Schedule of Identified Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands					3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 13, 2015	Sep. 12, 2015	Jul. 19, 2013	Feb. 23, 2013	Oct. 05, 2013	Dec. 28, 2013	Jan. 02, 2016	Jan. 03, 2015
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill						$ 282,404	$ 464,926	$ 282,960
Bargain purchase gain						50,071
Alpine Valley Bread Company
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration paid	$ 109,340
Stock consideration paid	12,602
Total consideration paid	121,942
Property, plant, and equipment	15,614
Identifiable intangible assets	64,600
Financial assets	5,687
Net recognized amounts of identifiable assets acquired	85,901
Goodwill	$ 36,041
Dave’s Killer Bread
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration paid		$ 282,115
Property, plant, and equipment		9,769
Identifiable intangible assets		176,300
Financial assets		10,263
Net recognized amounts of identifiable assets acquired		136,190
Goodwill		145,925
Deferred income taxes		$ (60,142)
Acquired Hostess Bread Asset
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration paid			$ 355,342
Property, plant, and equipment			153,990
Identifiable intangible assets			189,000
Financial assets			5,153
Net recognized amounts of identifiable assets acquired			348,143
Gain on legal settlement			(1,400)
Net recognized amounts of identifiable assets acquired			346,743
Goodwill			$ 8,599			$ 5,419		$ 8,599
Sara Lee and Earthgrains acquisition of trademark licenses
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration paid				$ 49,950
Contingently refundable consideration (the “holdback”)				(7,600)
Total consideration paid				42,350
Property, plant, and equipment				6,476
Identifiable intangible assets				117,290
Net recognized amounts of identifiable assets acquired				92,421
Deferred income taxes				(31,345)	$ (800)
Bargain purchase gain				$ 50,071	$ 1,200