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Represents net interest and investment (income) expense during the period.

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This element represents the income or loss from continuing operations attributable to the economic entity which may also be defined as revenue less expenses from ongoing operations, after income or loss from equity method investments, but before income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

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Amount of Net Income (Loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest.

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Number of segments reported by the entity. A reportable segment is a component of an entity for which there is an accounting requirement to report separate financial information on that component in the entity's financial statements.

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The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues.

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Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

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SEGMENT REPORTING (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Apr. 26, 2015	Apr. 27, 2014	Apr. 26, 2015 segment	Apr. 27, 2014	Oct. 26, 2014
SEGMENT REPORTING
Number of reportable business segments			5us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	$ 2,279,345us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 2,244,866us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 4,674,418us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 4,487,538us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Segment Operating Profit	287,287us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	223,092us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	555,794us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	468,090us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Net interest and investment expense (income)	1,966	3,399	3,895	5,320
General corporate expense	9,824hrl_GeneralCorporateExpense	7,152hrl_GeneralCorporateExpense	13,077hrl_GeneralCorporateExpense	16,068hrl_GeneralCorporateExpense
Noncontrolling interest	234	616	946	1,726
EARNINGS BEFORE INCOME TAXES	275,731	213,157	539,768	448,428
Intersegment sales
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	39,983	43,489	79,571	82,398
Operating segment
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	2,279,345	2,244,866	4,674,418	4,487,538
Intersegment elimination
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	(39,983)	(43,489)	(79,571)	(82,398)
Grocery Products
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	397,265	392,030	807,016	793,550
Segment Operating Profit	55,327	54,890	96,702	111,232
Grocery Products \| Operating segment
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	397,265	392,030	807,016	793,550
Refrigerated Foods
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	1,022,511	1,111,244	2,166,726	2,239,665
Segment Operating Profit	114,837	75,397	215,989	160,696
Refrigerated Foods \| Intersegment sales
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	3,560	6,601	7,743	12,347
Refrigerated Foods \| Operating segment
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	1,026,071	1,117,845	2,174,469	2,252,012
Jennie-O Turkey Store
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	438,912	380,425	878,931	779,825
Segment Operating Profit	74,596	52,808	167,616	112,353
Jennie-O Turkey Store \| Intersegment sales
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	36,398	36,870	71,782	69,999
Jennie-O Turkey Store \| Operating segment
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	475,310	417,295	950,713	849,824
Specialty Foods
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	287,424	217,176	550,698	413,155
Segment Operating Profit	21,144	19,134	39,720	40,389
Specialty Foods \| Intersegment sales
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	25	18	46	52
Specialty Foods \| Operating segment
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	287,449	217,194	550,744	413,207
International & Other
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	133,233	143,991	271,047	261,343
Segment Operating Profit	21,383	20,863	35,767	43,420
International & Other \| Operating segment
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	$ 133,233	$ 143,991	$ 271,047	$ 261,343
Precept Foods, LLC
Operating profit and other financial information
Ownership percentage held by entity in joint venture					50.01%