Sysco $SYY just announced the ~$29 BB acquisition of Jetro Restaurant Depot, a cash and carry restaurant supplies retailer with 166 stores in 35 states

Why was Sysco interest in acquiring Restaurant Depot?

Perhaps, in part, due to its recent foray into the space

Last year Sysco opened two Sysco To Go retail restaurant supply stores near its corporate headquarters in the Houston-area In repurposed Big Box real estate that was formerly occupied by Bed Bath & Beyond and Toys"R"Us

Other Sysco competitors, though, have also been active in the space. US Foods $USFD and Gordon Food Service have also long operated cash and carry retail stores that are open to the public

US Foods operates ~100 US Foods CHEF'STORE cash and carry retail sites in 14 states

Most which are in repurposed Big Box real estate, including 1/2 dozen that opened in the past 18 months

And Gordon operates ~200 food service stores in at least 16 states

But while Sysco's acquisition of Restaurant Depot will leave it with more locations than US Foods, it may still have even more catching up to do to reach Gordon Food Service

The Michigan-based chain has been growing in new areas and opening larger stores

In 2023 Gordon Food Service acquired a 200,000 square foot former Kmart building in Thornton, CO—a new state for Gordon

Last Fall the Company opened a large Gordon Restaurant Market store in the former Thornton Kmart

As well as two other area Gordon Restaurant Market stores:

One in a repurposed former Bed Bath & Beyond in Fort Collins

And a second in a ~65,000 square foot former supermarket in Colorado Springs ⬇