Divestiture - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		4 Months Ended
Jan. 14, 2017	Apr. 22, 2017
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Date of business unit sold	Jan. 14, 2017
Sale of non-core mix manufacturing business	$ 44,000
Decrease in amount by working capital adjustment	2,800
Gain on sale of business	28,875	$ 28,875
Net proceeds from divestiture of business	$ 41,200	$ 41,230

Decrease in amount by working capital adjustment.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	flo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Cash inflow associated with the amount received from the sale of a portion of the company's business before allocation of a working capital adjustment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	flo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date the entity disposed of a business or a group of assets, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DisposalDate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Gain (loss) from sale or disposal of an organization or integrated set of activities (for example, but not limited to, a partnership or corporation) engaged in providing a product or service in a commercial, industrial, or professional environment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfBusiness
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow associated with the amount received from the sale of a portion of the company's business, for example a segment, division, branch or other business, during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration