SUPPLEMENTAL GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION (CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 29, 2013	Sep. 23, 2012
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows provided (used in) by operating activities	$ 596,716	$ 155,961
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment	(76,293)	(62,110)
Purchases of investment securities	0	(162)
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investment securities	0	688
Proceeds from property disposals	3,330	28,687
Cash used in investing activities	(72,963)	(32,897)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payment of note payable to JBS USA	0	(50,000)
Proceeds from long-term debt	505,600	595,800
Payments on revolving line of credit, long-term borrowings and capital lease obligations	(758,283)	(853,008)
Proceeds from sale of common stock	0	198,282
Payment of capitalized loan costs	(5,006)
Cash used in financing activities	(257,689)	(108,926)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(3,928)	(717)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	262,136	13,421
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	68,180	41,609
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	330,316	55,030
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows provided (used in) by operating activities	(520)	21
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment
Purchases of investment securities
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investment securities
Proceeds from property disposals
Cash used in investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payment of note payable to JBS USA
Proceeds from long-term debt
Payments on revolving line of credit, long-term borrowings and capital lease obligations
Proceeds from sale of common stock
Payment of capitalized loan costs
Other financing activities	520	(21)
Cash used in financing activities	520	(21)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
Increase in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows provided (used in) by operating activities	551,027	138,384
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment	(63,298)	(53,577)
Purchases of investment securities		(73)
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investment securities		57
Proceeds from property disposals	2,288	27,360
Cash used in investing activities	(61,010)	(26,233)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payment of note payable to JBS USA		(50,000)
Proceeds from long-term debt	505,600	595,800
Payments on revolving line of credit, long-term borrowings and capital lease obligations	(758,283)	(853,008)
Proceeds from sale of common stock		198,282
Payment of capitalized loan costs	(5,006)
Other financing activities
Cash used in financing activities	(257,689)	(108,926)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	232,328	3,225
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	27,657	13,733
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	259,985	16,958
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows provided (used in) by operating activities	4,235	1,299
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment	(4,240)	(1,329)
Purchases of investment securities
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investment securities
Proceeds from property disposals	5
Cash used in investing activities	(4,235)	(1,329)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payment of note payable to JBS USA
Proceeds from long-term debt
Payments on revolving line of credit, long-term borrowings and capital lease obligations
Proceeds from sale of common stock
Payment of capitalized loan costs
Other financing activities
Cash used in financing activities
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
Increase in cash and cash equivalents		(30)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period		30
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows provided (used in) by operating activities	41,974	16,257
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment	(8,755)	(7,204)
Purchases of investment securities		(89)
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investment securities		631
Proceeds from property disposals	1,037	1,327
Cash used in investing activities	(7,718)	(5,335)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payment of note payable to JBS USA
Proceeds from long-term debt
Payments on revolving line of credit, long-term borrowings and capital lease obligations
Proceeds from sale of common stock
Payment of capitalized loan costs
Other financing activities	(520)	21
Cash used in financing activities	(520)	21
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(3,928)	(717)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	29,808	10,226
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	40,523	27,846
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 70,331	$ 38,072