Guarantor and Non-Guarantor Financial Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011
Condensed Statements of Consolidated Comprehensive Income
Net sales	$ 1,628,746	$ 1,513,905	$ 2,998,449	$ 2,702,788
Cost of products sold	1,086,835	1,015,236	1,986,765	1,773,035
Gross Profit	541,911	498,669	1,011,684	929,753
Selling, distribution, and administrative expenses, restructuring, merger and integration, and other special project costs	268,660	253,829	524,724	484,963
Amortization	24,203	20,559	48,394	40,794
Loss on divestiture and other operating (income) expense - net	1,506	12,667	499	11,679
Operating Income	247,542	211,614	438,067	392,317
Interest (expense) income - net	(23,888)	(19,124)	(47,492)	(34,244)
Other income (expense) - net	564	711	908	1,954
Equity in net earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income Before Income Taxes	224,218	193,201	391,483	360,027
Income taxes	75,371	65,954	131,773	121,257
Net Income	148,847	127,247	259,710	238,770
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	4,173	(22,313)	3,778	(33,480)
Comprehensive Income	153,020	104,934	263,488	205,290
The J.M. Smucker Company (Parent) [Member]
Condensed Statements of Consolidated Comprehensive Income
Net sales	1,186,795	1,181,087	2,186,989	2,098,196
Cost of products sold	1,046,546	1,034,958	1,937,200	1,815,543
Gross Profit	140,249	146,129	249,789	282,653
Selling, distribution, and administrative expenses, restructuring, merger and integration, and other special project costs	59,112	63,740	115,962	123,055
Amortization	2,935	1,381	5,869	2,678
Loss on divestiture and other operating (income) expense - net	(40)	(151)	(710)	(84)
Operating Income	78,242	81,159	128,668	157,004
Interest (expense) income - net	(24,112)	(19,344)	(47,931)	(34,718)
Other income (expense) - net	5,078	(102)	9,500	689
Equity in net earnings of subsidiaries	109,703	85,373	199,039	154,959
Income Before Income Taxes	168,911	147,086	289,276	277,934
Income taxes	20,064	19,839	29,566	39,164
Net Income	148,847	127,247	259,710	238,770
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	4,173	(22,313)	3,778	(33,480)
Comprehensive Income	153,020	104,934	263,488	205,290
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Statements of Consolidated Comprehensive Income
Net sales	358,358	435,912	676,494	783,400
Cost of products sold	330,201	398,999	620,954	717,294
Gross Profit	28,157	36,913	55,540	66,106
Selling, distribution, and administrative expenses, restructuring, merger and integration, and other special project costs	10,828	14,222	22,738	26,424
Amortization	0	0	0	0
Loss on divestiture and other operating (income) expense - net	(709)	746	(1,248)	248
Operating Income	18,038	21,945	34,050	39,434
Interest (expense) income - net	298	975	596	1,950
Other income (expense) - net	170	117	675	234
Equity in net earnings of subsidiaries	40,277	63,304	73,460	109,623
Income Before Income Taxes	58,783	86,341	108,781	151,241
Income taxes	101	325	202	648
Net Income	58,682	86,016	108,579	150,593
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(738)	(2,126)	1,603	(9,717)
Comprehensive Income	57,944	83,890	110,182	140,876
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Statements of Consolidated Comprehensive Income
Net sales	1,537,724	1,121,799	2,846,963	1,875,188
Cost of products sold	1,164,690	801,196	2,138,347	1,286,153
Gross Profit	373,034	320,603	708,616	589,035
Selling, distribution, and administrative expenses, restructuring, merger and integration, and other special project costs	198,720	175,867	386,024	335,484
Amortization	21,268	19,178	42,525	38,116
Loss on divestiture and other operating (income) expense - net	2,255	12,072	2,457	11,515
Operating Income	150,791	113,486	277,610	203,920
Interest (expense) income - net	(74)	(755)	(157)	(1,476)
Other income (expense) - net	(4,684)	696	(9,267)	1,031
Equity in net earnings of subsidiaries	18,205	22,059	34,719	39,667
Income Before Income Taxes	164,238	135,486	302,905	243,142
Income taxes	55,206	45,790	102,005	81,445
Net Income	109,032	89,696	200,900	161,697
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	2,124	(17,104)	(398)	(28,107)
Comprehensive Income	111,156	72,592	200,502	133,590
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Statements of Consolidated Comprehensive Income
Net sales	(1,454,131)	(1,224,893)	(2,711,997)	(2,053,996)
Cost of products sold	(1,454,602)	(1,219,917)	(2,709,736)	(2,045,955)
Gross Profit	471	(4,976)	(2,261)	(8,041)
Selling, distribution, and administrative expenses, restructuring, merger and integration, and other special project costs	0	0	0	0
Amortization	0	0	0	0
Loss on divestiture and other operating (income) expense - net	0	0	0	0
Operating Income	471	(4,976)	(2,261)	(8,041)
Interest (expense) income - net	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense) - net	0	0	0	0
Equity in net earnings of subsidiaries	(168,185)	(170,736)	(307,218)	(304,249)
Income Before Income Taxes	(167,714)	(175,712)	(309,479)	(312,290)
Income taxes	0	0	0	0
Net Income	(167,714)	(175,712)	(309,479)	(312,290)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(1,386)	19,230	(1,205)	37,824
Comprehensive Income	$ (169,100)	$ (156,482)	$ (310,684)	$ (274,466)