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 (85% of total year to date sales) currently operates 39 plants that produce 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 in the East, South, Southwest, California, and select markets in the Midwest, Pacific Northwest, Nevada, and Colorado. The Warehouse Segment (15% of total year to date sales) currently operates nine plants that produce snack cakes, breads and rolls for national retail, foodservice, vending, and co-pack customers and deliver through customers’ warehouse channels

Number of new organizational structure business units established | BusinessUnit

2

Concentration risk percentage

20.10%

19.80%

20.10%

19.70%

Basis of Presentation [Line Items]

Concentration risk percentage

17.60%

17.20%

17.70%

17.00%

Basis of Presentation [Line Items]

Concentration risk percentage

2.50%

2.60%

2.40%

2.70%

Basis of Presentation [Line Items]

Basis of Presentation - Additional Information (Detail)		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
Basis of Presentation - Additional Information (Detail)	May 03, 2017 BusinessUnit	Oct. 07, 2017	Oct. 08, 2016	Oct. 07, 2017 Segment	Oct. 08, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
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 (85% of total year to date sales) currently operates 39 plants that produce 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 in the East, South, Southwest, California, and select markets in the Midwest, Pacific Northwest, Nevada, and Colorado. The Warehouse Segment (15% of total year to date sales) currently operates nine plants that produce snack cakes, breads and rolls for national retail, foodservice, vending, and co-pack customers and deliver through customers’ warehouse channels
Number of business segments \| Segment				2
Number of new organizational structure business units established \| BusinessUnit	2
Full implementation expected period	2019
Total year to date sales \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Wal-Mart/Sam's Club
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage		20.10%	19.80%	20.10%	19.70%
Total year to date sales \| Customer Concentration Risk \| DSD Segment
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage				85.00%
Total year to date sales \| Customer Concentration Risk \| DSD Segment \| Wal-Mart/Sam's Club
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage		17.60%	17.20%	17.70%	17.00%
Total year to date sales \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Warehouse Segment
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage				15.00%
Total year to date sales \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Warehouse Segment \| Wal-Mart/Sam's Club
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage		2.50%	2.60%	2.40%	2.70%
Outstanding Trade Receivables \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Wal-Mart/Sam's Club
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage				18.20%		18.80%