CONSOLIDATED CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 24, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 24, 2017
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 2,697,604	$ 2,793,885	$ 8,280,995	$ 8,025,511
Cost of sales	2,527,863	2,315,301	7,549,367	6,815,701
Gross profit	169,741	478,584	731,628	1,209,810
Selling, general and administrative expense	84,138	102,191	257,396	284,009
Administrative restructuring charges	257	4,147	2,181	8,496
Operating income	85,346	372,246	472,051	917,305
Interest expense, net of capitalized interest	35,334	24,636	125,901	66,315
Interest income	(4,241)	(2,128)	(10,665)	(3,600)
Foreign currency transaction gain	(6,711)	(888)	(2,802)	(2,500)
Miscellaneous, net	653	(1,083)	(1,781)	(5,198)
Income before income taxes	60,311	351,709	361,398	862,288
Income tax expense	30,848	113,396	106,367	278,046
Net income	29,463	238,313	255,031	584,242
Less: Net income from Granite Holdings Sàrl prior to acquisition by Pilgrim's Pride Corporation	0	6,093	0	23,486
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	153	(460)	(238)	514
Net income attributable to Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation	$ 29,310	$ 232,680	$ 255,269	$ 560,242
Weighted average shares of Pilgrim's Pride Corporation common stock outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	248,981	248,753	248,933	248,732
Effect of dilutive common stock equivalents (in shares)	198	235	143	230
Diluted (in shares)	249,179	248,988	249,076	248,962
Net income attributable to Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation per share of common stock outstanding:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.12	$ 0.94	$ 1.03	$ 2.25
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.12	$ 0.93	$ 1.03	$ 2.25