1.0.0.3 false Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) (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 456419000 456419 false false 2 true true 516743000 516743 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 7 Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by 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 124107000 124107 false false 2 false true 126300000 126300 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 23994000 23994 false false 2 false true 19430000 19430 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 113365000 113365 false false 2 false true 37140000 37140 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 -227904000 -227904 false false 2 false true -40518000 -40518 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 107274000 107274 false false 2 false true -6474000 -6474 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 126300000 126300 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 29282000 29282 false false 2 false true -92087000 -92087 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 -168549000 -168549 false false 2 false true -309307000 -309307 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 4013000 4013 false false 2 false true -8899000 -8899 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 -10297000 -10297 false false 2 false true 29238000 29238 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 -52774000 -52774 false false 2 false true -90731000 -90731 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 -16354000 -16354 false false 2 false true 32732000 32732 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 21 Cash provided by 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 508876000 508876 false false 2 false true 213567000 213567 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 -96170000 -96170 false false 2 false true -124218000 -124218 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 964000 964 false false 2 false true 1136000 1136 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 25 Acquisitions, net of cash acquired 4 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesAndInterestInAffiliates us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -308000 -308 false false 2 false true -116250000 -116250 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 26 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 9329000 9329 false false 2 false true 12920000 12920 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 27 Change in restricted cash 4 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInRestrictedCash us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 192736000 192736 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 28 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 -3505000 -3505 false false 2 false true -5977000 -5977 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 29 Cash provided by/(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 103046000 103046 false false 2 false true -232389000 -232389 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 30 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 31 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 -359340000 -359340 false false 2 false true -337600000 -337600 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 32 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 433356000 433356 false false 2 false true 849835000 849835 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 33 Net (payments on)/proceeds from 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 -427399000 -427399 false false 2 false true 118240000 118240 false false Net payments on commercial paper and short-term debt. No authoritative reference available. false 34 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 -266240000 -266240 false false 2 false true -262816000 -262816 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 35 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 36 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 5129000 5129 false false 2 false true 261415000 261415 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 37 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 13201000 13201 false false 2 false true 1718000 1718 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 38 Cash (used for)/provided by 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 -601293000 -601293 false false 2 false true 449361000 449361 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 39 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 76810000 76810 false false 2 false true -120570000 -120570 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 40 Net increase 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 87439000 87439 false false 2 false true 309969000 309969 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 41 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 [1] false false 2 false true 617687000 617687 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 42 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 460584000 460584 false false 2 true true 927656000 927656 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 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. false 2 38 false Thousands UnKnown UnKnown false true