Filed by SYSCO Corporation
                          Pursuant to Rule 425 under the  Securities Act of 1933
                                         and deemed filed pursuant to Rule 14d-2
                                       of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934
                                           Subject  Company:  Guest Supply, Inc.
                                                     Commission File No. 1-11955


Guest Supply, Inc.                                  SYSCO Corporation
Paul Xenis                                          Toni R. Spigelmyer
Vice President, Finance                             Assistant Vice President,
609-514-9696                                        Investor and Media Relations
                                                    281-584-1458


         SYSCO Enters Into Definitive Agreement with Guest Supply, Inc.

     Houston,  January  22,  2001 -- Sysco  Corporation  (NYSE:  SYY) and  Guest
Supply,  Inc.  (NYSE:  GSY)  today  announced  that  they  have  entered  into a
definitive merger agreement and plan of  reorganization  pursuant to which SYSCO
will acquire Guest Supply, a specialty  distributor to the lodging industry.  As
is the case with other SYSCO  acquisitions,  Guest Supply, Inc. will function as
an  autonomous  operating  entity and its current  management  will  continue to
operate the company.

     Under terms of the agreement,  a subsidiary of SYSCO will commence an offer
to exchange shares of SYSCO Corporation  common stock for all outstanding shares
of Guest Supply.  If the average of the closing prices per share of SYSCO common
stock on The New York Stock Exchange for each of the fifteen consecutive trading
days ending on the trading  day that is five  trading  days prior to the date on
which SYSCO  accepts the Guest  Supply  shares  tendered in the offer,  which we
refer to as the SYSCO average trading price, is at least $22.00 but less than or
equal to $30.00,  Guest Supply  stockholders  will receive for each Guest Supply
share a number of SYSCO  shares  equal to $26.00  divided  by the SYSCO  average
trading  price.  If the SYSCO average  trading price is less than $22.00,  Guest
Supply  stockholders  will  receive  1.1818  SYSCO  shares for each Guest Supply
share.  If the SYSCO  average  trading  price is more than $30.00,  Guest Supply
stockholders  will receive 0.8667 SYSCO shares for each Guest Supply share.  The
offer will be  followed  by a back-end  merger on the same terms as those in the
offer and will be subject to  customary  closing  conditions,  including  that a
majority of Guest Supply's  outstanding  shares,  on a fully diluted basis, have
been  tendered and that  antitrust  clearance  has been  obtained.  The offer is
expected  to  commence  as soon as  practicable  following  filing  of  required
documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

     Headquartered in Monmouth Junction, New Jersey, Guest Supply, Inc. operates
principally  as a  distributor  of personal care guest  amenities,  housekeeping
supplies,  room  accessories  and  textiles  to the lodging  industry,  and is a
premier  supplier  of health and  beauty  aid  products  for  consumer  products
companies  and  retailers.  For the fiscal year ended  September  29, 2000,  the
company generated sales of approximately $366 million. The company operates from
14 distribution centers located throughout the continental United States.


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     Commenting  on the  announcement,  Charles H.  Cotros,  chairman  and chief
executive  officer of SYSCO,  said,  "This  merger  exemplifies  our more recent
acquisition strategy of bringing specialty distributors into the SYSCO family to
better serve our customers.  Guest  Supply's  product lines will not only expand
SYSCO's  offerings,  but will also provide an entree and extend our reach into a
niche of the  hospitality  market that  complements  our business  with existing
customers.  Both our  organizations  share a commitment  to  excellent  customer
service, and are supported by a team of outstanding  employees who are the force
behind our  leadership  positions in our respective  industries.  Going forward,
that  commitment  not only  will  continue,  but also  will be  enhanced  as our
customers reap the benefits of our combined businesses."

     Clifford W. Stanley, president and chief executive officer of Guest Supply,
added,. "I am very enthusiastic  about the many  opportunities  this merger with
SYSCO creates.  The superior service and value that Guest Supply provides to its
customers  will be enhanced as we share in the  knowledge,  technology and other
resources of a "Best in Class" marketing and distribution  company. The addition
of selected SYSCO products to our line will provide growth opportunities,  while
economies of scale will improve our cost position.  Importantly,  I also believe
that the culture and values of both companies are closely aligned."

     SYSCO is the largest foodservice marketing and distribution organization in
North America, providing food and related products and services to about 356,000
customers.  The  SYSCO  distribution  network,  supported  by more  than  40,000
employees,  currently  extends  throughout the entire  contiguous United States,
Alaska,  the  District of Columbia,  Hawaii and  portions of Canada.  For fiscal
2000, which ended July 1, 2000, the company reported sales of $19.3 billion.

     Certain  statements made herein are  forward-looking  statements  under the
Private  Securities  Litigation  Reform  Act of 1995.  They  include  statements
regarding  expected benefits of the Guest Supply  acquisition.  These statements
are based on management's current expectations and estimates; actual results may
differ materially due to certain risks and uncertainties.  For example,  SYSCO's
ability to  achieve  expected  results  may be  affected  by  competitive  price
pressures,  availability  of  supplies,  work  stoppages,  failure  of  SYSCO to
successfully integrate Guest Supply's operations,  failure of the transaction to
close due to the inability to obtain  regulatory or other approvals,  failure of

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the Guest Supply shareholders to tender shares or to approve the merger, if that
approval is necessary,  failure of the combined company to retain key executives
and other  personnel,  conditions in the economy,  industry  growth and internal
factors, such as the ability to control expenses. For a discussion of additional
factors  affecting  SYSCO, see SYSCO's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended July 1, 2000 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

     We urge  investors and security  holders to read the  following  documents,
when they become  available,  regarding the exchange offer and merger  described
above,  because they will contain important  information:

     o    Sysco Corporation's  preliminary  prospectus,  prospectus supplements,
          final prospectus and tender offer materials.

     o    Sysco Corporation's Registration Statement on Form S-4 and Schedule TO
          containing  or  incorporating  by reference  such  documents and other
          information.

     o    Guest  Supply's  Solicitation/Recommendation   Statement  on  Schedule
          14D-9.

These  documents  and  amendments  to these  documents  will be  filed  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.

     When these and other documents are filed with the SEC, they may be obtained
free at the SEC's web site at  www.sec.gov.  You may also  obtain free copies of
these  documents  (when  available)  from Sysco  Corporation  by directing  your
request to Investor Relations by fax at (281) 584-2721,  or from Guest Supply by
directing your request by fax to (609) 514-7377.

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