Consolidated Statements of Equity (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified		Total	Parent [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]		Retained Earnings [Member]		Treasury Stock [Member]		Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]		Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Balance at beginning of year at Apr. 28, 2010				$ 70	$ 107,774	$ 657,596		$ 6,856,033		$ (4,750,547)		$ (979,581)		$ 57,151
Balance at beginning of year, shares at Apr. 28, 2010				7	431,096					(113,404)
Conversion of preferred into common stock, shares				0						1
Conversion of preferred into common stock				(1)		(39)				40
Stock options exercised, net of shares tendered for payment, shares										4,495
Stock options exercised, net of shares tendered for payment						(26,482)	[1]			203,196
Stock option expense						9,447
Restricted stock unit activity, shares										296
Restricted stock unit activity						(8,119)				13,756
Purchase of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interests						(2,411)	[2]	0				(2,176)	[2]	(1,750)	[2]
Other, net						(625)	[3]	(1,247)	[4]	10,196	[3]
Other, net, shares	[3]									218
Net income attributable to H. J. Heinz Company		989,510						989,510
Cash dividends:
Preferred (per share $1.70 per share in 2013, 2012 and 2011)								(12)
Common (per share $1.92, $1.80, and $1.68 in 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively)								(579,606)
Shares reaquired, shares										(1,425)
Shares reacquired										(70,003)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interest		16,438												16,438
Net pension and post-retirement benefit (losses)/gains		77,298	77,355									77,355		(57)
Reclassification of net pension and postretirement benefit (gains)/losses to net income		53,353	53,353									53,353
Foreign currency translation adjustments		567,876	563,060									563,060		4,816
Net deferred gains/(losses) on derivatives from periodic revaluations		9,395	9,790									9,790		(395)
Net deferred losses/(gains) on derivatives reclassified to earnings		(20,794)	(21,365)									(21,365)		571
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest														(3,270)
Balance at end of year at Apr. 27, 2011		3,182,466	3,108,962	69	107,774	629,367		7,264,678		(4,593,362)		(299,564)		73,504
Balance at end of year, shares at Apr. 27, 2011				7	431,096					(109,819)
Conversion of preferred into common stock, shares				(1)						12
Conversion of preferred into common stock				(8)		(539)				547
Stock options exercised, net of shares tendered for payment, shares										2,298
Stock options exercised, net of shares tendered for payment						(15,220)	[1]			105,144
Stock option expense						10,864
Restricted stock unit activity, shares										303
Restricted stock unit activity						4,305				14,087
Purchase of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interests						(34,483)	[2]	0				(456)	[2]	(19,885)	[2]
Other, net						314	[3]	(1,455)	[4]	9,084	[3]
Other, net, shares	[3]									195
Net income attributable to H. J. Heinz Company		923,159						923,159
Cash dividends:
Preferred (per share $1.70 per share in 2013, 2012 and 2011)								(9)
Common (per share $1.92, $1.80, and $1.68 in 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively)								(619,095)
Shares reaquired, shares										(3,860)
Shares reacquired										(201,904)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interest		16,749												15,884
Net pension and post-retirement benefit (losses)/gains		(258,079)	(258,067)									(258,067)		(12)
Reclassification of net pension and postretirement benefit (gains)/losses to net income		56,813	56,813									56,813
Foreign currency translation adjustments		(377,491)	(359,771)									(359,771)		(5,945)
Net deferred gains/(losses) on derivatives from periodic revaluations		30,377	30,405									30,405		(28)
Net deferred losses/(gains) on derivatives reclassified to earnings		(13,811)	(14,088)									(14,088)		277
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest														(11,562)
Balance at end of year at Apr. 29, 2012		2,810,822	2,758,589	61	107,774	594,608		7,567,278		(4,666,404)		(844,728)		52,233
Balance at end of year, shares at Apr. 29, 2012				6	431,096					(110,871)
Conversion of preferred into common stock, shares				(6)						79
Conversion of preferred into common stock				(61)		(3,600)				3,661
Authorized shares - April 28, 2013				0
Authorized shares - April 28, 2013					600,000
Stock options exercised, net of shares tendered for payment, shares										2,802
Stock options exercised, net of shares tendered for payment						(7,204)	[1]			127,084
Stock option expense						10,088
Restricted stock unit activity, shares										443
Restricted stock unit activity						(5,837)				20,618
Purchase of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interests						18,956	[2]	(7,703)				(16,133)	[2]	0	[2]
Other, net						1,493	[3]	246	[4]	6,868	[3]
Other, net, shares	[3]									148
Net income attributable to H. J. Heinz Company		1,012,903						1,012,903
Cash dividends:
Preferred (per share $1.70 per share in 2013, 2012 and 2011)								(8)
Common (per share $1.92, $1.80, and $1.68 in 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively)								(665,683)
Shares reaquired, shares										(2,431)
Shares reacquired										(139,069)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interest		14,430												12,925
Net pension and post-retirement benefit (losses)/gains		(189,302)	(189,294)									(189,294)		(8)
Reclassification of net pension and postretirement benefit (gains)/losses to net income		54,833	54,833									54,833
Foreign currency translation adjustments		(228,980)	(213,259)									(197,126)		(5,232)
Net deferred gains/(losses) on derivatives from periodic revaluations		(11,743)	(11,736)									(11,736)		(7)
Net deferred losses/(gains) on derivatives reclassified to earnings		29,608	29,646									29,646		(38)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest														(12,583)
Balance at end of year at Apr. 28, 2013		2,848,821	2,801,531	0	107,774	608,504		7,907,033		(4,647,242)		(1,174,538)	[5]	47,290
Balance at end of year, shares at Apr. 28, 2013				0	431,096					(109,830)
Balance at beginning of year at Jan. 27, 2013
Authorized shares - April 28, 2013					600,000
Net income attributable to H. J. Heinz Company		195,886
Balance at end of year at Apr. 28, 2013		$ 2,848,821			$ 107,774
Balance at end of year, shares at Apr. 28, 2013					431,096

[1] Includes income tax benefit resulting from exercised stock options.

[2] See Note No. 5 for further details.

[3] Includes activity of the Global Stock Purchase Plan.

[4] Includes unpaid dividend equivalents on restricted stock units.

[5] Comprised of unrealized translation adjustment of $(236,411), pension and post-retirement benefits net prior service cost of $(10,077) and net losses of $(952,578), and deferred net losses on derivative financial instruments of $24,528.