Name:	hrl_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingObligationAttainmentOfClosingStockPriceForFiveConsecutiveTradingDays
Namespace Prefix:	hrl_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the number of consecutive trading days during which the closing price of the entity's common stock must exceed the specified price in order for the stock options granted to each active, full-time employee of the company on January 8, 2007 to vest.

No definition available.

Name:	hrl_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingPeriodObligationNumberOfConsecutiveTradingDays
Namespace Prefix:	hrl_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the conditional vesting period for stock options granted to each active, full-time employee of the entity on January 8, 2007 .

No definition available.

Name:	hrl_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingPeriodSubjectToCondition
Namespace Prefix:	hrl_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The number of stock options (pre-split) granted to each active, full-time employee of the Company on record at a specific date.

No definition available.

Name:	hrl_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOneTimeGrantPerEmployee
Namespace Prefix:	hrl_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Period which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingPeriod1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Period from grant date that an equity-based award expires, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901