CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 25, 2020	Oct. 27, 2019	Oct. 28, 2018	[1]
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net Sales	$ 9,608,462	$ 9,497,317	$ 9,545,700
Cost of Products Sold	7,782,498	7,612,669	7,566,227
Gross Profit	1,825,963	1,884,648	1,979,473
Selling, General, and Administrative	761,315	727,584	841,205
Goodwill/Intangible Impairment	0	0	17,279
Equity in Earnings of Affiliates	35,572	39,201	58,972
Operating Income	1,100,220	1,196,265	1,179,961
Other Income and Expense:
Interest and Investment Income	35,596	31,520	27,817
Interest Expense	(21,069)	(18,070)	(26,494)
Earnings Before Income Taxes	1,114,747	1,209,715	1,181,284
Provision for Income Taxes	206,393	230,567	168,702
Net Earnings	908,354	979,148	1,012,582
Less: Net Earnings Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	272	342	442
Net Earnings Attributable to Hormel Foods Corporation	$ 908,082	$ 978,806	$ 1,012,140
Net Earnings Per Share:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 1.69	$ 1.83	$ 1.91
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 1.66	$ 1.80	$ 1.86
Weighted-average Shares Outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	538,007	534,578	530,742
Diluted (in shares)	546,592	545,232	543,869

[1] Adjusted due to the adoption of Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2017-07, Compensation - Retirement Benefits: Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost (Topic 715). See Note A - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.