Sysco LABS stands as a global leader in innovation, spearheading transformative solutions that redefine every facet of the foodservice journey. Guided by an agile and innovation-driven ethos, Sysco LABS’ engineering teams, stationed in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Austin and Houston, Texas, in the United States, are actively shaping the trajectory of food and enterprise systems. In this insightful interview with Nishantha Hettiarachchi, Director of Engineering & Architecture, we delve into Sysco LABS’ steadfast commitment to pioneering advancements in an ever-evolving technological landscape.
Give us some background on Sysco LABS and why being innovative matters for the organization’s competitive edge.
Sysco LABS is a Global In-house Center for Sysco Corporation, the world’s largest foodservice provider and a Fortune 60 company. Our Sri Lankan team drives the tech that powers Sysco’s operations. To be the best in the world and stay at the top, innovation is not an option but a must and is very much part of our DNA.
With global talent pools available at the fingertips of large corporations, it is paramount that Sysco LABS fosters a culture of excellence where our team members can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with anyone in the world. Sysco LABS being innovative is imperative for Sysco to continue transforming the global foodservice industry.
What role does Sysco’s Sri Lankan team play in the international organization, and what is their role in maintaining its competitive edge
We are involved in architecting, designing, developing, testing, and supporting software and IT solutions that keep an eco-system of more than 600 disparate systems in unison for Sysco. Our technology is present in sourcing food products, merchandizing, storage and warehouse operations, order placement and pricing algorithms, delivering food and supplies to Sysco’s global network, and much more. We also do Research & Development that brings future-ready technology, such as AI and ML, to Sysco’s core business functions such as Logistics, Warehousing, E-commerce, etc.
How does Sysco LABS foster an innovation culture in an organization where teams are widely disbursed, and Sri Lanka is far away from its business operations and customers?
Sysco LABS selectively hires only 1% of total applicants, prioritizing qualities such as adaptability, problem-solving, critical thinking, cultural alignment, and robust academic prowess during the recruitment process. We then send all our fresh graduate hires through a 6-month Project Summit programme, which grooms them as technology leaders and problem solvers—initiatives like this help to set the bar and inculcate an innovative mindset at a very early stage. The teams in Sri Lanka interact daily with our colleagues in the US and from around the world, with constant visits to and from Sri Lanka blurring geographical boundaries and enabling us to work in a manner that delivers value to our operations and customers.
Could you share insights into the technological innovations Sysco LABS is working on and the intended impacts?
We are in the midst of the AI revolution, which would have impacts beyond the scale of humans first discovering electricity. While developing countries like Sri Lanka will take time to see these impacts being realized, for large economies where wages are significantly high, embracing this shift and evolving with it will be a case of business survival. Sysco LABS is at the heart of driving this shift for Sysco from a technology and mindset perspective.
Sysco LABS is defining the technology stack that will help Sysco redefine how Logistics, Warehousing, E-commerce, and many of its core business functions work in this world of AI while being ethical and safe. We are working on providing 24/7 support to our Employees and Customers using AI Assistants, ensuring warehouse workers’ safety, maintaining labour standards in our warehouses using computer vision, and increasing sales through personalized marketing campaigns using Generative AI. These are a few of the many areas Sysco LABS is currently looking into, to equip Sysco with future-ready solutions.
For the team members involved why is this work rewarding?
Sysco is a $75 billion revenue company that employs over 70,000 colleagues and operates across more than 90 countries. This scale means Sri Lankan colleagues are given exposure to work across over 600 applications spanning many technologies. These global travel opportunities make Sysco LABS a rewarding workplace for our employees.
Being the world’s leader in foodservice, Sysco’s DNA is driven by excellence. Thus, to inspire Sri Lankan colleagues towards excellence, we must have an environment geared towards encouraging continuous learning, which helps our team members achieve their full potential. We also promote work-life balance by providing flexible work options, and we take time to celebrate them throughout the year.