PepsiCo vs Sysco: Founders, CEOs and History
PepsiCo was founded in 1965 by Caleb Bradham, Donald M. Kendall, Herman W. Lay and is led by Ramon Laguarta. Sysco was founded in 1969 by John F. Baugh and is led by Kevin Hourican.
Company facts
Founders
PepsiCo
Caleb Bradham
Caleb Bradham created "Brad's Drink" at his New Bern pharmacy in 1898, renamed it Pepsi-Cola and incorporated the Pepsi-Cola Company in 1902.
Donald M. Kendall
Donald M. Kendall led Pepsi-Cola and engineered its 1965 merger with Frito-Lay to form PepsiCo, which he ran as CEO until 1986.
Herman W. Lay
Herman W. Lay (1909-1982) started his career as a snack food salesman. In 1932, he opened a snack food operation in Nashville, Tennessee, eventually purchasing the manufacturer and renaming it H.W. Lay & Company.
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
PepsiCo
- D. Wayne Calloway1986–1996
Chief Executive Officer
He more than doubled PepsiCo's revenues during his tenure and heavily invested in the restaurant division before it was later spun off.
Source - Roger Enrico1996–2001
Chief Executive Officer
He dramatically simplified the company's structure, allowing it to focus resources on its core grocery and convenience store distribution networks.
Source - Steven Reinemund2001–2006
Chief Executive Officer
He oversaw significant international expansion and revenue growth, setting a strong operational foundation before handing leadership to Nooyi.
Source - Indra Nooyi2006–2018
Chief Executive Officer
Under her 12-year tenure as CEO, PepsiCo's revenue grew by more than 80%, and she fundamentally reshaped the company's identity from a junk-food purveyor to a diversified global food and beverage giant.
Source - Ramon Laguarta2018–present
Chairman of the Board & Chief Executive Officer
He sustained strong organic revenue growth and protected operating margins through historically challenging supply chain conditions, while committing the company to major sustainability and packaging reduction goals.
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: PepsiCo and Sysco side by side
1898PepsiCo
Pepsi-Cola Invented in North Carolina
Caleb Bradham formulated the original digestive cola syrup in his drugstore.
1965PepsiCo
Historic Merger of Pepsi-Cola & Frito-Lay
Donald Kendall and Herman Lay created PepsiCo, uniting snacks and soft drinks.
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.
1975PepsiCo
Launch of the Pepsi Challenge
National blind taste tests shook Coca-Cola's market dominance and redefined advertising.
1997PepsiCo
Restaurant Business Spun Off
PepsiCo spun off its restaurant businesses (Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC) as Tricon Global Restaurants, now Yum! Brands, in 1997.
1998PepsiCo
Acquisition of Tropicana ($3.3B)
Acquired chilled orange juice leader Tropicana to dominate morning beverages.
1999Sysco
Acquired Newport Meat
Sysco acquired Newport Meat. Sysco acquired Newport Meat in 1999.
2001PepsiCo
Acquisition of Quaker Oats & Gatorade ($13.4B)
Acquired Quaker Oats, adding sports hydration pioneer Gatorade to the portfolio.
2006PepsiCo
Indra Nooyi becomes CEO
Indra Nooyi became CEO of PepsiCo in 2006. Chief executive of PepsiCo from 2006 to 2018.
2011PepsiCo
Wimm-Bill-Dann Acquired
PepsiCo completed its acquisition of the Russian dairy and juice company Wimm-Bill-Dann in 2011.
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.
2018PepsiCo
Acquisition of SodaStream ($3.2B) & Ramon Laguarta Appointed CEO
Acquired SodaStream to pioneer eco-friendly dispensing; Ramon Laguarta took over as CEO.
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.
2022PepsiCo
Strategic Distribution Alliance with Celsius ($550M)
Secured master global distribution for fast-growing energy brand Celsius.
2025PepsiCo
poppi Acquisition and Elliott-Backed Plan
Closed the $1.95 billion poppi deal and announced a North America cost and pricing reset in December.
2025Sysco
Sales reach $81.370B
Sysco reported fiscal 2025 sales of $81.370 billion.
2026PepsiCo
Price Cuts on Core Snacks
Lowered prices on major Frito-Lay brands by up to 15% to recover US volumes.
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
PepsiCo
- poppi2025$1.9B
- SodaStream International2018$3.2B
- The Quaker Oats Company (including Gatorade)2001$13.4B
- Tropicana Products1998$3.3B
Sysco
- Jetro Restaurant Depot2026$29.1B
- Greco and Sons2021Undisclosed
- Paragon Foods2021Undisclosed
- Doerle Food Services2018Undisclosed
- Kent Frozen Foods2018Undisclosed
- HFM FoodService2017Undisclosed
Questions about PepsiCo vs Sysco
Who is the CEO of PepsiCo, Inc. and Sysco Corporation?
PepsiCo, Inc. is led by Ramon Laguarta 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 PepsiCo, Inc. founded vs Sysco Corporation?
PepsiCo, Inc. was founded in 1965 — 4 years before Sysco Corporation, which was founded in 1969. PepsiCo, Inc.'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 PepsiCo, Inc. have compared to Sysco Corporation?
PepsiCo, Inc. employs approximately 306,000 people, while Sysco Corporation employs approximately 75,000. PepsiCo, Inc. has the larger workforce at 306,000 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 PepsiCo, Inc. and Sysco Corporation headquartered?
Both PepsiCo, Inc. and Sysco Corporation are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded PepsiCo, Inc. and Sysco Corporation?
PepsiCo, Inc. was founded by Caleb Bradham, Donald M. Kendall, Herman W. Lay. Sysco Corporation was founded by John F. Baugh.
Which company has a longer operating history — PepsiCo, Inc. or Sysco Corporation?
PepsiCo, Inc. has been operating for approximately 61 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 PepsiCo vs Sysco overview