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 3 Cash Flows from Operating Activities: 1 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 4 Net income 2 us-gaap_ProfitLoss us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 687568000 687568 false false 2 true true 760519000 760519 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 5 Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities: 2 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 6 Depreciation 3 us-gaap_Depreciation us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 183912000 183912 false false 2 false true 182466000 182466 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 7 Amortization 3 hnz_Amortization hnz false debit duration monetary Amortization. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 35524000 35524 false false 2 false true 29337000 29337 false false Amortization. No authoritative reference available. false 8 Deferred tax provision 3 us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 204246000 204246 false false 2 false true 68215000 68215 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 9 Pension contributions 3 us-gaap_PensionContributions us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -242404000 -242404 false false 2 false true -54778000 -54778 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 10 Other items, net 3 hnz_OtherItemsNet hnz false debit duration monetary Other items, net. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 146728000 146728 false false 2 false true -14356000 -14356 false false Other items, net. No authoritative reference available. false 11 Changes in current assets and liabilities, excluding effects of acquisitions and divestitures: 3 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 12 Receivables securitization facility 4 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivableFromSecuritization us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 146800000 146800 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 13 Receivables 4 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInReceivables us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 11102000 11102 false false 2 false true -86889000 -86889 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 14 Inventories 4 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -81201000 -81201 false false 2 false true -154143000 -154143 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 15 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 4 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInPrepaidDeferredExpenseAndOtherAssets us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 6240000 6240 false false 2 false true -5638000 -5638 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 16 Accounts payable 4 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayable us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -112512000 -112512 false false 2 false true -192327000 -192327 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 17 Accrued liabilities 4 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedLiabilities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 61210000 61210 false false 2 false true -50028000 -50028 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 18 Income taxes 4 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedIncomeTaxesPayable us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -45091000 -45091 false false 2 false true 23539000 23539 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 19 Cash provided by operating activities 2 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities us-gaap true na duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1002122000 1002122 false false 2 false true 505917000 505917 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 20 Cash Flows from Investing Activities: 1 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 21 Capital expenditures 2 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -150419000 -150419 false false 2 false true -183447000 -183447 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 22 Proceeds from disposals of property, plant and equipment 2 us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1334000 1334 false false 2 false true 1366000 1366 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 23 Acquisitions, net of cash acquired 2 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesAndInterestInAffiliates us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -73376000 -73376 false false 2 false true -287059000 -287059 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 24 Proceeds from divestitures 2 us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinessesAndInterestsInAffiliates us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 18417000 18417 false false 2 false true 12895000 12895 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 25 Change in restricted cash 2 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 -192736000 -192736 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 26 Other items, net 2 us-gaap_PaymentsForProceedsFromOtherInvestingActivities us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -5262000 -5262 false false 2 false true -1916000 -1916 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 27 Cash used for investing activities 2 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -16570000 -16570 false false 2 false true -650897000 -650897 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 28 Cash Flows from Financing Activities: 1 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 2 us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebtAndCapitalSecurities us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -622704000 -622704 false false 2 false true -361193000 -361193 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 30 Proceeds from long-term debt 2 us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebtAndCapitalSecuritiesNet us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 440117000 440117 false false 2 false true 849844000 849844 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 31 Net (payments on)/proceeds from commercial paper and short-term debt 2 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 -253168000 -253168 false false 2 false true 179200000 179200 false false Net payments on commercial paper and short-term debt. No authoritative reference available. false 32 Dividends 2 us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -399615000 -399615 false false 2 false true -394317000 -394317 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 33 Purchases of treasury stock 2 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 2 us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 22465000 22465 false false 2 false true 263235000 263235 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 35 Other items, net 2 us-gaap_ProceedsFromPaymentsForOtherFinancingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 9300000 9300 false false 2 false true 6149000 6149 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 36 Cash (used for)/provided by financing activities 2 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -803605000 -803605 false false 2 false true 361487000 361487 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 37 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 1 us-gaap_EffectOfExchangeRateOnCashAndCashEquivalents us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 7215000 7215 false false 2 false true -143253000 -143253 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 38 Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 1 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecrease us-gaap true na duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 189162000 189162 false false 2 false true 73254000 73254 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 39 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 1 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 40 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period 1 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false true false 1 true true 562307000 562307 false false 2 true true 690941000 690941 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