CEO Of Largest U.S. Foodservice Distributor Warns Consumer Sentiment, Confidence “Not High Right Now”

The CEO of Sysco, the largest foodservice distributor in the U.S., serving nearly 20% of the nation’s restaurants and commercial kitchens, issued a warning on Tuesday: Consumer sentiment and confidence remain lackluster.

CEO Kevin Hourican spoke with Bloomberg during an interview after the foodservice distributor reported earnings and forecasted annual sales at the lower end of its target range.

Hourican noted that consumer sentiment and confidence “is not high right now.” 

Sysco expects sales growth of about 3% to 5% in fiscal 2026, less than the three-year sales growth target of 4% to 6% it forecasted last year. 

Sysco serves over 700,000 customer locations, giving it unparalleled visibility into the health of America’s restaurants and commercial kitchens. Its massive scale and nationwide reach make it a barometer for consumer behavior across the entire foodservice industry.

For more U.S. restaurant trends, a team of Goldman Sachs analysts led by Christine Cho posted a note for clients on Tuesday that showed Net Purchase Intent over time for three restaurant subsectors: Fast Casual, Casual Dining, and Fast Food, based on trailing 3-month averages (T3M). 

Takeaways:

• Shift in preferences: Consumers are pivoting from fast casual to casual dining, possibly seeking a fuller dining experience or better value amid inflation.

• Fast casual sentiment is weakening, despite historically being the leader in restaurant trends.

• Fast food remains under pressure, with the lowest consumer intent scores across the board.

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