Consolidated Statements of Equity (USD $) In Thousands		Total	TOTAL H.J. HEINZ COMPANY SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	PREFERRED STOCK	COMMON STOCK	ADDITIONAL CAPITAL		RETAINED EARNINGS		TREASURY STOCK		OTHER COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS)/INCOME		NONCONTROLLING INTEREST	COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Balance at beginning of year at Apr. 30, 2008				$ 72	$ 107,774	$ 617,811		$ 6,129,008		$ (4,905,755)		$ (61,090)		$ 65,727
Balance at beginning of year, shares at Apr. 30, 2008				7	431,096					(119,628)
Conversion of preferred into common stock				(2)		(95)				97
Conversion of preferred into common stock, shares										3
Stock options exercised, net of shares tendered for payment						98,736	[1]			178,559
Stock options exercised, net of shares tendered for payment, shares										6,179
Stock option expense						9,405
Restricted stock unit activity						(538)				15,026
Restricted stock unit activity, shares										485
Tax settlement	[2]					8,537
Other, net						4,061	[3]	(1,068)	[4]	11,662	[3]
Others, net, shares	[3]									374
Net income attributable to H. J. Heinz Company		923,072						923,072
Cash dividends:
Preferred (per share $1.70 per share in 2011, 2010 and 2009)								(12)
Common (per share $1.80, $1.68 and $1.66 in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively)								(525,281)
Shares reacquired										(181,431)
Shares reacquired, shares										(3,650)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interest		14,889												14,889
Net income		937,961													937,961
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Net pension and post-retirement benefit gains/(losses)												(301,347)		(464)	(301,811)
Reclassification of net pension and post-retirement benefit losses to net income												24,744			24,744
Unrealized translation adjustments												(944,439)		(8,110)	(952,549)
Net change in fair value of cash flow hedges												33,204		131	33,335
Net hedging losses/(gains) reclassified into earnings												(20,772)		(56)	(20,828)
Total comprehensive income/(loss)															(279,148)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest														(12,950)
Comprehensive income attributable to the noncontrolling interest															(6,390)
Comprehensive income attributable to H. J. Heinz Company															(285,538)
Balance at end of year at Apr. 29, 2009		1,279,105	1,219,938	70	107,774	737,917		6,525,719		(4,881,842)		(1,269,700)		59,167
Balance at end of year, shares at Apr. 29, 2009				7	431,096					(116,237)
Conversion of preferred into common stock						(29)				29
Conversion of preferred into common stock, shares										1
Stock options exercised, net of shares tendered for payment						(21,717)	[1]			94,315
Stock options exercised, net of shares tendered for payment, shares										2,038
Stock option expense						7,897
Restricted stock unit activity						(9,698)				21,864
Restricted stock unit activity, shares										470
Other, net						(2,565)	[3]	(1,026)	[4]	15,087	[3]
Others, net, shares	[3]									324
Net income attributable to H. J. Heinz Company		864,892						864,892
Cash dividends:
Preferred (per share $1.70 per share in 2011, 2010 and 2009)								(9)
Common (per share $1.80, $1.68 and $1.66 in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively)								(533,543)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interest		17,451												17,451
Net income		882,343													882,343
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Net pension and post-retirement benefit gains/(losses)												78,871		(1,266)	77,605
Reclassification of net pension and post-retirement benefit losses to net income												38,903			38,903
Unrealized translation adjustments												193,600		8,411	202,011
Net change in fair value of cash flow hedges												(32,488)		(788)	(33,276)
Net hedging losses/(gains) reclassified into earnings												13,431		254	13,685
Total comprehensive income/(loss)															1,181,271
Purchase of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interests	[5]					(54,209)						(2,198)		(5,467)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest														(20,611)
Comprehensive income attributable to the noncontrolling interest															(24,062)
Comprehensive income attributable to H. J. Heinz Company															1,157,209
Balance at end of year at Apr. 28, 2010		1,948,496	1,891,345	70	107,774	657,596		6,856,033		(4,750,547)		(979,581)		57,151
Balance at end of year, shares at Apr. 28, 2010				7	431,096					(113,404)
Authorized shares - April 27, 2011				7
Authorized shares - April 27, 2011					600,000
Conversion of preferred into common stock				(1)		(39)				40
Conversion of preferred into common stock, shares										1
Stock options exercised, net of shares tendered for payment						(26,482)	[1]			203,196
Stock options exercised, net of shares tendered for payment, shares										4,495
Stock option expense						9,447
Restricted stock unit activity						(8,119)				13,756
Restricted stock unit activity, shares										296
Other, net						(625)	[3]	(1,247)	[4]	10,196	[3]
Others, 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 2011, 2010 and 2009)								(12)
Common (per share $1.80, $1.68 and $1.66 in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively)								(579,606)
Shares reacquired										(70,003)
Shares reacquired, shares										(1,425)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interest		16,438												16,438
Net income		1,005,948													1,005,948
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Net pension and post-retirement benefit gains/(losses)												77,355		(57)	77,298
Reclassification of net pension and post-retirement benefit losses to net income												53,353			53,353
Unrealized translation adjustments												563,060		4,816	567,876
Net change in fair value of cash flow hedges												9,790		(395)	9,395
Net hedging losses/(gains) reclassified into earnings												(21,365)		571	(20,794)
Total comprehensive income/(loss)															1,693,076
Purchase of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interests	[5]					(2,411)						(2,176)		(1,750)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest														(3,270)
Comprehensive income attributable to the noncontrolling interest															(21,373)
Comprehensive income attributable to H. J. Heinz Company															1,671,703
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)	[6]	73,504
Balance at end of year, shares at Apr. 27, 2011				7	431,096					(109,819)
Balance at beginning of year at Jan. 26, 2011
Authorized shares - April 27, 2011					600,000
Net income attributable to H. J. Heinz Company		223,863
Balance at end of year at Apr. 27, 2011		$ 3,182,466	$ 3,108,962		$ 107,774
Balance at end of year, shares at Apr. 27, 2011					431,096

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

[2] See Note No. 6 for further details.

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

[4] Includes adoption of the measurement date provisions of accounting guidance for defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans and unpaid dividend equivalents on restricted stock units.

[5] See Note No. 4 for further details.

[6] Comprised of unrealized translation adjustment of $337,075, pension and post-retirement benefits net prior service cost of $(7,232) and net losses of $(619,708), and deferred net gains on derivative financial instruments of $(9,699).