Reporting Segment Information - Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Operating Segment (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended						4 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Oct. 08, 2016	Jul. 16, 2016	Jan. 02, 2016	Oct. 10, 2015	Jul. 18, 2015	Apr. 23, 2016	Apr. 25, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Jan. 02, 2016	Jan. 03, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 1,828,183	$ 1,800,085	$ 1,827,562	$ 1,768,025	$ 1,775,401	$ 1,795,864	$ 2,278,770	$ 2,312,683	$ 7,734,600	$ 7,651,973	$ 7,916,062
Merger integration and acquisition expenses	2,722	$ 2,427	$ 913	1,181	$ 4,417	$ 151	$ 897	$ 2,684	6,959	8,433	12,675
Depreciation and amortization									77,246	83,334	86,994
Operating earnings									108,767	122,875	114,846
Capital expenditures									73,429	79,394	90,012
Total Assets	1,930,336			1,917,263					1,930,336	1,917,263
Discontinued Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Assets	3,249			4,487					3,249	4,487
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									7,734,600	7,651,973	7,916,062
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									(918,095)	(973,512)	(1,005,844)
Food Distribution [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Merger integration and acquisition expenses									3,703	2,037	12,644
Depreciation and amortization									21,397	26,127	29,816
Operating earnings									85,093	78,841	54,802
Capital expenditures									19,075	17,967	31,953
Total Assets	776,725			750,277					776,725	750,277
Food Distribution [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									3,454,541	3,305,094	3,356,331
Food Distribution [Member] | Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									(918,095)	(973,512)	(1,005,844)
Military [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Merger integration and acquisition expenses									1		27
Depreciation and amortization									11,484	12,081	11,350
Operating earnings									12,160	17,059	21,721
Capital expenditures									6,447	3,768	15,088
Total Assets	395,737			415,140					395,737	415,140
Military [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									2,197,014	2,207,161	2,275,512
Retail [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Merger integration and acquisition expenses									3,255	6,396	4
Depreciation and amortization									44,365	45,126	45,828
Operating earnings									11,514	26,975	38,323
Capital expenditures									47,907	57,659	42,971
Total Assets	$ 754,625			$ 747,359					754,625	747,359
Retail [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									$ 2,083,045	$ 2,139,718	$ 2,284,219