Consolidated Statements of Equity (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified		Total	Parent [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]		Retained Earnings [Member]		Treasury Stock [Member]		Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]		Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Comprehensive Income [Member]
Balance at beginning of year at Apr. 29, 2009				$ 70	$ 107,774	$ 737,917		$ 6,525,719		$ (4,881,842)		$ (1,269,700)		$ 59,167
Balance at beginning of year, shares at Apr. 29, 2009				7	431,096					(116,237)
Conversion of preferred into common stock, shares				0						1
Conversion of preferred into common stock				0		(29)				29
Stock options exercised, net of shares tendered for payment, shares										2,038
Stock options exercised, net of shares tendered for payment						(21,717)	[1]			94,315
Stock option expense						7,897
Restricted stock unit activity, shares										470
Restricted stock unit activity						(9,698)				21,864
Purchase of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interests	[2]					(54,209)						(2,198)		(5,467)
Other, net						(2,565)	[3]	(1,026)	[4]	15,087	[3]
Other, net, shares	[3]									324
Net income attributable to H. J. Heinz Company		864,892						864,892
Cash dividends:
Preferred (per share $1.70 per share in 2012, 2011 and 2010)								(9)
Common (per share $1.92, $1.80, and $1.68 in 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively)								(533,543)
Shares reaquired, shares										0
Shares reacquired										0
Net income		882,343													882,343
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interest		17,451												17,451
Net pension and post-retirement benefit (losses)/gains												78,871		(1,266)	77,605
Reclassification of net pension and postretirement benefit (gains)/losses to net income												38,903			38,903
Unrealized translation adjustments												193,600		8,411	202,011
Net change in fair value of cash flow hedges												(32,488)		(788)	(33,276)
Net hedging (gains)/losses reclassified into earnings												13,431		254	13,685
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest														(20,611)
Total comprehensive income															1,181,271
Comprehensive loss/(income) attributable to the noncontrolling interest															(24,062)
Comprehensive income attributable to H.J. Heinz Company															1,157,209
Balance at end of year at Apr. 28, 2010		1,948,496	1,891,345	70	107,774	657,596		6,856,033		(4,750,547)		(979,581)		57,151
Balance at end of year, shares at Apr. 28, 2010				7	431,096					(113,404)
Conversion of preferred into common stock, shares				0						1
Conversion of preferred into common stock				(1)		(39)				40
Stock options exercised, net of shares tendered for payment, shares										4,495
Stock options exercised, net of shares tendered for payment						(26,482)	[1]			203,196
Stock option expense						9,447
Restricted stock unit activity, shares										296
Restricted stock unit activity						(8,119)				13,756
Purchase of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interests	[2]					(2,411)						(2,176)		(1,750)
Other, net						(625)	[3]	(1,247)	[4]	10,196	[3]
Other, net, shares	[3]									218
Net income attributable to H. J. Heinz Company		989,510						989,510
Cash dividends:
Preferred (per share $1.70 per share in 2012, 2011 and 2010)								(12)
Common (per share $1.92, $1.80, and $1.68 in 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively)								(579,606)
Shares reaquired, shares										(1,425)
Shares reacquired										(70,003)
Net income		1,005,948													1,005,948
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interest		16,438												16,438
Net pension and post-retirement benefit (losses)/gains												77,355		(57)	77,298
Reclassification of net pension and postretirement benefit (gains)/losses to net income												53,353			53,353
Unrealized translation adjustments												563,060		4,816	567,876
Net change in fair value of cash flow hedges												9,790		(395)	9,395
Net hedging (gains)/losses reclassified into earnings												(21,365)		571	(20,794)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest														(3,270)
Total comprehensive income															1,693,076
Comprehensive loss/(income) attributable to the noncontrolling interest															(21,373)
Comprehensive income attributable to H.J. Heinz Company															1,671,703
Balance at end of year at Apr. 27, 2011		3,182,466	3,108,962	69	107,774	629,367		7,264,678		(4,593,362)		(299,564)		73,504
Balance at end of year, shares at Apr. 27, 2011				7	431,096					(109,819)
Conversion of preferred into common stock, shares				(1)						12
Conversion of preferred into common stock				(8)		(539)				547
Authorized shares - April 29, 2012				6
Authorized shares - April 29, 2012					600,000
Stock options exercised, net of shares tendered for payment, shares										2,298
Stock options exercised, net of shares tendered for payment						(15,220)	[1]			105,144
Stock option expense						10,864
Restricted stock unit activity, shares										303
Restricted stock unit activity						4,305				14,087
Purchase of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interests	[2]					(34,483)						(456)		(19,885)
Other, net						314	[3]	(1,455)	[4]	9,084	[3]
Other, net, shares	[3]									195
Net income attributable to H. J. Heinz Company		923,159						923,159
Cash dividends:
Preferred (per share $1.70 per share in 2012, 2011 and 2010)								(9)
Common (per share $1.92, $1.80, and $1.68 in 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively)								(619,095)
Shares reaquired, shares										(3,860)
Shares reacquired										(201,904)
Net income		939,908													939,908
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interest		16,749												15,884
Net pension and post-retirement benefit (losses)/gains												(258,067)		(12)	(258,079)
Reclassification of net pension and postretirement benefit (gains)/losses to net income												56,813			56,813
Unrealized translation adjustments												(359,771)		(5,945)	(377,491)
Net change in fair value of cash flow hedges												30,405		(28)	30,377
Net hedging (gains)/losses reclassified into earnings												(14,088)		277	(13,811)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest														(11,562)
Total comprehensive income															377,717
Comprehensive loss/(income) attributable to the noncontrolling interest															734
Comprehensive income attributable to H.J. Heinz Company															378,451
Balance at end of year at Apr. 29, 2012		2,810,822	2,758,589	61	107,774	594,608		7,567,278		(4,666,404)		(844,728)	[5]	52,233
Balance at end of year, shares at Apr. 29, 2012				6	431,096					(110,871)
Balance at beginning of year at Jan. 25, 2012
Authorized shares - April 29, 2012					600,000
Net income attributable to H. J. Heinz Company		175,342
Balance at end of year at Apr. 29, 2012		$ 2,810,822	$ 2,758,589		$ 107,774
Balance at end of year, shares at Apr. 29, 2012					431,096

[1] Includes income tax benefit resulting from exercised stock options.

[2] See Note No. 5 for further details.

[3] Includes activity of the Global Stock Purchase Plan.

[4] Includes unpaid dividend equivalents on restricted stock units.

[5] Comprised of unrealized translation adjustment of $(23,152), pension and post-retirement benefits net prior service cost of $(12,134) and net losses of $(816,060), and deferred net losses on derivative financial instruments of $6,618.