Guarantor/Non-Guarantor Financial Information (Details 4) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 25, 2010	Dec. 26, 2009
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net earnings	$ 237,226	$ 100,413	$ 153,941
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash flows from operations:
Depreciation and amortization	74,560	59,663	44,748
Stock-based compensation	5,931	7,154	6,586
Defined benefit pension plan expense	5,449	5,874
Contribution to defined benefit pension plan	(11,860)
Loss on sales of property, plant and equipment	693	3,203	1,182
Equity in (earnings)/ losses of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(8,059)	(2,439)	(751)
Deferred income taxes	(84,962)	5,017	7,375
Other		(393)	(505)
Changes in assets and liabilities, before acquisitions:
Receivables	(17,430)	(51,793)	74,182
Inventories	(118,866)	22,321	107,245
Prepaid expenses	(4,042)	4,365	(7,268)
Accounts payable	42,637	(872)	(19,718)
Accrued expenses	11,845	(7,542)	(3,020)
Other noncurrent liabilities	(5,881)	(598)	(700)
Income taxes payable	22,430	7,847	(13,777)
Net cash flows from operating activities	149,671	152,220	349,520
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property, plant and equipment	(83,069)	(36,092)	(44,129)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(1,539)	(249,057)
Cash acquired through acquisitions		198,810
Proceeds from sale of assets	3,706	11,387	1,331
Dividends from nonconsolidated subsidiaries		10,125
Other, net	(3,161)	924	(797)
Net cash flows from investing activities	(84,063)	(262,713)	(43,595)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net borrowings under short-term agreements	2,698	(3,075)	(7,652)
Proceeds from long-term borrowings	277,832	491,680	10,001
Principal payments on long-term obligations	(271,245)	(183,285)	(187,969)
Dividends paid	(18,227)	(16,588)	(14,695)
Dividends to noncontrolling interest	(4,958)	(13,071)	(956)
Retirement of Delta plc preference shares		(4,467)
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	(25,253)
Settlement of financial derivative	(3,568)
Debt issuance fees	(1,339)	(3,858)
Proceeds from exercises under stock plans	20,008	4,464	4,942
Excess tax benefits from stock option exercises	3,033	2,021	2,665
Purchase of treasury shares	(4,802)	(876)	(669)
Purchase of common treasury shares - stock plan exercises	(20,090)	(3,260)	(4,067)
Net cash flows from financing activities	(45,911)	269,685	(198,400)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(3,707)	6,926	4,694
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	15,990	166,118	112,219
Cash and cash equivalents-beginning of year	346,904	180,786	68,567
Cash and cash equivalents-end of year	362,894	346,904	180,786
Parent
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net earnings	228,308	94,379	150,562
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash flows from operations:
Depreciation and amortization	20,570	20,069	19,005
Stock-based compensation	5,931	7,154	6,586
Loss on sales of property, plant and equipment	18	66	90
Equity in (earnings)/ losses of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(1,241)	(914)	(656)
Deferred income taxes	(4,787)	722	8,338
Other		(393)	(267)
Changes in assets and liabilities, before acquisitions:
Receivables	(16,228)	(30,979)	38,348
Inventories	(61,976)	13,820	55,187
Prepaid expenses	30	(169)	53
Accounts payable	22,311	9,246	(15,070)
Accrued expenses	18,298	(6,108)	(1,394)
Other noncurrent liabilities	598	(598)	(1,523)
Income taxes payable	21,329	(10,395)	1,612
Net cash flows from operating activities	233,161	94,521	264,250
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property, plant and equipment	(19,185)	(11,702)	(24,818)
Proceeds from sale of assets	51	22	367
Dividends from nonconsolidated subsidiaries		100
Other, net	(190,242)	(1,156)	11,557
Net cash flows from investing activities	(209,376)	(12,736)	(12,894)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from long-term borrowings	277,832	491,000
Principal payments on long-term obligations	(271,192)	(183,188)	(176,504)
Dividends paid	(18,227)	(16,588)	(14,695)
Intercompany dividends	14,090
Settlement of financial derivative	(3,568)
Debt issuance fees	(1,339)	(3,858)
Intercompany loan activity		(443,702)
Proceeds from exercises under stock plans	20,008	4,464	4,942
Excess tax benefits from stock option exercises	3,033	2,021	2,665
