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Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands			12 Months Ended
	Mar. 13, 2014	Feb. 19, 2014	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Jan. 01, 2019	Jul. 31, 2015
Subsidiary, Sale of Stock [Line Items]
Amounts reclassified from unbilled revenue to accounts receivable			$ 5,900
Amounts reclassified from deferred revenue to revenue			3,248
Amortization of inventory fair value adjustment			0	$ 0	$ 30,377
Goodwill impairment			0	0	62,373
Goodwill			6,670	9,402	0
Measurement period adjustments			$ (2,807)
Warrants
Exercise price (in dollars per share)			$ 11.50
Trade name
Subsidiary, Sale of Stock [Line Items]
Impairment of tradenames			$ 2,600		$ 9,500
AgroFresh Inc.
Subsidiary, Sale of Stock [Line Items]
Inventory fair value step-up							$ 103,500
Tecnidex Fruit Protection, S.A.U.
Subsidiary, Sale of Stock [Line Items]
Goodwill				$ 9,402
Measurement period adjustments			(2,800)
Subsidiaries \| Argentina
Subsidiary, Sale of Stock [Line Items]
Net assets			$ 18,300
Net sales \| Subsidiaries \| Argentina
Subsidiary, Sale of Stock [Line Items]
Percentage of worldwide total			3.20%	3.60%
Predecessor \| Public offering
Warrants
Number of shares called by each warrant (in shares)	1
Exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 11.50
Number of warrants issued (in shares)		5,950,000
Predecessor \| Exercise of underwriter's over-allotment option
Warrants
Number of warrants issued (in shares)	210,000
Predecessor \| Units \| Public offering
Warrants
Sale of units (in shares)		21,000,000
Issue price (in dollars per share)		$ 10.00
Number of shares of common stock included in each unit (in shares)		1
Number of warrants included in each unit (in shares)		0.5
Predecessor \| Units \| Exercise of underwriter's over-allotment option
Warrants
Sale of units (in shares)	1,050,000
Number of shares of common stock included in each unit (in shares)	1
Number of warrants included in each unit (in shares)	0.5
Forecast \| Accounting Standards Update 2016-02
Warrants
Right-of-use asset						$ 11,000
Operating lease liability						$ 11,000