1.0.0.3 false Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (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 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 6 Current Assets: 4 us-gaap_AssetsCurrentAbstract 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 7 Cash and cash equivalents 5 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 460584000 460584 false false 2 true true 373145000 373145 [2] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 8 Trade receivables, net 5 us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 806057000 806057 false false 2 false true 881164000 881164 [2] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 9 Other receivables, net 5 hnz_OtherReceivablesNet hnz false debit instant monetary Other receivables, net. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 334008000 334008 false false 2 false true 290633000 290633 [2] false false Other receivables, net. No authoritative reference available. false 10 Inventories: 5 us-gaap_InventoryNetAbstract 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 11 Finished goods and work-in-process 6 us-gaap_InventoryFinishedGoodsAndWorkInProcessNetOfReserves us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1161773000 1161773 false false 2 false true 973983000 973983 [2] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 12 Packaging material and ingredients 6 us-gaap_InventoryRawMaterials us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 341150000 341150 false false 2 false true 263630000 263630 [2] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 13 Total inventories 6 us-gaap_InventoryNet us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1502923000 1502923 false false 2 false true 1237613000 1237613 [2] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 14 Prepaid expenses 5 us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 141582000 141582 false false 2 false true 125765000 125765 [2] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 15 Other current assets 5 us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 43543000 43543 false false 2 false true 36701000 36701 [2] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 16 Total current assets 5 us-gaap_AssetsCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3288697000 3288697 false false 2 false true 2945021000 2945021 [2] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 17 Property, plant and equipment 4 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 4508356000 4508356 false false 2 false true 4109562000 4109562 [2] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 18 Less accumulated depreciation 4 us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 2391069000 2391069 false false 2 false true 2131260000 2131260 [2] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 19 Total property, plant and equipment, net 4 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 2117287000 2117287 false false 2 false true 1978302000 1978302 [2] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 20 Goodwill 4 us-gaap_Goodwill us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 2865702000 2865702 false false 2 false true 2687788000 2687788 [2] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 21 Trademarks, net 4 hnz_TrademarksNet hnz false debit instant monetary Trademarks, net. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 947847000 947847 false false 2 false true 889815000 889815 [2] false false Trademarks, net. No authoritative reference available. false 22 Other intangibles, net 4 hnz_OtherIntangiblesNet hnz false debit instant monetary Other intangibles, net. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 422461000 422461 false false 2 false true 405351000 405351 [2] false false Other intangibles, net. No authoritative reference available. false 23 Long-term restricted cash 4 us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsNoncurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 192736000 192736 [2] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 24 Other non-current assets 4 us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 631007000 631007 false false 2 false true 565171000 565171 [2] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 25 Total other non-current assets 4 hnz_TotalOtherNonCurrentAssets hnz false debit instant monetary Total other non-current assets. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 4867017000 4867017 false false 2 false true 4740861000 4740861 [2] false false Total other non-current assets. No authoritative reference available. true 26 Total assets 4 us-gaap_Assets us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 10273001000 10273001 false false 2 false true 9664184000 9664184 [2] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 28 Current Liabilities: 4 us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrentAbstract 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 Short-term debt 5 us-gaap_ShortTermBorrowings us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 45775000 45775 false false 2 false true 61297000 61297 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 30 Portion of long-term debt due within one year 5 us-gaap_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligationsCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 4356000 4356 false false 2 false true 4341000 4341 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 31 Trade payables 5 us-gaap_AccountsPayableTradeCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1050589000 1050589 false false 2 false true 955430000 955430 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 32 Other payables 5 us-gaap_AccountsPayableOtherCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 140079000 140079 false false 2 false true 157877000 157877 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 33 Salaries and wages 5 us-gaap_EmployeeRelatedLiabilitiesCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 88103000 88103 false false 2 false true 91283000 91283 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 34 Accrued marketing 5 hnz_AccruedMarketing hnz false credit instant monetary Accrued marketing. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 276402000 276402 false false 2 false true 233316000 233316 [1] false false Accrued marketing. No authoritative reference available. false 35 Other accrued liabilities 5 us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 438882000 438882 false false 2 false true 485406000 485406 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 36 Income taxes 5 us-gaap_TaxesPayableCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 87140000 87140 false false 2 false true 73896000 73896 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 37 Total current liabilities 5 us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 2131326000 2131326 false false 2 false true 2062846000 2062846 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 38 Long-term debt 4 us-gaap_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 4848910000 4848910 false false 2 false true 5076186000 5076186 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 39 Deferred income taxes 4 us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 489676000 489676 false false 2 false true 345749000 345749 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 40 Non-pension post-retirement benefits 4 us-gaap_OtherPostretirementDefinedBenefitPlanLiabilitiesNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 220441000 220441 false false 2 false true 214786000 214786 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 41 Other liabilities 4 us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 577141000 577141 false false 2 false true 685512000 685512 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 42 Total long-term liabilities 4 us-gaap_LiabilitiesNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 6136168000 6136168 false false 2 false true 6322233000 6322233 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 43 Equity: 4 us-gaap_EquityAbstract 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 44 Capital stock 5 us-gaap_CommonStockValue us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 107844000 107844 false false 2 false true 107844000 107844 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 45 Additional capital 5 us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 719784000 719784 false false 2 false true 737917000 737917 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 46 Retained earnings 5 us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 6703160000 6703160 false false 2 false true 6525719000 6525719 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 47 Total capital stock, additional capital and retained earnings 5 hnz_SumOfCapitalStockAdditionalCapitalAndRetainedEarnings hnz false credit instant monetary Sum of capital stock, additional capital and retained earnings. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 7530788000 7530788 false false 2 false true 7371480000 7371480 [1] false false Sum of capital stock, additional capital and retained earnings. No authoritative reference available. false 48 Less: 5 hnz_EquityLessAbstract hnz false na duration string equity (less): false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false equity (less): false 49 Treasury stock at cost (115,453 shares at October 28, 2009 and 116,237 shares at April 29, 2009) 6 us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 4845364000 4845364 false false 2 false true 4881842000 4881842 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 50 Accumulated other comprehensive loss 6 us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 755568000 755568 false false 2 false true 1269700000 1269700 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 51 Total H. J. Heinz Company shareholders' equity 4 us-gaap_StockholdersEquity us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1929856000 1929856 false false 2 false true 1219938000 1219938 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 52 Noncontrolling interest 4 us-gaap_MinorityInterest us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 75651000 75651 false false 2 false true 59167000 59167 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 53 Total equity 4 us-gaap_StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 2005507000 2005507 false false 2 false true 1279105000 1279105 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 54 Total liabilities and equity 4 us-gaap_LiabilitiesAndStockholdersEquity us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 10273001000 10273001 false false 2 true true 9664184000 9664184 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 1 The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Noncontrolling (minority) interest has been reclassified and presented as a component of equity as a result of the adoption of new accounting guidance (see Note 2). 2 The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. false 2 48 false Thousands UnKnown UnKnown false true