Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 27, 2014	Sep. 28, 2013	Sep. 27, 2014	Sep. 28, 2013
Net sales	$ 955,800	$ 425,786	$ 2,894,194	$ 1,294,801
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales and operating expenses	725,170	310,089	2,218,115	942,697
Selling, general and administrative expenses	111,203	42,588	328,451	124,843
Acquisition and integration costs	2,191	8,326	22,304	9,157
Depreciation and amortization	67,311	23,131	200,478	67,074
Total costs and expenses	905,875	384,134	2,769,348	1,143,771
Operating income	49,925	41,652	124,846	151,030
Interest expense	(25,355)	(5,313)	(110,783)	(16,607)
Foreign currency gains/ (losses)	1,522	0	(12,281)	0
Other, net	2,053	(3,268)	28	(2,619)
Equity in net income/ (loss) of unconsolidated subsidiaries	(1,055)	11,953	6,062	8,796
Earnings in investments in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	27,090	45,024	7,872	140,600
Income tax expense/ (benefit)	11,136	17,373	8,349	54,126
Net (income)/ loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,636)	0	(5,251)	0
Net income/ (loss) attributable to Darling	14,318	27,651	(5,728)	86,474
Issuer [Member]
Net sales	112,742	182,331	403,829	503,595
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales and operating expenses	81,985	140,213	291,982	388,463
Selling, general and administrative expenses	32,520	23,142	104,980	66,984
Acquisition and integration costs	1,291	8,326	18,298	9,157
Depreciation and amortization	7,303	6,035	22,451	17,990
Total costs and expenses	123,099	177,716	437,711	482,594
Operating income	(10,357)	4,615	(33,882)	21,001
Interest expense	(15,603)	(5,309)	(81,338)	(16,596)
Foreign currency gains/ (losses)	(28)		(12,256)
Other, net	301	(3,023)	(2,418)	(2,697)
Equity in net income/ (loss) of unconsolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Earnings in investments in subsidiaries	10,216	29,939	79,265	85,424
Income before income taxes	(15,471)	26,222	(50,629)	87,132
Income tax expense/ (benefit)	(29,789)	(1,429)	(44,901)	658
Net (income)/ loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0		0
Net income/ (loss) attributable to Darling	14,318	27,651	(5,728)	86,474
Guarantors [Member]
Net sales	393,005	309,529	1,178,435	938,629
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales and operating expenses	323,056	235,902	951,648	701,804
Selling, general and administrative expenses	13,945	19,438	42,713	57,798
Acquisition and integration costs	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	19,693	17,091	58,216	49,067
Total costs and expenses	356,694	272,431	1,052,577	808,669
Operating income	36,311	37,098	125,858	129,960
Interest expense	5,104	(4)	15,659	(11)
Foreign currency gains/ (losses)	(501)		(265)
Other, net	447	(239)	(123)	108
Equity in net income/ (loss) of unconsolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Earnings in investments in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	41,361	36,855	141,129	130,057
Income tax expense/ (benefit)	40,290	14,227	54,758	50,067
Net (income)/ loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0		0
Net income/ (loss) attributable to Darling	1,071	22,628	86,371	79,990
Non-guarantors [Member]
Net sales	511,766	2,293	1,530,003	8,188
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales and operating expenses	381,842	2,341	1,192,558	8,041
Selling, general and administrative expenses	64,738	8	180,758	61
Acquisition and integration costs	900	0	4,006	0
Depreciation and amortization	40,315	5	119,811	17
Total costs and expenses	487,795	2,354	1,497,133	8,119
Operating income	23,971	(61)	32,870	69
Interest expense	(14,675)	0	(44,923)	0
Foreign currency gains/ (losses)	2,051		240
Other, net	1,124	(6)	2,388	(30)
Equity in net income/ (loss) of unconsolidated subsidiaries	(1,055)	11,953	6,062	8,796
Earnings in investments in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	11,416	11,886	(3,363)	8,835
Income tax expense/ (benefit)	635	4,575	(1,508)	3,401
Net (income)/ loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,636)		(5,251)
Net income/ (loss) attributable to Darling	9,145	7,311	(7,106)	5,434
Eliminations [Member]
Net sales	(61,713)	(68,367)	(218,073)	(155,611)
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales and operating expenses	(61,713)	(68,367)	(218,073)	(155,611)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Acquisition and integration costs	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Total costs and expenses	(61,713)	(68,367)	(218,073)	(155,611)
Operating income	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(181)	0	(181)	0
Foreign currency gains/ (losses)	0		0
Other, net	181	0	181	0
Equity in net income/ (loss) of unconsolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Earnings in investments in subsidiaries	(10,216)	(29,939)	(79,265)	(85,424)
Income before income taxes	(10,216)	(29,939)	(79,265)	(85,424)
Income tax expense/ (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Net (income)/ loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0		0
Net income/ (loss) attributable to Darling	$ (10,216)	$ (29,939)	$ (79,265)	$ (85,424)