Corporation 1974 Employee's Stock
Purchase Plan (Registration No. 33-10906), (iii) Post-Effective Amendment No. 1
of the Registration Statement and Prospectus relating to the offering of Sysco
Common Stock under the Sysco Corporation Employee Incentive Stock Option Plan
(Registration No. 2-76096), (iv) Registration Statement and Prospectus of Sysco
Corporation relating to the offering of additional shares of Sysco Common Stock
under the Sysco Corporation 1995 Management Incentive Plan (Registration No.
33-45804), (v) Registration Statement and Prospectus of Sysco Corporation
relating to the offering of Sysco Common Stock under the Sysco Corporation 1991
Stock Option Plan (Registration No. 33-45820), (vi) Registration Statement of
Sysco Corporation relating to the offering of Sysco Common Stock under the Sysco
Corporation Non-Employee Directors Stock Option Plan (Registration No.
333-1259), (vii) Registration Statement of Sysco Corporation relating to the
offering of additional shares of Sysco Common Stock under the Sysco Corporation
1991 Stock Option Plan (Registration No. 333-1255), (viii) Registration
Statement of Sysco Corporation relating to the offering of additional shares of
Sysco Common Stock under the Sysco Corporation 1995 Management Incentive Plan
(Registration No. 333-1257), (ix) Registration Statement of Sysco Corporation
relating to the offering of additional shares of Sysco Common Stock under the
Sysco Corporation 1974 Employees Stock Purchase Plan (Registration No.
333-27405), (x) Registration Statement and Prospectus of Sysco Corporation
relating to the offering of Sysco Debt Securities (Registration No. 333-52897),
(xi) Registration Statement of Sysco Corporation relating to the offering of
additional shares of SYSCO Common Stock under the Non-Employee Directors Stock
Plan (Registration No. 333-66987), (xii) Registration Statement of Sysco
Corporation under the Securities Act of 1933 (Registration No. 333-83525) and
(xiii) Registration Statement of Sysco Corporation under the Securities Act of
1933 (Registration No. 333-86273).



/s/ Arthur Andersen LLP

Arthur Andersen LLP
Houston, Texas
September 24, 1999