Business Segments (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Oct. 01, 2011	Jul. 02, 2011	Apr. 02, 2011	Jan. 01, 2011		Oct. 02, 2010	Jul. 03, 2010	Apr. 03, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011		Jan. 01, 2011		Jan. 02, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income	$ 29,497	$ 41,132	$ 52,227	$ 46,562	$ 10,012	[1]	$ 11,382	$ 11,371	$ 11,478	$ 169,418		$ 44,243		$ 41,790
Interest Expense										(37,163)		(8,737)		(3,105)
Net sales	430,866	455,875	470,610	439,898	227,232		168,685	166,210	162,782	1,797,249		724,909		597,806
Assets	1,417,030				1,382,258					1,417,030		1,382,258
Depreciation and amortization										78,909		31,908		25,226
Capital expenditures										60,153	[2]	24,720	[2]	23,638	[2]
Domestic										1,526,351		653,909		526,975
Foreign										270,898		71,000		70,831
Rendering [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income										329,791		132,502		109,697
Net sales										1,501,280		714,685		597,806
Assets	1,092,988				1,102,719					1,092,988		1,102,719
Depreciation and amortization										66,412		27,959		21,932
Capital expenditures										51,888		21,431		19,666
Bakery [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income										62,259		1,425		0
Net sales										295,969		10,224		0
Assets	165,885				166,658					165,885		166,658
Depreciation and amortization										8,647		426		0
Capital expenditures										6,247		165		0
Unallocated Amount to Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income										(185,469)		(80,947)		(64,802)
Assets	158,157				112,881					158,157		112,881
Depreciation and amortization										3,850		3,523		3,294
Capital expenditures										$ 2,018		$ 3,124		$ 3,972

[1] Included in net income in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 are costs incurred as part of the Griffin Transaction for consulting, legal and financing in the amount of approximately $13.7 million.

[2] Excludes the capital assets acquired as part of the acquisition of assets related to the Griffin Transaction and Nebraska Transaction in fiscal 2010 of approximately$243.7 million, the Sanimax Transaction and Boca Transaction in fiscal 2009 of approximately $8.0 million