// EYE
LONG ISLAND'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
Sysco Long Island's Anniversary Show Central Islip, NY - Sysco Long Island President Frank Recine and his team opened their doors to welcome hundreds of guests to the firm's spectacular new Long Island facility on Friday, May 1, 2013.
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udos to Sysco Long Island Marketing Manager Denise Scidmore and her show team who brilliantly orchestrated their first annual food show. "Our goal was to showcase hand-selected, on trend items that are on the forefront of innovation and quality. Nothing seemed more fitting than to host this prestigious event in our incredible facility." The show spanned over 15,000 square feet of the warehouse in ad-
dition to another 6,000 square feet of event space. Scidmore and Sysco Long Islands’ attention to detail included customers being greeted by the well-outfitted sales team sporting a Long Island resort casual look. The atmosphere was enhanced with two sailboats filling the 40-foot high ceilings with their white crisp sails. An additional three boats were placed throughout the exhibit space, all generously donated by the Long Island Maritime Museum. An added bit of fun and excitement
to the “Welcome to Long Island,” was created as midway through the facility, customers had the opportunity to take a 10-minute break to enjoy a massage while listening to the unique acoustic sounds of Matt Cutillo. “We are thrilled to be able to share our first anniversary with our customers and vendors that have made it all possible,” Recine noted. After 14-months of construction, the Central Islip location quickly proved to be an overnight game changer in both the local foodservice distribution marketplace and in reinventing the role of the food service distributor in Long Island. With over 175 suppliers and vendors and over 1000 people in attendance, the first annual Sysco Long Island Food Show proved to be a tremendous success. Show guests had the opportunity to
(L to R) Barbara Bramble Director of Credit, John Jaroski Training & Development Manager
(L to R) Sherri McGinnis of Heinz and Sysco's Jeff Schaeffer
(L to R) Sysco's Jeff Usamanont with Jared Adler of the Fisherman's Room
72 • June 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
(L to R) Sag Town Coffee's Tisha Collette, Chloe Schindler and Shane Dyckman
sample from the largest food pantry this side of Jersey City, with Sysco Long Island's team of foodservice distribution experts. Foodservice professionals were welcomed and hosted by Sysco-Long Island's culinary team led by Chef Mat Accardi. The Culinary Institute of America graduate has walk-in boxes that are packed with the very freshest offerings. "The way this kitchen was designed, a visiting chef or food service professional can mention virtually any menu challenge and we can grab it fresh and then actually cook it on the same equipment that he is working on in his restaurant," Accardi explained. It was important that the first food show catered to the entire Long Island, Brooklyn and Queens’ food service community and they did just that. I watched the Sysco's Long Island's staff of some 60-plus marketing professionals make the event special for every show guest. The event truly reflected Sysco Long Island's rollout of a new program. “There have been many accomplishments throughout our first year,” Recine continued. “Food Shows always take the spotlight as it is the one opportunity to put our most valued suppliers and our most valued customers in one place at one time. It was important that the first food show catered to the entire Long Island, Brooklyn and Queens’ food service community and Denise's team enabled us to accomplish that goal,” Recine concluded. Although Sysco is the world’s largest food distributor in the world, its new Long Island facility proves that its success has come from a truly laserlike focus on the local communities it serves. EYE notes we can't wait to return for the 2nd anniversary.