CONSOLIDATED CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2018	Mar. 26, 2017
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 2,746,678	$ 2,479,340
Cost of sales	2,459,013	2,222,805
Gross profit	287,665	256,535
Selling, general and administrative expense	85,283	89,811
Administrative restructuring charges	789	0
Operating income	201,593	166,724
Interest expense, net of capitalized interest	50,300	19,112
Interest income	(1,590)	(368)
Foreign currency transaction loss (gain)	(1,721)	691
Miscellaneous, net	(1,617)	(2,843)
Income before income taxes	156,221	150,132
Income tax expense	36,997	49,394
Net income	119,224	100,738
Less: Net income from Granite Holdings Sàrl prior to acquisition by Pilgrim's Pride Corporation	0	6,275
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(194)	542
Net income attributable to Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation	$ 119,418	$ 93,921
Weighted average shares of Pilgrim's Pride Corporation common stock outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	248,838	248,692
Effect of dilutive common stock equivalents (in shares)	151	234
Diluted (in shares)	248,989	248,926
Net income attributable to Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation per share of common stock outstanding:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.48	$ 0.38
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.48	$ 0.38