Consolidating Balance Sheet (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 29, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Jan. 01, 2011	Jan. 02, 2010
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 91,579	$ 122,348	$ 170,147	$ 119,670
Restricted cash and deposits		6,230
Receivables, net of allowances	491,640	685,094
Inventories	241,741	829,517
Prepaid expenses and other assets	36,249	65,331
Deferred income tax assets	5,959	26,184
Assets held-for-sale	1,877,523	75,641
Total current assets	2,744,691	1,810,345
Investments	88,881	99,469
Actively marketed land	74,814	74,814
Property, plant and equipment, net	688,890	910,729
Goodwill	273,906	418,113	407,247
Intangible assets, net	261,315	732,013
Other assets, net	97,274	225,839
Total assets	4,229,771	4,271,322
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable	313,400	452,049
Liabilities related to assets held-for-sale	448,924	49,117
Accrued liabilities	535,364	541,730
Current portion of long-term debt, net	161,750	10,756
Notes payable	19,762	27,969
Total current liabilities	1,479,200	1,081,621
Long-term debt, net	1,512,646	1,641,112
Deferred income tax liabilities	128,927	181,677
Other long-term liabilities	396,472	548,491
Equity attributable to shareholders of Dole Food Company, Inc.	686,135	792,504
Equity attributable to noncontrolling interests	26,391	25,917
Total equity	712,526	818,421	816,784	865,979
Total liabilities and equity	4,229,771	4,271,322
Dole Food Company, Inc.
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	13,230	13,558	39,080	20,913
Receivables, net of allowances	94,401	106,855
Inventories	2,260	8,970
Prepaid expenses and other assets	6,011	6,647
Deferred income tax assets	10,133
Assets held-for-sale	490,300	13,370
Total current assets	616,335	149,400
Investments	2,522,676	2,485,133
Actively marketed land	74,814	74,814
Property, plant and equipment, net	134,897	135,050
Intangible assets, net	229,642	689,615
Other assets, net	41,121	67,299
Total assets	3,619,485	3,601,311
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable	6,151	10,428
Liabilities related to assets held-for-sale	20,291
Accrued liabilities	265,030	68,906
Current portion of long-term debt, net	153,827	(1,060)
Total current liabilities	445,299	78,274
Intercompany payables (receivables)	1,281,183	1,260,604
Long-term debt, net	911,003	1,014,113
Deferred income tax liabilities	22,001	154,011
Other long-term liabilities	273,864	301,805
Equity attributable to shareholders of Dole Food Company, Inc.	686,135	792,504
Total equity	686,135	792,504
Total liabilities and equity	3,619,485	3,601,311
Guarantor
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	3,587	1,813	2,714	2,118
Receivables, net of allowances	81,427	122,450
Inventories	116,383	309,391
Prepaid expenses and other assets	9,377	8,934
Deferred income tax assets		21,442
Assets held-for-sale	449,105	3,813
Total current assets	659,879	467,843
Investments	1,774,659	1,834,271
Property, plant and equipment, net	189,263	268,548
Goodwill	77,129	131,818
Intangible assets, net	(8,721)	7,331
Other assets, net	13,003	12,982
Total assets	2,705,212	2,722,793
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable	144,103	140,638
Liabilities related to assets held-for-sale	65,403
Accrued liabilities	96,995	166,166
Current portion of long-term debt, net		711
Total current liabilities	306,501	307,515
Intercompany payables (receivables)	(221,373)	(88,549)
Long-term debt, net	2,013	2,608
Deferred income tax liabilities	60,551
Other long-term liabilities	23,494	22,885
Equity attributable to shareholders of Dole Food Company, Inc.	2,534,026	2,478,334
Total equity	2,534,026	2,478,334
Total liabilities and equity	2,705,212	2,722,793
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	74,762	106,977	128,353	96,639
Restricted cash and deposits		6,230
Receivables, net of allowances	315,812	455,789
Inventories	123,098	511,156
Prepaid expenses and other assets	20,861	49,750
Deferred income tax assets	928	9,257
Assets held-for-sale	938,118	58,458
Total current assets	1,473,579	1,197,617
Investments	89,172	100,629
Property, plant and equipment, net	364,730	507,131
Goodwill	196,777	286,295
Intangible assets, net	40,394	35,067
Other assets, net	36,570	149,658
Total assets	2,201,222	2,276,397
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable	159,444	300,983
Liabilities related to assets held-for-sale	372,439	49,117
Accrued liabilities	173,114	306,658
Current portion of long-term debt, net	7,923	11,105
Notes payable	19,762	27,969
Total current liabilities	732,682	695,832
Intercompany payables (receivables)	(1,084,002)	(1,167,540)
Long-term debt, net	599,630	624,391
Deferred income tax liabilities	46,375	31,766
Other long-term liabilities	99,114	223,801
Equity attributable to shareholders of Dole Food Company, Inc.	1,781,032	1,842,230
Equity attributable to noncontrolling interests	26,391	25,917
Total equity	1,807,423	1,868,147
Total liabilities and equity	2,201,222	2,276,397
Eliminations
ASSETS
Deferred income tax assets	(5,102)	(4,515)
Total current assets	(5,102)	(4,515)
Investments	(4,297,626)	(4,320,564)
Other assets, net	6,580	(4,100)
Total assets	(4,296,148)	(4,329,179)
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable	3,702
Liabilities related to assets held-for-sale	(9,209)
Accrued liabilities	225
Total current liabilities	(5,282)
Intercompany payables (receivables)	24,192	(4,515)
Deferred income tax liabilities		(4,100)
Equity attributable to shareholders of Dole Food Company, Inc.	(4,315,058)	(4,320,564)
Total equity	(4,315,058)	(4,320,564)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (4,296,148)	$ (4,329,179)