CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 27, 2020	Dec. 29, 2019
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 547,624	$ 260,568
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	782	20,009
Trade accounts and other receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	741,992	741,281
Accounts receivable from related parties	1,084	944
Inventories	1,358,793	1,383,535
Income taxes receivable	69,397	60,204
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	183,039	131,695
Total current assets	2,902,711	2,598,236
Deferred tax assets	5,471	4,426
Other long-lived assets	24,780	36,325
Operating lease assets, net	288,886	301,513
Identified intangible assets, net	589,913	596,053
Goodwill	1,005,245	973,750
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,657,491	2,592,061
Total assets	7,474,497	7,102,364
Accounts payable	1,028,710	993,780
Accounts payable to related parties	9,650	3,819
Revenue contract liability	65,918	41,770
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	807,847	575,319
Income taxes payable	0	7,075
Current maturities of long-term debt	25,455	26,392
Total current liabilities	1,937,580	1,648,155
Noncurrent operating lease liability, less current maturities	217,432	235,382
Long-term debt, less current maturities	2,255,546	2,276,029
Noncurrent income taxes payable	0	7,731
Deferred tax liabilities	339,831	301,907
Other long-term liabilities	148,761	97,100
Total liabilities	4,899,150	4,566,304
Common stock, $.01 par value, 800,000,000 shares authorized; 261,184,998 and 261,119,064 shares issued at year-end 2020 and year-end 2019, respectively; 243,512,490 and 249,572,119 shares outstanding at year-end 2020 and year-end 2019, respectively	2,612	2,611
Treasury stock, at cost, 17,672,508 shares and 11,546,945 shares at year-end 2020 and year-end 2019, respectively	(345,134)	(234,892)
Additional paid-in capital	1,954,334	1,955,261
Retained earnings	972,569	877,812
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(20,620)	(75,129)
Total Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation stockholders’ equity	2,563,761	2,525,663
Noncontrolling interest	11,586	10,397
Total stockholders’ equity	2,575,347	2,536,060
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$ 7,474,497	$ 7,102,364