Sysco sues to keep contracts confidential

IOWA CITY, Iowa — A nationwide food distributor is suing to try to block the release of its contracts with University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

Sysco's Iowa subsidiary argues in court documents filed last month that releasing the documents would reveal the company's tightly-guarded pricing information, including profit margins.

Sysco argues the information is a trade secret and should be exempt from a public records request filed by The Gazette, saying competitors would use it to undercut bids in the future or copy incentives offered to customers.