Guarantor Financial Information Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Jan. 02, 2016	Oct. 03, 2015	Jul. 04, 2015	Apr. 04, 2015	Jan. 03, 2015	Sep. 27, 2014	Jun. 28, 2014	Mar. 29, 2014	Jan. 02, 2016	Jan. 03, 2015	Dec. 28, 2013
Net Sales	$ 809,675	$ 853,762	$ 859,315	$ 874,694	$ 1,000,203	$ 978,665	$ 1,031,283	$ 946,292	$ 3,397,446	$ 3,956,443	$ 1,802,268
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales and operating expenses						22,900	24,300	14,900	2,654,025	3,123,171	1,339,819
Selling, general and administrative expense									322,574	374,580	170,825
Depreciation and amortization									269,904	269,517	98,787
Acquisition and integration costs	500	1,300	1,200	5,300	2,400	2,200	4,200	15,900	8,299	24,667	23,271
Total costs and expenses									3,254,802	3,791,935	1,632,702
Operating income	32,719	38,808	39,292	31,825	39,662	49,925	75,485	(564)	142,644	164,508	169,566
Interest expense									(105,530)	(135,416)	(38,108)
Foreign currency gains/(losses)								12,600	(4,911)	(13,548)	28,107
Other income/(expense), net									(6,839)	299	(3,547)
Equity in net income of unconsolidated subsidiaries									73,416	65,609	7,660
Earnings in investments in subsidiaries									0	0	0
Income from operations before income taxes	84,737	502	9,602	3,939	73,580	27,090	50,078	(69,296)	98,780	81,452	163,678
Income taxes (benefit)									13,501	13,141	54,711
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,446)	(1,730)	(1,857)	(1,715)	1,155	(1,636)	(1,818)	(1,797)	(6,748)	(4,096)	0
Net income attributable to Darling	$ 84,429	$ (9,087)	$ 3,080	$ 109	$ 69,943	$ 14,318	$ 32,757	$ (52,803)	78,531	64,215	108,967
Issuer [Member]
Net Sales									475,213	557,316	708,166
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales and operating expenses									369,928	421,883	559,117
Selling, general and administrative expense									122,509	145,258	91,723
Depreciation and amortization									34,889	31,183	24,794
Acquisition and integration costs									3,177	20,410	14,074
Total costs and expenses									530,503	618,734	689,708
Operating income									(55,290)	(61,418)	18,458
Interest expense									(60,945)	(97,912)	(36,964)
Foreign currency gains/(losses)									(123)	(12,244)	27,516
Other income/(expense), net									(22,455)	(3,717)	(3,373)
Equity in net income of unconsolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Earnings in investments in subsidiaries									198,371	223,790	105,178
Income from operations before income taxes									59,558	48,499	110,815
Income taxes (benefit)									(18,973)	(15,716)	1,848
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0
Net income attributable to Darling									78,531	64,215	108,967
Guarantors [Member]
Net Sales									1,363,279	1,620,054	1,288,824
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales and operating expenses									1,108,864	1,330,038	988,295
Selling, general and administrative expense									55,691	54,070	76,016
Depreciation and amortization									98,400	83,957	68,139
Acquisition and integration costs									0	0	0
Total costs and expenses									1,262,955	1,468,065	1,132,450
Operating income									100,324	151,989	156,374
Interest expense									18,839	21,231	3,281
Foreign currency gains/(losses)									(1,649)	(417)	(42)
Other income/(expense), net									435	(19)	55
Equity in net income of unconsolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Earnings in investments in subsidiaries									0	0	0
Income from operations before income taxes									117,949	172,784	159,668
Income taxes (benefit)									16,121	17,534	52,351
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0
Net income attributable to Darling									101,828	155,250	107,317
Non-guarantors [Member]
Net Sales									1,759,800	2,063,310	41,196
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales and operating expenses									1,376,079	1,655,487	28,325
Selling, general and administrative expense									144,374	175,252	3,086
Depreciation and amortization									136,615	154,377	5,854
Acquisition and integration costs									5,122	4,257	9,197
Total costs and expenses									1,662,190	1,989,373	46,462
Operating income									97,610	73,937	(5,266)
Interest expense									(63,424)	(58,554)	(4,425)
Foreign currency gains/(losses)									(3,139)	(887)	633
Other income/(expense), net									15,181	3,854	(229)
Equity in net income of unconsolidated subsidiaries									73,416	65,609	7,660
Earnings in investments in subsidiaries									0	0	0
Income from operations before income taxes									119,644	83,959	(1,627)
Income taxes (benefit)									16,353	11,323	512
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									(6,748)	(4,096)
Net income attributable to Darling									96,543	68,540	(2,139)
Eliminations [Member]
Net Sales									(200,846)	(284,237)	(235,918)
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales and operating expenses									(200,846)	(284,237)	(235,918)
Selling, general and administrative expense									0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization									0	0	0
Acquisition and integration costs									0	0	0
Total costs and expenses									(200,846)	(284,237)	(235,918)
Operating income									0	0	0
Interest expense									0	(181)	0
Foreign currency gains/(losses)									0	0	0
Other income/(expense), net									0	181	0
Equity in net income of unconsolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Earnings in investments in subsidiaries									(198,371)	(223,790)	(105,178)
Income from operations before income taxes									(198,371)	(223,790)	(105,178)
Income taxes (benefit)									0	0	0
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0
Net income attributable to Darling									$ (198,371)	$ (223,790)	$ (105,178)