Guarantor and Non-Guarantor Financial Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2011
Condensed Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 176,719	$ (58,238)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Business acquired, net of cash acquired	0	(362,846)
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(46,282)	(67,632)
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	0	18,600
Proceeds from disposal of property, plant, and equipment	256	130
Other - net	17,713	(18)
Net cash used for investing activities	(28,313)	(411,766)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Revolving credit agreement - net		306,700
Quarterly dividends paid	(52,845)	(50,159)
Purchase of treasury shares	(4,240)	(5,385)
Proceeds from stock option exercises	185	242
Intercompany	0	0
Other - net	(7,708)	2,534
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	(64,608)	253,932
Effect of exchange rate changes	(2,032)	(1,298)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	81,766	(217,370)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	229,708	319,845
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	311,474	102,475
The J.M. Smucker Company (Parent) [Member]
Condensed Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows
Net cash provided by operating activities	32,018	83,115
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Business acquired, net of cash acquired		0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(8,008)	(15,952)
Sales and maturities of marketable securities		18,600
Proceeds from disposal of property, plant, and equipment	0	9
Other - net	(9,452)	2
Net cash used for investing activities	(17,460)	2,659
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Revolving credit agreement - net		306,700
Quarterly dividends paid	(52,845)	(50,159)
Purchase of treasury shares	(4,240)	(5,385)
Proceeds from stock option exercises	185	242
Intercompany	127,586	(546,476)
Other - net	2,292	2,534
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	72,978	(292,544)
Effect of exchange rate changes	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	87,536	(206,770)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	108,281	206,845
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	195,817	75
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows
Net cash provided by operating activities	16,971	5,393
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Business acquired, net of cash acquired		0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(23,227)	(32,150)
Sales and maturities of marketable securities		0
Proceeds from disposal of property, plant, and equipment	34	9
Other - net	3,102	(1)
Net cash used for investing activities	(20,091)	(32,142)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Revolving credit agreement - net		0
Quarterly dividends paid	0	0
Purchase of treasury shares	0	0
Proceeds from stock option exercises	0	0
Intercompany	3,120	26,749
Other - net	0	0
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	3,120	26,749
Effect of exchange rate changes	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	0	0
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows
Net cash provided by operating activities	127,730	(146,746)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Business acquired, net of cash acquired		(362,846)
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(15,047)	(19,530)
Sales and maturities of marketable securities		0
Proceeds from disposal of property, plant, and equipment	222	112
Other - net	24,063	(19)
Net cash used for investing activities	9,238	(382,283)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Revolving credit agreement - net		0
Quarterly dividends paid	0	0
Purchase of treasury shares	0	0
Proceeds from stock option exercises	0	0
Intercompany	(130,706)	519,727
Other - net	(10,000)	0
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	(140,706)	519,727
Effect of exchange rate changes	(2,032)	(1,298)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(5,770)	(10,600)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	121,427	113,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	115,657	102,400
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows
Net cash provided by operating activities	0	0
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Business acquired, net of cash acquired		0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0	0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities		0
Proceeds from disposal of property, plant, and equipment	0	0
Other - net	0	0
Net cash used for investing activities	0	0
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Revolving credit agreement - net		0
Quarterly dividends paid	0	0
Purchase of treasury shares	0	0
Proceeds from stock option exercises	0	0
Intercompany	0	0
Other - net	0	0
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	0	0
Effect of exchange rate changes	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	$ 0	$ 0