Acquisitions (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended				0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				3 Months Ended
	Jan. 27, 2013	Apr. 28, 2013	Apr. 29, 2012	Apr. 27, 2011	Apr. 01, 2011 Coniexpress S.A. Industrias Alimenticias [Member]	Apr. 01, 2011 Coniexpress S.A. Industrias Alimenticias [Member] Customer-related assets [Member]	Apr. 29, 2012 Foodstar Holding Pte [Member]	Nov. 02, 2010 Foodstar Holding Pte [Member]	Apr. 29, 2012 P.T. Heinz ABC Indonesia [Member]	Apr. 27, 2011 Heinz UFE Ltd [Member]	Apr. 01, 2011 Trademarks [Member] Coniexpress S.A. Industrias Alimenticias [Member]	Apr. 01, 2011 Rest of World [Member] Coniexpress S.A. Industrias Alimenticias [Member]	Jul. 29, 2012 Coniexpress Sa Industrias Alimenticias [Member]	Apr. 01, 2011 Coniexpress Sa Industrias Alimenticias [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownerhsip interest by Parent					80.00%				65.00%	79.00%
Cash paid for acquisition					$ 493,500,000			$ 165,400,000
Acquisition including acquired cash					10,600,000			30,000,000
Acquisition including short-term investment					60,100,000
Pre-tax cost incurred related to acquisition					11,300,000
Acquisition of remaining interest in subsidiary										21.00%				20.00%
Preliminary allocations of the purchase price resulted in goodwill								77,300,000				301,600,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets Other than Goodiwll					161,900,000
Business acquisition purchase price allocation intangible assets total excluding goodwill								70,700,000
Assets related to trademarks and recipes which are not subject to amortization								42,400,000			142,000,000
Business acquisition purchase price allocation intangible assets which are subject to amortization						19,900,000		28,300,000
Business acquisition purchase price allocation intangible assets which are subject to amortization, useful life						15 years	31 years
Estimate of the acquisition date fair value				44,500,000			44,500,000
Noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Purchase of Interests									10.00%				15.00%
Acquisition of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interests		(80,132,000)	(54,824,000)	(6,338,000)					(54,800,000)	(6,300,000)			(80,100,000)
Business aquisition contingent consideration cash payment		60,000,000
Business aquisition contingent consideration cash payment, operating activity		15,500,000
Earn-out settlement		44,547,000	0	0
Business combination contingent consideration arrangements, settlement charge	$ 12,100,000