CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Apr. 26, 2015	Oct. 26, 2014
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 624,395	$ 334,174
Accounts receivable	578,726us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent	609,526us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent
Inventories	963,481us-gaap_InventoryNet	1,054,552us-gaap_InventoryNet
Income taxes receivable	28,739us-gaap_IncomeTaxesReceivable	25,678us-gaap_IncomeTaxesReceivable
Deferred income taxes	86,853	86,853
Prepaid expenses	14,546us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseCurrent	15,250us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseCurrent
Other current assets	5,691us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent	6,738us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS	2,302,431us-gaap_AssetsCurrent	2,132,771us-gaap_AssetsCurrent
GOODWILL	1,228,933us-gaap_Goodwill	1,226,406us-gaap_Goodwill
OTHER INTANGIBLES	550,854	554,890
PENSION ASSETS	139,457	130,284
INVESTMENTS IN AND RECEIVABLES FROM AFFILIATES	264,054	264,451
OTHER ASSETS	147,201us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent	145,050us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Land	61,426us-gaap_Land	61,809us-gaap_Land
Buildings	807,308us-gaap_BuildingsAndImprovementsGross	803,722us-gaap_BuildingsAndImprovementsGross
Equipment	1,652,403us-gaap_MachineryAndEquipmentGross	1,597,044us-gaap_MachineryAndEquipmentGross
Construction in progress	83,382us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressGross	119,657us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressGross
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	2,604,519us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross	2,582,232us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
Less allowance for depreciation	(1,614,451)	(1,580,465)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	990,068us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	1,001,767us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
TOTAL ASSETS	5,622,998us-gaap_Assets	5,455,619us-gaap_Assets
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	385,855us-gaap_AccountsPayableCurrent	484,042us-gaap_AccountsPayableCurrent
Accrued expenses	63,619us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent	76,836us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent
Accrued workers compensation	38,100	35,406
Accrued marketing expenses	132,562us-gaap_AccruedMarketingCostsCurrent	89,561us-gaap_AccruedMarketingCostsCurrent
Employee related expenses	177,699	209,874
Taxes payable	5,792us-gaap_TaxesPayableCurrent	5,507us-gaap_TaxesPayableCurrent
Interest and dividends payable	66,555	53,466
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES	870,182us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent	954,692us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent
LONG-TERM DEBT-less current maturities	250,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent	250,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
PENSION AND POST-RETIREMENT BENEFITS	506,742	502,693
OTHER LONG-TERM LIABILITIES	108,427us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent	112,176us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES	43,832	24,002
SHAREHOLDERS' INVESTMENT
Preferred stock, par value $.01 a share-authorized 160,000,000 shares; issued-none
Additional paid-in capital	6,879us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(199,757)	(207,700)
Retained earnings	4,025,770	3,805,654
HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION SHAREHOLDERS' INVESTMENT	3,840,632us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	3,605,678us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
NONCONTROLLING INTEREST	3,183us-gaap_MinorityInterest	6,378us-gaap_MinorityInterest
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' INVESTMENT	3,843,815	3,612,056
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' INVESTMENT	5,622,998	5,455,619
Common stock, non-voting
SHAREHOLDERS' INVESTMENT
Common stock
Common stock
SHAREHOLDERS' INVESTMENT
Common stock	$ 7,740	$ 7,724

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