CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Oct. 26, 2014	Oct. 27, 2013
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 334,174	$ 434,014
Accounts receivable (net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $4,050 at October 26, 2014 and $4,000 at October 27, 2013)	609,526us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent	551,500us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent
Inventories	1,054,552us-gaap_InventoryNet	967,977us-gaap_InventoryNet
Income taxes receivable	25,678us-gaap_IncomeTaxesReceivable
Deferred income taxes	86,853	73,543
Prepaid expenses	15,250us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseCurrent	13,000us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseCurrent
Other current assets	6,738us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent	7,379us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS	2,132,771us-gaap_AssetsCurrent	2,047,413us-gaap_AssetsCurrent
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES		25,086
GOODWILL	1,226,406us-gaap_Goodwill	934,472us-gaap_Goodwill
OTHER INTANGIBLES	554,890	378,093
PENSION ASSETS	130,284	162,535
INVESTMENTS IN AND RECEIVABLES FROM AFFILIATES	264,451	270,609
OTHER ASSETS	145,050us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent	142,339us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Land	61,809us-gaap_Land	58,506us-gaap_Land
Buildings	803,722us-gaap_BuildingsAndImprovementsGross	784,133us-gaap_BuildingsAndImprovementsGross
Equipment	1,597,044us-gaap_MachineryAndEquipmentGross	1,532,527us-gaap_MachineryAndEquipmentGross
Construction in progress	119,657us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressGross	85,696us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressGross
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	2,582,232us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross	2,460,862us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
Less allowance for depreciation	(1,580,465)	(1,505,529)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	1,001,767us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	955,333us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
TOTAL ASSETS	5,455,619us-gaap_Assets	4,915,880us-gaap_Assets
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	484,042us-gaap_AccountsPayableCurrent	387,284us-gaap_AccountsPayableCurrent
Accrued expenses	76,836us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent	20,965us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent
Accrued workers compensation	35,406	38,217
Accrued marketing expenses	89,561us-gaap_AccruedMarketingCostsCurrent	91,332us-gaap_AccruedMarketingCostsCurrent
Employee related expenses	209,874	192,063
Taxes payable	5,507us-gaap_TaxesPayableCurrent	8,637us-gaap_TaxesPayableCurrent
Interest and dividends payable	53,466	45,511
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES	954,692us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent	784,009us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent
LONG-TERM DEBT-less current maturities	250,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent	250,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
PENSION AND POST-RETIREMENT BENEFITS	502,693	481,230
OTHER LONG-TERM LIABILITIES	112,176us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent	84,062us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES	24,002
SHAREHOLDERS' INVESTMENT
Preferred stock, par value $.01 a share-authorized 160,000,000 shares; issued-none
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(207,700)	(149,214)
Retained earnings	3,805,654	3,452,529
HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION SHAREHOLDERS' INVESTMENT	3,605,678us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	3,311,040us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
NONCONTROLLING INTEREST	6,378us-gaap_MinorityInterest	5,539us-gaap_MinorityInterest
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' INVESTMENT	3,612,056	3,316,579
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' INVESTMENT	5,455,619	4,915,880
Common stock, non-voting
SHAREHOLDERS' INVESTMENT
Common stock
Common stock
SHAREHOLDERS' INVESTMENT
Common stock	$ 7,724	$ 7,725

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of liabilities incurred (and for which invoices have typically been received) and payable to vendors for goods and services received that are used in an entity's business. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19

-Subparagraph a

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(a))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682