The Italian Trade Agency (ITA) has entered into a strategic partnership with Sysco Ireland aimed at accelerating the digitalization and international growth of Italy’s agri-food sector. The agreement will support the expansion of Italian food and beverage exports to the Irish market through a dedicated Made in Italy section on Sysco Ireland’s digital platform, accompanied by a year-long promotional campaign.
Sysco Corporation, founded in 1969 and headquartered in Houston, is the world’s largest food service distributor, generating revenues of over €65 billion in 2023. The company serves more than 600,000 clients across the restaurant, healthcare, education, and hospitality sectors and operates 330 distribution centres in over 90 countries.
Its Irish subsidiary, Sysco Ireland, distributes more than 10,000 products spanning all key food categories. The company maintains seven regional centres, a central hub in Dublin, and two secondary hubs in Limerick and Lisburn. Its digital platform is tailored to the needs of the Horeca (hotel, restaurant, catering) sector.
SCOPE OF THE AGREEMENT
Under the terms of the collaboration, Italian products will be prominently featured within a newly created Made in Italy showcase on Sysco Ireland’s platform. The agreement also includes the introduction of new Italian SKUs into Sysco’s B2B wholesale portfolio.
A 12-month, fully-funded multichannel campaign will accompany the rollout, comprising print and digital brochures, themed newsletters, a structured social media strategy, and targeted media engagement. Italian producers will also be featured at the upcoming IFEX trade show in Belfast, where activities will include product displays, cooking demonstrations, and curated tasting menus.
Further promotional efforts will include a series of in-person events for customers and staff in Dublin, Limerick, and Belfast. Participating Italian companies will benefit from the support of a dedicated account manager throughout the initiative.