Basis of Presentation - Additional Information (Detail)	4 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 25, 2015	Jan. 03, 2015
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Segment reporting, description	SEGMENTS — Flowers Foods currently operates two business segments: a direct-store-delivery (“DSD”) segment (“DSD Segment”) and a warehouse delivery segment (“Warehouse Segment”). The DSD Segment (84% of total sales) operates 38 bakeries that market a wide variety of fresh bakery foods, including fresh breads, buns, rolls, tortillas, and snack cakes. These products are sold through a DSD route delivery system to retail and foodservice customers throughout the Northeast, South, Southern Midwest, Southwest, and California. The Warehouse Segment (16% of total sales) operates eight bakeries that produce snack cakes, breads and rolls for national retail, foodservice, vending, and co-pack customers, which are delivered through customers’ warehouse channels and one bakery mix plant
Number of business segments	2
Outstanding Trade Receivables | Wal-Mart/Sam's Club | Customer Concentration Risk
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Percentage of trade receivables	16.10%	17.20%