Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Heating Oil	Corn Option	Soybean Meal	Foreign Exchange Contract	Stockholders' equity attributable to Darling	Stockholders' equity attributable to Darling Heating Oil	Stockholders' equity attributable to Darling Corn Option	Stockholders' equity attributable to Darling Soybean Meal	Stockholders' equity attributable to Darling Foreign Exchange Contract	Common Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Treasury Stock	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Heating Oil	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Corn Option	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Soybean Meal	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Foreign Exchange Contract	Retained Earnings	Non-controlling Interests
Balance (in shares) at Jan. 02, 2021											162,200,389
Stockholders' Equity, Beginning Balance at Jan. 02, 2021	$ 2,954,209					$ 2,891,909					$ 1,699	$ 1,597,429	$ (151,710)	$ (252,433)					$ 1,696,924	$ 62,300
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	153,418					151,766													151,766	1,652
Distribution of noncontrolling interest earnings	(2,143)																			(2,143)
Pension liability adjustments, net of tax	792					792								792
Derivative adjustments		$ 3,464	$ (800)	$ (257)	$ (6,806)		$ 3,464	$ (800)	$ (257)	$ (6,806)					$ 3,464	$ (800)	$ (257)	$ (6,806)
Foreign currency translation	(38,222)					(39,756)								(39,756)						1,534
Issuance of non-vested stock	58					58						58
Stock-based compensation	8,357					8,357						8,357
Treasury stock (in shares)											(684,674)
Treasury stock	(48,141)					(48,141)							(48,141)
Issuance of common stock (in shares)											1,639,151
Issuance of common stock	6,017					6,017					$ 16	6,001
Balance (in shares) at Apr. 03, 2021											163,154,866
Stockholders' Equity, Ending Balance at Apr. 03, 2021	3,029,946					2,966,603					$ 1,715	1,611,845	(199,851)	(295,796)					1,848,690	63,343
Balance (in shares) at Jan. 02, 2021											162,200,389
Stockholders' Equity, Beginning Balance at Jan. 02, 2021	2,954,209					2,891,909					$ 1,699	1,597,429	(151,710)	(252,433)					1,696,924	62,300
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	499,693
Derivative adjustments			2,472	(297)	(4,519)
Foreign currency translation	(48,741)
Balance (in shares) at Oct. 02, 2021											161,778,631
Stockholders' Equity, Ending Balance at Oct. 02, 2021	3,269,237					3,205,524					$ 1,717	1,623,264	(302,188)	(309,353)					2,192,084	63,713
Balance (in shares) at Apr. 03, 2021											163,154,866
Stockholders' Equity, Beginning Balance at Apr. 03, 2021	3,029,946					2,966,603					$ 1,715	1,611,845	(199,851)	(295,796)					1,848,690	63,343
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	198,069					196,582													196,582	1,487
Pension liability adjustments, net of tax	792					792								792
Derivative adjustments		(2,308)	(356)	(17)	6,951		(2,308)	(356)	(17)	6,951					(2,308)	(356)	(17)	6,951
Foreign currency translation	22,384					21,980								21,980						404
Issuance of non-vested stock	41					41						41
Stock-based compensation	5,555					5,555						5,555
Treasury stock (in shares)											(1,171,630)
Treasury stock	(77,760)					(77,760)							(77,760)
Issuance of common stock (in shares)											67,634
Issuance of common stock	513					513					$ 1	512
Balance (in shares) at Jul. 03, 2021											162,050,870
Stockholders' Equity, Ending Balance at Jul. 03, 2021	3,183,810					3,118,576					$ 1,716	1,617,953	(277,611)	(268,754)					2,045,272	65,234
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	148,206					146,812													146,812	1,394
Distribution of noncontrolling interest earnings	(3,853)																			(3,853)
Pension liability adjustments, net of tax	791					791								791
Derivative adjustments		(6,490)	3,628	(23)	(4,664)		(6,490)	3,628	(23)	(4,664)					(6,490)	3,628	(23)	(4,664)
Foreign currency translation	(32,903)					(33,841)								(33,841)						938
Issuance of non-vested stock	41					41						41
Stock-based compensation	4,361					4,361						4,361
Treasury stock (in shares)											(350,552)
