Represents the amount paid by the entity under the long-term purchase commitment.

No definition available.

Name:	hrl_LongTermPurchaseCommitmentAmountPaid
Namespace Prefix:	hrl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the revocable standby letter of credit included in the total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hrl_RevocableLettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	hrl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermPurchaseCommitmentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Rental expense for the reporting period incurred under operating leases, including minimum and any contingent rent expense, net of related sublease income.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77902758&loc=d3e41499-112717

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesRentExpenseNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Term of the unrecognized unconditional purchase obligation, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 440
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77896938&loc=d3e25336-109308

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecordedUnconditionalPurchaseObligationTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermPurchaseCommitmentByCategoryOfItemPurchasedAxis=hrl_HogsAndTurkeysMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermPurchaseCommitmentByCategoryOfItemPurchasedAxis=hrl_GrowOutContractsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermPurchaseCommitmentByCategoryOfItemPurchasedAxis=us-gaap_InventoriesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Commitments and Contingencies - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 28, 2018	Oct. 29, 2017	Oct. 30, 2016
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Purchases under contracts	$ 1,300.0	$ 1,400.0	$ 1,600.0
Expensed under noncancelable operating lease commitments	22.9	$ 19.2	$ 21.6
Standby letters of credit issued	45.5
Revocable standby letters of credit, included in issued	$ 2.4
Maximum \| Hogs and turkeys
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Purchase commitments, time period (up to)	10 years
Maximum \| Grow-out contracts
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Purchase commitments, time period (up to)	25 years
Maximum \| Corn, soybean meal and other feed
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Purchase commitments, time period (up to)	3 years