SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies) |
12 Months Ended |
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Jul. 25, 2026 | |
| Accounting Policies [Abstract] | |
| Principles of consolidation | The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Village Super Market, Inc. and its subsidiaries, which are wholly owned. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. Certain amounts have been reclassified in the fiscal 2025 and 2024 consolidated statements of cash flows to conform to the fiscal 2026 presentation.
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| Fiscal year | The Company and its subsidiaries utilize a 52-53 week fiscal year ending on the last Saturday in the month of July. Fiscal 2026, 2025 and 2024 each contain 52 weeks.
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| Use of estimates | In conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, management of the Company has made a number of estimates and assumptions relating to the reporting of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods presented herein. Some of the more significant estimates are patronage dividends, accounting for contingencies, accounting for derivative instruments and hedging activities, and the impairment of long-lived assets, goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
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| Revenue recognition | Revenue is recognized at the point of sale to the customer, including pharmacy sales. Digital channel sales are recognized either upon pickup in-store or upon delivery to the customer, including any related service revenues. Sales tax is excluded from revenue. Discounts provided to customers through store coupons and loyalty programs are recognized as a reduction of sales as products are sold. Discounts provided to customers by vendors are not recognized as a reduction in sales. Rather, the Company records a receivable from the vendor for the difference in sales price and payment received from the customer. The Company does not recognize revenue when it sells gift cards redeemable at Wakefern member stores. Payment collected from customers for sale of these gift cards is passed on to Wakefern as they can be redeemed at other locations, including those operated by Wakefern or other Wakefern members. Revenue is recognized and a receivable from Wakefern is recorded when a customer redeems these gift cards to purchase products or services at the Company's stores.
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| Cash and cash equivalents | The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with a maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Included in cash and cash equivalents are proceeds due from credit and debit card transactions, which typically settle within five business days, of $13,058 and $12,493 as of July 25, 2026 and July 26, 2025, respectively. Included in cash and cash equivalents as of July 25, 2026 and July 26, 2025 are $111,776 and $92,003, respectively, of demand deposits invested at Wakefern at overnight money market rates.
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| Merchandise inventories | Approximately 65% and 64% of the Company's merchandise inventories were valued using the last-in, first-out ("LIFO") method as of July 25, 2026 and July 26, 2025, respectively, while the remaining inventories were valued using the first-in, first-out ("FIFO") method. If the FIFO method had been used for all merchandise inventories, inventories would have been $23,176 and $22,382 higher than reported as of July 25, 2026 and July 26, 2025, respectively.
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| Property, equipment and fixtures | Property, equipment and fixtures are recorded at cost. Interest cost incurred to finance construction is capitalized as part of the cost of the asset. Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred. Depreciation is recognized on a straight-line basis over estimated useful lives of thirty years for buildings, to seven years for store fixtures and equipment, and to seven years for computer equipment and software, shopping carts and vehicles. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the related lease terms or the estimated useful lives of the related assets. When assets are sold or retired, their cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts, and any gain or loss is reflected in the consolidated financial statements.
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| Investments | The Company's investments in its principal supplier, Wakefern, and a Wakefern affiliate, Insure-Rite, Ltd., are stated at cost (see Note 3). Village evaluates its investments in Wakefern and Insure-Rite, Ltd. for impairment through consideration of previous, current and projected levels of profit of those entities. The Company's 20% to 50% investments in certain real estate partnerships are accounted for under the equity method. One of these partnerships is a variable interest entity which does not require consolidation as Village is not the primary beneficiary (see Note 7).
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| Store opening and closing costs | All store opening costs are expensed as incurred. The Company records a liability for the future minimum lease payments and related costs for closed stores from the date of closure to the end of the remaining lease term, net of estimated cost recoveries that may be achieved through subletting, discounted using a risk-adjusted interest rate.
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| Advertising | Advertising costs are expensed as incurred. Advertising expense was $9,596, $11,582 and $12,174 in fiscal 2026, 2025 and 2024, respectively.
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| Income taxes | Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in operations in the period that includes the enactment date. The Company recognizes a tax benefit for uncertain tax positions if it is "more likely than not" that the position is sustainable, based on its technical merits. The tax benefit of a qualifying position is the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon effective settlement with a taxing authority having full knowledge of all relevant information.
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| Fair value | Fair value is defined as the exit price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. Fair value is a market-based measurement that should be determined using assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. The fair value guidance establishes a three-level hierarchy to prioritize the inputs used in measuring fair value. Level 1 inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date. Level 2 inputs are inputs other than quoted prices within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets observable at commonly quoted intervals. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability. Cash and cash equivalents, patronage dividend receivable, income taxes receivable/payable, accounts payable and accrued expenses are reflected in the consolidated financial statements at carrying value, which approximates fair value because of the short-term maturity of these instruments. The carrying values of the Company's notes receivable from Wakefern approximate their fair value as interest is earned at variable market rates. As the Company's investment in Wakefern can only be sold to Wakefern at amounts that approximate the Company's cost, it is not practicable to estimate the fair value of such investment.
