Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets 2 (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 28, 2013	Apr. 29, 2012	Apr. 27, 2011
Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross	$ 837,256,000	$ 845,728,000
Accumulated Amortization	(403,008,000)	(382,367,000)
Net	434,248,000	463,361,000
Amortization expense for trademarks and other intangible assets	30,900,000	31,800,000	29,000,000
Future amortization expense for finite-lived intangible assets	31,000,000
Intangible assets not subject to amortization	981,300,000	1,035,300,000
Indefinite lived intangibles allocated to discontinued operations	14,600,000
Trademarks [Member]
Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross	282,350,000	282,937,000
Accumulated Amortization	(91,923,000)	(87,925,000)
Net	190,427,000	195,012,000
Intangible assets not subject to amortization	846,900,000	895,900,000
Licenses [Member]
Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross	208,186,000	208,186,000
Accumulated Amortization	(169,666,000)	(163,945,000)
Net	38,520,000	44,241,000
Intangible assets not subject to amortization	19,400,000	20,100,000
Recipes/processes [Member]
Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross	86,686,000	89,207,000
Accumulated Amortization	(37,907,000)	(35,811,000)
Net	48,779,000	53,396,000
Intangible assets not subject to amortization	115,000,000	119,300,000
Customer-related assets [Member]
Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross	209,428,000	216,755,000
Accumulated Amortization	(77,310,000)	(69,244,000)
Net	132,118,000	147,511,000
Other [Member]
Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross	50,606,000	48,643,000
Accumulated Amortization	(26,202,000)	(25,442,000)
Net	$ 24,404,000	$ 23,201,000