Company-Sponsored Employee Benefit Plans (Company-Sponsored Employee Benefit Plans [Member])

3 Months Ended

Sep. 29, 2012

Company-Sponsored Employee Benefit Plans [Member]

Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]

Employee Benefit Plans

6.  COMPANY-SPONSORED EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

The components of net company-sponsored benefit cost for the 13-week periods presented are as follows.  The caption “Pension Benefits” in the table below includes both the company-sponsored qualified pension plan (Retirement Plan) and the Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan. 

	Pension Benefits				Other Postretirement Plans
	Sept. 29, 2012		Oct. 1, 2011		Sept. 29, 2012		Oct. 1, 2011
	(In thousands)
Service cost	$	17,780	$	27,055	$	135	$	114
Interest cost		37,700		36,879		154		158
Expected return on plan assets		(42,801)		(40,401)		-		-
Amortization of prior service cost		1,461		1,201		42		54
Amortization of actuarial loss (gain)		19,022		15,041		(51)		(83)
Amortization of transition obligation		-		-		35		38
Net periodic benefit cost	$	33,162	$	39,775	$	315	$	281

At the end of fiscal 2012, Sysco approved a plan to freeze future benefit accruals under the Retirement Plan as of December 31, 2012 for all United States-based salaried and non-union hourly employees.  Effective January 1, 2013, these employees will be eligible for additional contributions under the company’s defined contribution 401(k) plan.  The measurements for the Retirement Plan at June 30, 2012 and the resulting expense for fiscal 2013 included the impact of the freeze. 

Sysco’s contributions to its company-sponsored defined benefit plans were $5.6 million and $5.7 million during the first quarter of fiscal 2013 and fiscal 2012, respectively.