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| Long-lived assets | The Company reviews the carrying values of its long-lived assets, such as property, equipment and fixtures and operating lease assets on an individual store basis for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset group may not be recoverable. Factors considered by the Company that could result in an impairment triggering event include a current period operating or cash flow loss, underperformance of a store relative to historical or expected operating results, and significant negative industry or economic trends. If an impairment triggering event is identified, the Company analyzes the undiscounted estimated future net cash flows from asset groups at the store level to determine if the carrying value of such assets are recoverable from their respective cash flows. If impairment is indicated, it is measured by comparing the fair value of the long-lived asset groups to their carrying value. For assets held for sale, the Company recognizes an impairment based on the excess of the carrying value plus estimated costs of disposal over the fair value. No impairment charges were recorded in fiscal 2026. In fiscal 2025, Company recognized non-cash impairment charges of $1,462 on the long-lived assets of one Gourmet Garage store and real estate assets classified as held for sale related to the closed automated micro-fulfillment center in south New Jersey. In fiscal 2024, the Company recognized non-cash impairment charges of $2,125 related to the closure of the automated micro-fulfillment center.
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| Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets | Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets are tested at the end of each fiscal year, or more frequently if circumstances dictate, for impairment. The Company's indefinite-lived intangible assets balance of $13,299 as of July 25, 2026 and July 26, 2025 are related to the Fairway and Gourmet Garage trade names. An impairment loss is recognized to the extent that the carrying amount of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets exceeds its implied fair value. Village considers earnings multiples and other valuation techniques to measure fair value of goodwill at the reporting unit level, in addition to the value of the Company's stock. The fair value of trade names are estimated based on the discounted cash flow model using the relief from royalty method.
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| Net income per share | The Company has two classes of common stock. Class A common stock is entitled to cash dividends as declared 54% greater than those paid on Class B common stock. Shares of Class B common stock are convertible on a share-for-share basis for Class A common stock at any time. The Company utilizes the two-class method of computing and presenting net income per share. The two-class method is an earnings allocation formula that calculates basic and diluted net income per share for each class of common stock separately based on dividends declared and participation rights in undistributed earnings. Under the two-class method, Class A common stock is assumed to receive a 54% greater participation in undistributed earnings than Class B common stock, in accordance with the classes' respective dividend rights. Unvested share-based payment awards that contain nonforfeitable rights to dividends are treated as participating securities and therefore included in computing net income per share using the two-class method. Diluted net income per share for Class A common stock is calculated utilizing the if-converted method, which assumes the conversion of all shares of Class B common stock to Class A common stock on a share-for-share basis, as this method is more dilutive than the two-class method. Diluted net income per share for Class B common stock does not assume conversion of Class B common stock to shares of Class A common stock.
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| Share-based compensation | All share-based payments to employees are recognized in the financial statements as compensation costs based on the fair market value on the date of the grant.
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| Benefit plans | The Company recognizes the funded status of its Company sponsored retirement plans on the consolidated balance sheet. Actuarial gains or losses, curtailments, prior service costs or credits, and transition obligations not previously recognized are recorded as a component of AOCI. The Company uses July 31 as the measurement date for these plans. The Company also contributes to several multi-employer pension plans under the terms of collective bargaining agreements that cover certain union-represented employees. Pension expense for these plans is recognized as contributions are made.
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| Recently adopted accounting standards and Recently issued accounting standards | In December 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2023-09, "Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures" ("ASU 2023-09"). ASU 2023-09 is intended to enhance the transparency and usefulness of annual income tax disclosures. Among its provisions, ASU 2023-09 requires disclosure of a reconciliation between an entity's effective tax rate, which is calculated by dividing each fiscal period's income tax provision by pretax income, and its statutory rate utilizing specific categories, along with a separate disclosure for reconciling items that meet a 5% quantitative threshold. In addition, ASU 2023-09 requires disclosure of income taxes paid (net of refunds received), disaggregated by federal and state, as well as by individual jurisdictions if a 5% quantitative threshold is met. The Company adopted ASU 2023-09 in fiscal 2026 and applied its provisions on a prospective basis. Other than the new disclosure requirements, ASU 2023-09 did not have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. See Note 6 for further discussion of income taxes. Recently Issued Accounting Standards The Company monitors accounting standards recently issued by the FASB to assess their impact on the consolidated financial statements, if any. Accounting for and Disclosure of Software Costs In September 2025, the FASB issued ASU No. 2025-06, "Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Internal-Use Software" ("ASU 2025-06"). Among its provisions, ASU 2025-06 modernizes and clarifies the threshold for when an entity is required to start capitalizing internal-use software costs, which occurs when (i) management has authorized and committed to funding a software project and (ii) it is probable that the project will be completed and the software will be used to perform the function intended. The guidance in ASU 2025-06, which can be applied prospectively, retrospectively, or via a modified transition approach, becomes effective for the Company beginning in its fiscal year ending July 28, 2029 ("fiscal 2029"), with early adoption permitted. The Company is evaluating the impact that the guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU No. 2024-03, "Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses" ("ASU 2024-03"). ASU 2024-03 requires interim and annual tabular disclosure of disaggregated information for certain income statement expense captions. Specific expense categories required to be disclosed quantitatively include inventory purchases, employee compensation, depreciation and intangible asset amortization, as well as other specified expense categories currently disclosed under existing disclosure requirements. Any remaining amounts that are not separately disaggregated are required to be described qualitatively. ASU 2024-03 also requires separate disclosure of total selling expenses incurred each reporting period, with annual disclosure of the entity's definition of selling expenses. The annual disclosures required by ASU 2024-03 are effective for the Company beginning in its fiscal year ending July 29, 2028 ("fiscal 2028"), with interim disclosures effective beginning in fiscal 2029. The provisions of ASU 2024-03 are to be applied prospectively, although retrospective application is permitted. Early adoption is also permitted. Other than the new disclosure requirements, ASU 2024-03 will not have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.
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