Actuarial gains and losses are amortized when accumulation of such gains and losses exceeds.

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- Definition

Defined benefit plan assumptions used calculating benefit obligation expected long term return on plan assets.

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No definition available.

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Defined benefit plan distributions charge.

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Defined contribution plan employees age to eligible under plan.

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Defined contribution plan employees maximum requisite service period.

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Defined contribution plan employees minimum period of service.

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- Definition

Insurance coverage amount.

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Maximum age of major medical insurance with deductible and coinsurance provisions.

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Multiplier of monthly postretirement health care benefits to covered employees.

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Number of trust in which entity is primary beneficiary.

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- Definition

Percentage of trust funded with pre merger liability to plan participants.

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Percentage point increase or decrease in assumed health care cost trend rate.

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- Definition

Status or red zone plans.

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- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of amounts which could be received based on the terms of the insurance contract upon surrendering life policies owned by the entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 17

-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph (d)

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- Definition

For defined benefit pension plans, the actuarial present value of benefits (whether vested or nonvested) attributed by the pension benefit formula to employee service rendered before a specified date and based on employee service and compensation (if applicable) before that date. The accumulated benefit obligation differs from the projected benefit obligation in that it includes no assumption about future compensation levels. For plans with flat-benefit or nonpay-related pension benefit formulas, the accumulated benefit obligation and the projected benefit obligation are the same.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Accumulated Benefit Obligation

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6503844

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (e)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e1928-114920

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- Definition

The effect of a one-percentage-point increase in the assumed health care cost trend rates on the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation for health care benefits.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (m)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e1928-114920

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- Definition

The amount of estimated future defined benefit annual plan participant benefits covered by insurance contracts issued by the employer or its related parties.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (n)

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- Definition

The amount of decrease that relates to an irrevocable action that relieves the employer (or the plan) of primary responsibility for a benefit obligation and eliminates significant risks related to the obligation and the assets used to effect the settlement. Examples of transactions that constitute a settlement include (a) making lump-sum cash payments to plan participants in exchange for their rights to receive specified benefits and (b) purchasing nonparticipating annuity contracts.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 30

-Section 15

-Paragraph 6

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (a)(10)

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- Definition

The amount of the cost recognized during the period for defined contribution plans.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 70

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

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- Definition

Indicate whether the multiemployer plan is less than 65 percent funded, between 65 and less than 80 percent funded, or at least 80 percent funded. The acceptable values are: (1) "less than 65 percent", (2) "between 65 and less than 80 percent", (3) "at least 80 percent", and (4) "NA". A multiemployer plan is a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 80

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph (c)

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Amount of contributions made to the multiemployer plan by all employers who participate in the plan. A multiemployer plan is a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers.

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 80

-Section 50

-Paragraph 7

-Subparagraph (c)

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- Definition

Aggregate carrying amount, as of the balance sheet date, of noncurrent assets not separately disclosed in the balance sheet. Noncurrent assets are expected to be realized or consumed after one year (or the normal operating cycle, if longer).

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- Definition

The cash outflow for payments to purchase life insurance policies for which the entity is the beneficiary.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Investing Activities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 13

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3213-108585

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The amount of cash or cash equivalents contributed by the entity to fund its pension plans.

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 25

-Subparagraph (g)

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Associate Retirement Plans - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2013	Jan. 03, 2015 Age Trust	Mar. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012	Jan. 02, 2016
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined contribution plans expense	$ 4,800,000	$ 13,600,000	$ 4,800,000
Number of Trusts		2
Percentage of trust funded with pre-merger liability to plan participants		125.00%
Life insurance cash surrender value		5,200,000
Life insurance coverage		66,000,000
Annual premium payments		800,000
Cash surrender value of plan assets included in other long term assets	133,014,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent	124,453,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent
Aggregate amount of life insurance coverage		15,000,000sptn_InsuranceCoverageAmount
Defined contribution plans maximum requisite service period		30 years
Defined contribution plan employees minimum period of service		10 years
Defined contribution plan employees age to eligible under the plan		55
Maximum age of major medical insurance with deductible and coinsurance provisions		65
Multiplier effect of Monthly postretirement health care benefits to covered employees		5
Accumulated benefit obligation	103,400,000	93,900,000
Actuarial gains and losses are amortized when accumulation of such gains and losses exceeds		10.00%
Percentage point increase or decrease in assumed health care cost trend rate		1.00%
Pension contributions during last plan year	6,822	12,858		8,248
Red zone fund status		Less than 65 percent
Maximum [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
1% increase or decrease in assumed health care cost trend rate in accumulated postretirement benefit obligation		100,000
Status or red zone plans		65.00%
Cash Surrender Value [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Cash surrender value of plan assets included in other long term assets	3,300,000	4,200,000
Cash Balance Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Distribution charges		10,600,000
Settlement accounting charge		1,600,000
Average long-term expected return on pension plan assets	5.95%	5.50%
Cash Balance Pension Plan [Member] \| Forecast [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Standard pension funding carryover					700,000
Super Foods Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Distribution charges		10,600,000
Settlement accounting charge		1,600,000
Average long-term expected return on pension plan assets	5.70%	5.50%
Central States, Southeast and Southwest Areas Pension Fund [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Pension contributions during last plan year	$ 6,800,000	$ 12,900,000	$ 8,200,000