CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 28, 2021	Mar. 29, 2020
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 3,273,425	$ 3,074,928
Cost of sales	3,012,182	2,897,829
Gross profit	261,243	177,099
Selling, general and administrative expense	102,779	92,713
Operating income	158,464	84,386
Interest expense, net of capitalized interest	30,334	32,688
Interest income	(2,366)	(1,690)
Foreign currency transaction loss (gain)	2,514	(18,385)
Miscellaneous, net	(7,844)	(34,188)
Income before income taxes	135,826	105,961
Income tax expense	35,358	38,512
Net income	100,468	67,449
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	260	181
Net income attributable to Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation	$ 100,208	$ 67,268
Weighted average shares of Pilgrim's Pride Corporation common stock outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	243,580	249,347
Effect of dilutive common stock equivalents (in shares)	278	275
Diluted (in shares)	243,858	249,622
Net income attributable to Pilgrim's Pride Corporation per share of common stock outstanding:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.41	$ 0.27
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.41	$ 0.27