Treasury stock	(24,577)					(24,577)							(24,577)
Issuance of common stock (in shares)											78,313
Issuance of common stock	910					910					$ 1	909
Balance (in shares) at Oct. 02, 2021											161,778,631
Stockholders' Equity, Ending Balance at Oct. 02, 2021	3,269,237					3,205,524					$ 1,717	1,623,264	(302,188)	(309,353)					2,192,084	63,713
Balance (in shares) at Jan. 01, 2022											160,792,004
Stockholders' Equity, Beginning Balance at Jan. 01, 2022	3,347,785					3,280,960					$ 1,717	1,627,816	(374,721)	(321,690)					2,347,838	66,825
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	190,731					188,053													188,053	2,678
Pension liability adjustments, net of tax	429					429								429
Derivative adjustments		(16,762)	(5,056)	(240)	29,435		(16,762)	(5,056)	(240)	29,435					(16,762)	(5,056)	(240)	29,435
Foreign currency translation	3,382					2,515								2,515						867
Issuance of non-vested stock (in shares)											5,000
Issuance of non-vested stock	18					18						18
Stock-based compensation	6,305					6,305						6,305
Treasury stock (in shares)											(938,113)
Treasury stock	(64,185)					(64,185)							(64,185)
Issuance of common stock (in shares)											1,644,866
Issuance of common stock	3,808					3,808					$ 17	3,791
Balance (in shares) at Apr. 02, 2022											161,503,757
Stockholders' Equity, Ending Balance at Apr. 02, 2022	3,495,650					3,425,280					$ 1,734	1,637,930	(438,906)	(311,369)					2,535,891	70,370
Balance (in shares) at Jan. 01, 2022											160,792,004
Stockholders' Equity, Beginning Balance at Jan. 01, 2022	3,347,785					3,280,960					$ 1,717	1,627,816	(374,721)	(321,690)					2,347,838	66,825
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	587,861
Derivative adjustments			1,640	(124)	6,240
Foreign currency translation	(187,321)
Balance (in shares) at Oct. 01, 2022											160,266,480
Stockholders' Equity, Ending Balance at Oct. 01, 2022	3,668,814					3,580,112					$ 1,735	1,652,453	(529,905)	(473,139)					2,928,968	88,702
Balance (in shares) at Apr. 02, 2022											161,503,757
Stockholders' Equity, Beginning Balance at Apr. 02, 2022	3,495,650					3,425,280					$ 1,734	1,637,930	(438,906)	(311,369)					2,535,891	70,370
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	204,829					201,996													201,996	2,833
Pension liability adjustments, net of tax	428					428								428
Derivative adjustments		18,535	5,941	(14)	(20,719)		18,535	5,941	(14)	(20,719)					18,535	5,941	(14)	(20,719)
Foreign currency translation	(93,855)					(93,709)								(93,709)						(146)
Issuance of non-vested stock	30					30						30
Stock-based compensation	7,016					7,016						7,016
Treasury stock (in shares)											(751,432)
Treasury stock	(52,811)					(52,811)							(52,811)
Issuance of common stock (in shares)											108,586
Issuance of common stock	1,493					1,493					$ 1	1,492
Balance (in shares) at Jul. 02, 2022											160,860,911
Stockholders' Equity, Ending Balance at Jul. 02, 2022	3,566,523					3,493,466					$ 1,735	1,646,468	(491,717)	(400,907)					2,737,887	73,057
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Acquisition of noncontrolling interests	18,212																			18,212
Net income	192,301					191,081													191,081	1,220
Distribution of noncontrolling interest earnings	(3,744)																			(3,744)
Pension liability adjustments, net of tax	429					429								429
Derivative adjustments		$ 25,735	$ 755	$ 130	$ (2,476)		$ 25,735	$ 755	$ 130	$ (2,476)					$ 25,735	$ 755	$ 130	$ (2,476)
Foreign currency translation	(96,848)					(96,805)								(96,805)						(43)
Issuance of non-vested stock (in shares)											1,500
Issuance of non-vested stock	35					35						35
Stock-based compensation	5,480					5,480						5,480
Treasury stock (in shares)											(623,359)
Treasury stock	(38,188)					(38,188)							(38,188)
Issuance of common stock (in shares)											27,428
Issuance of common stock	470					470						470
Balance (in shares) at Oct. 01, 2022											160,266,480
Stockholders' Equity, Ending Balance at Oct. 01, 2022	$ 3,668,814					$ 3,580,112					$ 1,735	$ 1,652,453	$ (529,905)	$ (473,139)					$ 2,928,968	$ 88,702