Skills Shortage: Sysco Urges Targeted Government Action For Foodservice And Wholesale

Sysco GB is calling for stronger government action to tackle labour and skills shortages in order to drive sustainable growth across the UK's foodservice and wholesale sectors, stating that current measures are not enough to meet the industry’s workforce needs.

Image: Sysco

The UK foodservice wholesaler highlights significant employment challenges, namely persistent recruitment and retention difficulties across the foodservice, wholesale, and wider hospitality sector. 

Launching its paper, ‘A Skills Strategy for the Wholesale Sector’, the company urges government ministers to prioritise targeted interventions to reduce the skills gap, particularly in operational, driving, warehouse, and chef roles, where vacancies remain high, which threatens service reliability and growth.

Image: Sysco

Practical Solutions

The company believes meaningful reform is needed to make the system work better for employers, learners, and the wider economy.

Sysco is calling for changes that:

• Remove barriers to engage new talent

• Empower businesses to tackle critical skills gap

• Future-proof the workforce and drive long-term growth

Sysco said its skills policy paper provides some practical solutions that could be easily adopted to pave the way for a profitable future for the sector and those working within it.

Those include removing barriers to engaging new talent by allowing levy funding to support onboarding, work-readiness initiatives, and the wider costs associated with bringing new entrants into the workforce – not just the qualification itself. 

In addition, the report highlights the need to empower businesses to tackle critical skills gaps by enabling levy funding and short courses to support proven, business-led training programmes, such as Sysco’s award-winning ‘Changing Gears’ HGV driver programme. 

The company is also lobbying for action to future-proof the workforce and drive long-term growth by unlocking funding for modular upskilling, digital and AI-focused training, and specialist and leadership development, ensuring people can progress throughout their careers.

Unprecedented Challenges

The wholesale sector is facing “unprecedented challenges”, commented Katrina Simpson-Haines, Human Resources Director of Sysco GB, in a press release. 

"Our proposals would remove barriers to entry, fund onboarding and work-readiness, and back high-impact schemes like our award-winning ‘Changing Gears’ driver programme,” Simpson-Haines explained. 

“With these changes, we can take on more apprentices, support broader talent pipelines, and create clear career pathways – strengthening our business and the wider foodservice sector.”

To deliver real impact, Paul Nieduszynski Chief Executive Officer at Sysco GB, said the system must reflect today’s labour market and give employers the freedom to address skills needs quickly. 

“By enabling investment in everything from work-readiness to advanced digital skills, we can boost social mobility, drive productivity, and build a workforce ready for the future – unlocking further investment, supporting regional economies, and driving sustainable growth across the UK,” Nieduszynski explained.

Partnership between business and government will be vital, however, according to Sysco. 

Sysco believes wholesalers like itself have a significant opportunity to improve social mobility and deliver meaningful impact for thousands of employees and millions more across the supply chain. 

Read the Sysco Skills Policy Paper here.