Income Per Common Share (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Oct. 26, 2011		Oct. 27, 2010		Oct. 26, 2011		Oct. 27, 2010
Earnings Per Share Reconciliation
Income attributable to H.J. Heinz Company	$ 237,009		$ 251,435		$ 463,123		$ 491,862
Allocation to participating securities	428	[1]	767	[1]	788	[1]	953	[1]
Preferred dividends	2		3		5		6
Income from continuing operations applicable to common stock	$ 236,579		$ 250,665		$ 462,330		$ 490,903
Average common shares outstanding-basic	320,876,000		319,467,000		321,158,000		318,825,000
Effect of dilutive securities:
Convertible preferred stock	100,000		104,000		97,000		104,000
Stock options, restricted stock and the global stock purchase plan	2,585,000		2,894,000		2,655,000		2,859,000
Average common shares outstanding-diluted	323,561,000		322,465,000		323,910,000		321,788,000
Income Per Common Share (Textuals) [Abstract]
Anti-dilutive stock options	600,000				2,200,000

[1] Represents unvested share-based payment awards that contain certain non-forfeitable rights to dividends or dividend equivalents (whether paid or unpaid).