Sysco’s $29B Deal Could Change the Food at Your Favorite South Jersey Restaurant

A popular store for restauranteurs in Egg Harbor Township has been sold in a deal worth billions of dollars.

Sysco, already the nation's largest foodservice distributor, has agreed to purchase Jetro Restaurant Depot for $29 billion.

Restaurant Depot has more than 160 locations across 35 states, with several in the Garden State, including Egg Harbor Township, Pennsauken, Neptune, South Plainfield, Union, Secaucus, and South Hackensack.

What Restaurant Depot is and Who Shops There

Many may be unfamiliar with Restaurant Depot as their stores are not open to the public, but it's a warehouse-type store for those in the restaurant business where shoppers can simply walk in, buy what they need at discounted prices, and then serve it to you the next time you visit a restaurant.

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Sysco, on the other hand, is likely much more familiar to people as their tractor trailers are commonly seen delivering food in larger quantities to restaurants directly, especially large chain eateries.

Simply put, the potential merger gives Sysco a way to reach an audience of customers that it couldn't easily do so before: smaller, independent restaurant owners.

The merger is expected to close sometime in 2027 pending approval from federal regulators.

Why This Could Matter to You

Recently, some foodies on social media platforms have begun to notice that when you go out to eat at a chain restaurant, all of the food tastes the same. That's because most big restaurants get their food from the same source: Sysco. If restaurant 'A' gets pre-made mozzarella sticks from Sysco and restaurant 'B' does, too, then you're eating the same product just with a different catchy name.

And here's the flag that some are beginning to raise: Will the Sysco-ization of the restaurant supply industry lead to changes at your favorite local restaurant?

A lot of mom-and-pop restaurants in South Jersey get their food supplies from Restaurant Depot because, as we mentioned earlier, it gives them easy access to what they need at affordable prices. But will Sysco's pre-made products start appearing on shelves in Restaurant Depot locations? Will those mass-produced Sysco mozzarella sticks replace the really good ones you currently get at your favorite local bar soon? It's certainly possible.

Chris Coleman is a South Jersey native and has been a cornerstone of the Atlantic City radio market since 1998. He serves as Brand Manager for WPG Talk Radio 95.5 and afternoon on-air personality for Cat Country 107.3. A five-time President's Circle award winner and Townsquare Media's 2024 Content Creator of the Year, Chris covers news, events, and stories of interest across Southern New Jersey. Story tips: chris.coleman@townsquaremedia.com