Honda vs Sysco: Founders, CEOs and History
Honda was founded in 1948 by Soichiro Honda, Takeo Fujisawa and is led by Toshihiro Mibe. Sysco was founded in 1969 by John F. Baugh and is led by Kevin Hourican.
Company facts
Founders
Honda
Soichiro Honda
Soichiro Honda founded the company in 1946. Originally a mechanic who manufactured piston rings for Toyota, he realized that post-war Japan desperately needed cheap, reliable transportation.
Takeo Fujisawa
Takeo Fujisawa co-founded Honda in 1949, serving as the absolute perfect business counterpart to Soichiro Honda's engineering obsession.
Sysco
John F. Baugh
John F. Baugh (1916-2007) founded Houston frozen-food distributor Zero Foods in 1946. In 1969 he brought Zero Foods together with other independent regional distributors to form Systems and Services Company, or Sysco, which listed its shares in 1970.
CEOs and their tenures
Honda
- Takanobu Ito2009–2015
President and CEO
He introduced a plan to reorganise Honda global operations and handed the presidency to Takahiro Hachigo in 2015.
Source - Takahiro Hachigo2015–2021
Former President and CEO
Hachigo trimmed excess capacity and refocused Honda on hybrids, motorcycles and its core models, which improved profitability before the EV investment cycle began.
Source - Toshihiro Mibe2021–present
Director, President and Representative Executive Officer (CEO)
Mibe's tenure has been defined by the push into electrification and its costly reset. The EV charges produced Honda's first annual loss since listing, but the shift toward hybrids and motorcycles was followed by a record first-quarter profit in FY2027.
Source
Sysco
- Tom Bené2018–2020
President and Chief Executive Officer
As CEO, he steered the company through the immediate, catastrophic collapse of the restaurant industry during the COVID-19 lockdowns before being abruptly replaced by Kevin Hourican.
Source - Kevin Hourican2020–present
President and Chief Executive Officer
Under Hourican, sales grew from $51.3 billion in fiscal 2021 to $84.6 billion in fiscal 2026. He came from CVS Health, where he was president of CVS Pharmacy.
Source
Timeline: Honda and Sysco side by side
1948Honda
Honda Motor Founded
Soichiro Honda establishes Honda Motor Co., Ltd. in Japan.
1959Honda
American Honda Opens
Honda enters the US market, initially building awareness through motorcycles.
1963Honda
Honda Enters Automobiles
Honda expands from motorcycles and engines into automobile production.
1969Sysco
Sysco is founded
John F. Baugh and other distributors formed Sysco to build a national foodservice distribution company.
1970Sysco
Sysco goes public
Sysco became a public company and used capital markets to support expansion.
1972Honda
Civic Launch
The Civic becomes a defining global nameplate for Honda's fuel-efficient automobile strategy.
1986Honda
Acquired Montesa
Honda Motor Co. acquired Montesa. Honda took control of the Spanish motorcycle maker Montesa, creating Montesa Honda to build trial and off-road motorcycles in Europe.
1986Honda
Acura Brand Launched
Honda launched the Acura luxury brand in the United States in 1986.
1999Sysco
Acquired Newport Meat
Sysco acquired Newport Meat. Sysco acquired Newport Meat in 1999.
2000Honda
ASIMO Unveiled
Honda unveiled the ASIMO humanoid robot in 2000.
2015Honda
Takahiro Hachigo becomes CEO
Takahiro Hachigo became CEO of Honda Motor Co. in 2015. Hachigo trimmed excess capacity and refocused Honda on hybrids, motorcycles and its core models, which improved profitability before the EV investment cycle began.
2015Sysco
US Foods merger blocked
Antitrust opposition ended Sysco's proposed combination with US Foods.
2016Sysco
Brakes Group acquisition
Sysco expanded internationally by acquiring Brakes Group in Europe.
2018Sysco
Tom Bené becomes CEO
Tom Bené became CEO of Sysco in 2018. Stepped down on January 31, 2020, when Kevin Hourican took over.
2020Sysco
Kevin Hourican becomes CEO
Kevin Hourican became CEO of Sysco in 2020. Under Hourican, sales grew from $51.3 billion in fiscal 2021 to $84.6 billion in fiscal 2026.
2021Honda
Toshihiro Mibe Becomes CEO
Mibe becomes CEO as Honda increases focus on electrification, software, and new mobility.
2025Sysco
Sales reach $81.370B
Sysco reported fiscal 2025 sales of $81.370 billion.
2026Honda
FY2026 Loss and EV Reset
Honda reports ~$146 billion (JPY 21.797 trillion) in sales revenue and a ~$2.84 billion (JPY 423.9 billion) loss attributable to owners after EV write-downs, then posts a record ~$3.56 billion (JPY 530.7 billion) Q1 FY2027 operating profit in August.
2026Sysco
Jetro Restaurant Depot deal announced
Sysco agreed to acquire Jetro Restaurant Depot for an enterprise value of about $29.1 billion.
2026Sysco
Fiscal 2026 sales reach $84.6B
Sysco reported fiscal 2026 sales of $84.6 billion and guided to 6%-7% sales growth for fiscal 2027.
Acquisitions
Sysco
- Jetro Restaurant Depot2026$29.1B
- Greco and Sons2021Undisclosed
- Paragon Foods2021Undisclosed
- Doerle Food Services2018Undisclosed
- Kent Frozen Foods2018Undisclosed
- HFM FoodService2017Undisclosed
Questions about Honda vs Sysco
Who is the CEO of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and Sysco Corporation?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is led by Toshihiro Mibe and Sysco Corporation is led by Kevin Hourican. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Honda Motor Co., Ltd. founded vs Sysco Corporation?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. was founded in 1948 — 21 years before Sysco Corporation, which was founded in 1969. Honda Motor Co., Ltd.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Sysco Corporation.
How many employees does Honda Motor Co., Ltd. have compared to Sysco Corporation?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. employs approximately 195,109 people, while Sysco Corporation employs approximately 75,000. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has the larger workforce at 195,109 employees, compared to Sysco Corporation's 75,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and Sysco Corporation headquartered?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Japan and Sysco Corporation is headquartered in United States. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and Sysco Corporation?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. was founded by Soichiro Honda, Takeo Fujisawa. Sysco Corporation was founded by John F. Baugh.
Which company has a longer operating history — Honda Motor Co., Ltd. or Sysco Corporation?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has been operating for approximately 78 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Sysco Corporation has been in operation for around 57 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Honda vs Sysco overview