Purchase of treasury shares	(4,802)	(2,676)	(669)
Purchase of common treasury shares - stock plan exercises	(20,090)	(3,260)	(4,067)
Net cash flows from financing activities	(4,255)	(155,787)	(188,328)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	19,530	(74,002)	63,028
Cash and cash equivalents-beginning of year	8,015	82,017	18,989
Cash and cash equivalents-end of year	27,545	8,015	82,017
Guarantors
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net earnings	142,900	40,148	40,624
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash flows from operations:
Depreciation and amortization	15,593	12,749	12,666
Loss on sales of property, plant and equipment	123	44	416
Deferred income taxes	(964)	4,984	1,657
Changes in assets and liabilities, before acquisitions:
Receivables	(2,904)	(2,008)	12,971
Inventories	(45,808)	10,792	27,091
Prepaid expenses	(89)	(465)	185
Accounts payable	6,174	1,643	(6,202)
Accrued expenses	6,112	(9,689)	4,662
Income taxes payable		14,923	(15,566)
Net cash flows from operating activities	121,137	73,121	78,503
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property, plant and equipment	(12,180)	(4,815)	(7,671)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired		(436,736)
Proceeds from sale of assets	408	286	553
Other, net	(109,457)	(76,593)	(71,184)
Net cash flows from investing activities	(121,229)	(517,858)	(78,302)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net borrowings under short-term agreements		(12)
Principal payments on long-term obligations			(38)
Intercompany dividends	17,730
Intercompany loan activity		443,702
Net cash flows from financing activities	17,730	443,690	(38)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	17,638	(1,047)	163
Cash and cash equivalents-beginning of year	619	1,666	1,503
Cash and cash equivalents-end of year	18,257	619	1,666
Non-Guarantors
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net earnings	164,422	54,943	48,316
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash flows from operations:
Depreciation and amortization	38,397	26,845	13,077
Defined benefit pension plan expense	5,449	5,874
Contribution to defined benefit pension plan	(11,860)
Loss on sales of property, plant and equipment	552	3,093	676
Equity in (earnings)/ losses of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(6,818)	(1,525)	(95)
Deferred income taxes	(79,211)	(689)	(2,620)
Other			(238)
Changes in assets and liabilities, before acquisitions:
Receivables	1,702	(18,806)	22,863
Inventories	(11,082)	2,291	24,967
Prepaid expenses	(3,983)	4,999	(7,506)
Accounts payable	14,152	(11,761)	1,554
Accrued expenses	(12,565)	8,255	(6,288)
Other noncurrent liabilities	(6,479)		823
Income taxes payable	1,101	3,319	177
Net cash flows from operating activities	93,777	73,635	99,086
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property, plant and equipment	(51,704)	(19,575)	(11,640)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(1,539)	187,679
Cash acquired through acquisitions		198,810
Proceeds from sale of assets	3,247	11,079	411
Dividends from nonconsolidated subsidiaries		10,025
Other, net	(1,866)	(10,384)	(33,489)
Net cash flows from investing activities	(51,862)	178,824	(44,718)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net borrowings under short-term agreements	2,698	(3,063)	(7,652)
Proceeds from long-term borrowings		680	10,001
Principal payments on long-term obligations	(53)	(97)	(11,427)
Intercompany dividends	(31,820)
Dividends to noncontrolling interest	(4,958)	(13,071)	(956)
Retirement of Delta plc preference shares		(4,467)
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	(25,253)
Purchase of treasury shares		1,800
Net cash flows from financing activities	(59,386)	(18,218)	(10,034)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(3,707)	6,926	4,694
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(21,178)	241,167	49,029
Cash and cash equivalents-beginning of year	338,270	97,103	48,075
Cash and cash equivalents-end of year	317,092	338,270	97,103
Eliminations
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net earnings	(298,404)	(89,057)	(85,561)
Changes in assets and liabilities, before acquisitions:
Net cash flows from operating activities	(298,404)	(89,057)	(92,319)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Other, net	298,404	89,057	92,319
Net cash flows from investing activities	$ 298,404	$ 89,057	$ 92,319