Join over 85 top chefs at delicious Houston charity event aimed at raising funds to help our food & beverage community overcome crises
HOUSTON, Oct. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sysco Corporation, the leading global foodservice distribution company, is honored to present Southern Smoke Festival 2025, representing our deep commitment to community and customers.
The Southern Smoke Festival is an annual charity event designed to raise money to help the food and beverage industry overcome crises, from economic hardship to natural disasters. The 2025 event on October 4 at Houston’s Discovery Green features a feast created by 85 of the country’s top chefs and beverage pros as well as demos, gifts and other culinary activities.
“Sysco is honored to sponsor this annual event that helps our food and beverage community overcome the greatest challenges and keep our towns and cities vibrant,” said Sysco’s Chief Merchandising Officer and Senior Vice President Victoria Gutierrez.
“We strive every day to live our Purpose of Connecting the World to Share Food and Care for One Another and what better way to do that than through a festival that helps our communities maintain their economic vitality,” she added.
Chef Chris Shepherd, the James Beard award-winning chef who created the Southern Smoke Foundation to aid his community in the hardest of times, praised Sysco for its unwavering support of the food and beverage industry and communities nationwide.
“Sysco is more than a foodservice distributor. It is integral to the success of our industry, supporting small-, mid- and large-size businesses globally and making sure our communities are nourished in good times and bad,” Shepherd said. “Sysco’s support of this event is evidence of its long-term commitment to our success.”
Gutierrez noted that Sysco is made up of people who understand the industry inside and out.
“At Sysco, we not only work closely with restaurant owners, chefs, beverage professionals and others in the hospitality industry; many of us started our careers there and we understand the ups and downs of running a restaurant,” Gutierrez said. “We also know it is around these tables and in these establishments that community is built and memories are made, and so we are proud to be a part of this event.”
About Sysco
Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food and related products to customers who prepare meals away from home. This includes restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments, entertainment venues, and more. Sysco operates 339 distribution centers, in 10 countries, with 75,000 colleagues serving approximately 730,000 customer locations. The company generated sales of more than $81 billion in fiscal year 2025 that ended June 28, 2025.
As the world’s largest food-away-from-home distributor, Sysco offers customized supply chain solutions, bespoke specialty product offerings, and culinary support to drive customers to innovate and optimize their operations. We act as a trusted business partner to our customers, helping them grow through our industry-leading portfolio that includes fresh produce, premium proteins, specialty products, sustainably focused items, equipment and supplies, and innovative culinary solutions.
For more information, visit www.sysco.com. For important news and key information for Sysco investors, visit the Investor Relations section of the company’s website at investors.sysco.com.
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For more information contact:
Media Contact:
Cassandra Mauel
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