1.0.0.3 false Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands false 1 $ false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 false 2 $ false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 5 Cash Flows from Operating Activities: 3 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivitiesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 6 Net income 4 us-gaap_ProfitLoss us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 219092000 219092 false false 2 true true 234284000 234284 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 7 Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by/(used for) operating activities: 4 us-gaap_AdjustmentsToReconcileNetIncomeLossToCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivitiesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 8 Depreciation 5 us-gaap_Depreciation us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 61282000 61282 false false 2 false true 65715000 65715 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 9 Amortization 5 hnz_Amortization hnz false debit duration monetary Amortization. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 11619000 11619 false false 2 false true 10018000 10018 false false Amortization. No authoritative reference available. false 10 Deferred tax provision 5 us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 36294000 36294 false false 2 false true 14847000 14847 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 11 Pension contributions 5 us-gaap_PensionContributions us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -143989000 -143989 false false 2 false true -27840000 -27840 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 12 Other items, net 5 hnz_OtherItemsNet hnz false debit duration monetary Other items, net. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -11872000 -11872 false false 2 false true -5469000 -5469 false false Other items, net. No authoritative reference available. false 13 Changes in current assets and liabilities, excluding effects of acquisitions and divestitures: 5 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOperatingCapitalAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 14 Receivables securitization facility 6 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivableFromSecuritization us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 131800000 131800 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 15 Receivables 6 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInReceivables us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 57303000 57303 false false 2 false true -53218000 -53218 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 16 Inventories 6 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -29736000 -29736 false false 2 false true -114121000 -114121 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 17 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 6 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInPrepaidDeferredExpenseAndOtherAssets us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -28191000 -28191 false false 2 false true -26574000 -26574 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 18 Accounts payable 6 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayable us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -73738000 -73738 false false 2 false true -29041000 -29041 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 19 Accrued liabilities 6 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedLiabilities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -102662000 -102662 false false 2 false true -123860000 -123860 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 20 Income taxes 6 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedIncomeTaxesPayable us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 41666000 41666 false false 2 false true 41324000 41324 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 21 Cash provided by/(used for) operating activities 4 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities us-gaap true na duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 168868000 168868 false false 2 false true -13935000 -13935 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 22 Cash Flows from Investing Activities: 3 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivitiesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 23 Capital expenditures 4 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -48708000 -48708 false false 2 false true -41634000 -41634 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 24 Proceeds from disposals of property, plant and equipment 4 us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 645000 645 false false 2 false true 689000 689 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 25 Proceeds from divestitures 4 us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinessesAndInterestsInAffiliates us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1736000 1736 false false 2 false true 5465000 5465 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 26 Other items, net 4 us-gaap_PaymentsForProceedsFromOtherInvestingActivities us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -174000 -174 false false 2 false true 43000 43 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 27 Cash used for investing activities 4 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -46501000 -46501 false false 2 false true -35437000 -35437 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 28 Cash Flows from Financing Activities: 3 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivitiesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 29 Payments on long-term debt 4 us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebtAndCapitalSecurities us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -27367000 -27367 false false 2 false true -336902000 -336902 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 30 Proceeds from long-term debt 4 us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebtAndCapitalSecuritiesNet us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 249559000 249559 false false 2 false true 849827000 849827 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 31 Net payments on commercial paper and short-term debt 4 hnz_NetPaymentsOnCommercialPaperAndShortTermDebt hnz false credit duration monetary Net payments on commercial paper and short-term debt. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -67217000 -67217 false false 2 false true -398159000 -398159 false false Net payments on commercial paper and short-term debt. No authoritative reference available. false 32 Dividends 4 us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -132956000 -132956 false false 2 false true -131333000 -131333 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 33 Purchases of treasury stock 4 us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfEquity us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true -181431000 -181431 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 34 Exercise of stock options 4 us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 2021000 2021 false false 2 false true 182641000 182641 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 35 Other items, net 4 us-gaap_ProceedsFromPaymentsForOtherFinancingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 8872000 8872 false false 2 false true 2000000 2000 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 36 Cash provided by/(used for) financing activities 4 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 32912000 32912 false false 2 false true -13357000 -13357 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 37 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 3 us-gaap_EffectOfExchangeRateOnCashAndCashEquivalents us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 22276000 22276 false false 2 false true -610000 -610 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 38 Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 3 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecrease us-gaap true na duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 177555000 177555 false false 2 false true -63339000 -63339 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 39 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 3 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false true false false 1 false true 373145000 373145 false false 2 false true 617687000 617687 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 40 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period 3 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false true false 1 true true 550700000 550700 false false 2 true true 554348000 554348 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false false 2 36 false Thousands UnKnown UnKnown false true