Oct 29 Reuters Food distributor Sysco Corp beat firstquarter revenue estimates on Tuesday, helped by steady demand for its specialty seafood and freshcut meat products, but missed profit expectations.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

Sysco39;s quarterly sales numbers offer a bright spot at a time when the broader U.S. restaurant industry is struggling with weaker traffic due to strained household budgets and higher menu prices.

However, the company has been facing pressure from the stillelevated prices of packaged and fresh food products, even as supply chain constraints and input costs ease from their peaks.

CONTEXT

Sysco supplies fresh meat, seafood and dairy products to a wide client base that ranges from educational, healthcare to recreational institutions.

The Texasbased company39;s efforts to help local restaurants attract customers in the recent quarters, including providing lowcost menu alternatives, gave it an edge over consumer staple peers such as Hormel Foods and Conagra Brands.

KEY QUOTE

We remain on track to accelerate local volume growth and margins in the second half of the year, with an improving pipeline, said CEO Kevin Hourican.

BY THE NUMBERS

The company39;s firstquarter net sales rose 4.4 to 20.48 billion from a year ago, topping analysts39; average estimate of 20.46 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.

Excluding items, Sysco earned 1.09 per share for the quarter ended Sept. 28, compared with estimates of 1.13.

Its gross profit margin fell…