Sysco lines up $100m super depot

Foodservice wholesaler Sysco has revealed plans to create its largest depot in Europe at a site in Hemel Hempstead, which is designed to serve businesses across London and the South East.The business is initially investing $100m in the new 475,000 sq ft site, which will be the first in the country to fully benefit from the complete technology and proprietary software currently in use at Sysco’s wholesale distribution operations in the US.The new depot will also add significant additional capacity to the existing network in the South East and aligns with Sysco’s ambition for growth in Britain.Sysco will spend the next 18 months adapting the former Amazon site in Hemel Hempstead to make it suitable for foodservice operations including introduction of frozen and chilled areas and creating sustainability improvements across the site.Paul Nieduszynski, chief executive of Sysco GB, said: “The new Sysco depot is a next generation site, unlike anything we’ve seen before. As the largest Sysco site in Europe, it will offer a more comprehensive service to independent customers in London and the surrounding areas. It takes foodservice wholesale in Britain to an entirely new level.”For the first time, we will be able to introduce the full suite of technology that benefits Sysco customers in the United States. The size of the depot will also allow us to be more responsive to customer demand by holding a full range of products on the edge of Greater London.”The combination of scale, cutting-edge technology, range and service will set a new standard for foodservice wholesale in the UK.”Over the next ten years, Sysco said the new site will help contribute to the creation of 850 jobs, and will be fully operational at the beginning of 2026.