Business Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Jan. 01, 2022	Jan. 02, 2021	Dec. 28, 2019
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		$ 4,741,369	$ 3,571,923	$ 3,363,905
Cost of sales and operating expenses		3,499,385	2,688,815	2,589,085
Loss/(gain) on sale of assets		958	(426)	20,582
Selling, general and administrative expense		391,538	378,496	358,523
Restructuring Costs and Asset Impairment Charges		778	38,167	0
Depreciation and amortization		316,387	350,178	325,510
Acquisition and integration costs		1,396	0	0
Equity In net income of Diamond Green Diesel		351,627	315,095	364,452
Segment operating income/(loss)		884,470	430,936	475,821
Equity in net income of other unconsolidated subsidiaries		5,753	3,193	428
Total other expense		(68,827)	(80,510)	(95,815)
Income before income taxes		821,396	353,619	380,434
Total assets		6,133,728	5,613,331
Capital expenditures:	[1]	274,126	280,115	359,498
Capital assets			18,400
Long-Lived Assets		5,044,714	4,626,337
North America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		2,867,934	1,960,503	1,889,573
Long-Lived Assets		3,564,765	3,056,047
Europe
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		1,521,031	1,296,668	1,153,787
Long-Lived Assets		1,259,018	1,357,070
China
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		253,212	202,093	194,625
Long-Lived Assets		129,767	127,549
South America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		31,446	38,238	51,168
Long-Lived Assets		77,758	74,720
Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-Lived Assets		13,406	10,951
Feed Ingredients [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		3,039,500	2,072,104	1,970,561
Cost of sales and operating expenses		2,206,248	1,544,524	1,519,596
Gross Margin		833,252	527,580	450,965
Loss/(gain) on sale of assets		(550)	19	(7,720)
Selling, general and administrative expense		220,078	209,748	200,487
Restructuring Costs and Asset Impairment Charges		0	0
Depreciation and amortization		218,942	221,187	203,456
Acquisition and integration costs		0
Equity In net income of Diamond Green Diesel		0	0	0
Segment operating income/(loss)		394,782	96,626	54,742
Equity in net income of other unconsolidated subsidiaries		5,753	3,193	428
Segment income/(loss)		400,535	99,819	55,170
Total assets		2,714,528	2,708,922
Capital expenditures:		187,445	176,530	229,415
Feed Ingredients [Member] | North America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		2,577,705	1,694,705	1,635,382
Feed Ingredients [Member] | Europe
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		430,549	352,748	309,097
Feed Ingredients [Member] | China
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		19,446	13,676	16,342
Feed Ingredients [Member] | South America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		0	0	0
Food Ingredients [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		1,271,629	1,185,701	1,119,085
Cost of sales and operating expenses		979,232	920,682	864,618
Gross Margin		292,397	265,019	254,467
Loss/(gain) on sale of assets		(88)	482	(13,175)
Selling, general and administrative expense		97,555	97,406	97,363
Restructuring Costs and Asset Impairment Charges		0	0
Depreciation and amortization		60,929	83,752	79,671
Acquisition and integration costs		0
Equity In net income of Diamond Green Diesel		0	0	0
Segment operating income/(loss)		134,001	83,379	90,608
Equity in net income of other unconsolidated subsidiaries		0	0	0
Segment income/(loss)		134,001	83,379	90,608
Total assets		1,205,217	1,335,769
Capital expenditures:		54,799	68,250	85,501
Food Ingredients [Member] | North America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		286,852	244,929	214,623
Food Ingredients [Member] | Europe
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		663,619	650,671	609,999
Food Ingredients [Member] | China
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		233,766	188,417	178,283
Food Ingredients [Member] | South America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		31,446	38,238	51,168
Fuel Ingredients [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		430,240	314,118	274,259
Cost of sales and operating expenses		313,905	223,609	204,871
Gross Margin		116,335	90,509	69,388
Loss/(gain) on sale of assets		(320)	(75)	313
Selling, general and administrative expense		16,999	16,014	2,762
Restructuring Costs and Asset Impairment Charges		778	38,167
Depreciation and amortization		25,436	34,218	31,946
Acquisition and integration costs		0
Equity In net income of Diamond Green Diesel		351,627	315,095	364,452
Segment operating income/(loss)		425,069	317,280	398,819
Equity in net income of other unconsolidated subsidiaries		0	0	0
Segment income/(loss)		425,069	317,280	398,819
Total assets		1,658,892	1,160,132
Capital expenditures:		26,078	30,638	23,964
Fuel Ingredients [Member] | North America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		3,377	20,869	39,568
Fuel Ingredients [Member] | Europe
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		426,863	293,249	234,691
Fuel Ingredients [Member] | China
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		0	0	0
Fuel Ingredients [Member] | South America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		0	0	0
Corporate Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		0	0	0
Cost of sales and operating expenses		0	0	0
Gross Margin		0	0	0
Loss/(gain) on sale of assets		0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expense		56,906	55,328	57,911
Restructuring Costs and Asset Impairment Charges		0	0
Depreciation and amortization		11,080	11,021	10,437
Acquisition and integration costs		1,396
Equity In net income of Diamond Green Diesel		0	0	0
Segment operating income/(loss)		(69,382)	(66,349)	(68,348)
Equity in net income of other unconsolidated subsidiaries		0	0	0
Segment income/(loss)		(69,382)	(66,349)	(68,348)
Total assets		555,091	408,508
Capital expenditures:		5,804	4,697	20,618
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		4,741,369	3,571,923	3,363,905
Cost of sales and operating expenses		3,499,385	2,688,815	2,589,085
Gross Margin		1,241,984	883,108	774,820
Loss/(gain) on sale of assets		(958)	426	(20,582)
Selling, general and administrative expense		391,538	378,496	358,523
Restructuring Costs and Asset Impairment Charges		778	38,167
Depreciation and amortization		316,387	350,178	325,510
Acquisition and integration costs		1,396
Equity In net income of Diamond Green Diesel		351,627	315,095	364,452
Segment operating income/(loss)		884,470	430,936	475,821
Equity in net income of other unconsolidated subsidiaries		5,753	3,193	428
Segment income/(loss)		890,223	434,129	$ 476,249
Total assets		$ 6,133,728	$ 5,613,331

[1] Excludes capital assets acquired by acquisition in fiscal 2020 of approximately $18.4 million.