Guarantor and Non-Guarantor Financial Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011
Condensed Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows
Net Cash (Used for) Provided by Operating Activities	$ 359,618	$ 59,934
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Business acquired, net of cash acquired	0	(362,846)
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(98,458)	(135,707)
Proceeds from divestiture	0	9,268
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	0	18,600
Proceeds from disposal of property, plant, and equipment	578	903
Other - net	5,852	(2,250)
Net Cash Used for Investing Activities	(92,028)	(472,032)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Proceeds from long-term debt - net	0	748,560
Quarterly dividends paid	(110,176)	(104,825)
Purchase of treasury shares	(175,302)	(44,592)
Proceeds from stock option exercises	760	518
Intercompany	0	0
Other - net	(7,564)	(5,101)
Net Cash (Used for) Provided by Financing Activities	(292,282)	594,560
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(1,461)	(6,019)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(26,153)	176,443
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	229,708	319,845
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	203,555	496,288
The J.M. Smucker Company (Parent) [Member]
Condensed Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows
Net Cash (Used for) Provided by Operating Activities	267	(11,177)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Business acquired, net of cash acquired		0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(17,400)	(31,087)
Proceeds from divestiture		0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities		18,600
Proceeds from disposal of property, plant, and equipment	0	26
Other - net	(9,498)	3
Net Cash Used for Investing Activities	(26,898)	(12,458)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Proceeds from long-term debt - net		748,560
Quarterly dividends paid	(110,176)	(104,825)
Purchase of treasury shares	(175,302)	(44,592)
Proceeds from stock option exercises	760	518
Intercompany	268,282	(399,329)
Other - net	2,436	(5,101)
Net Cash (Used for) Provided by Financing Activities	(14,000)	195,231
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(40,631)	171,596
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	108,281	206,845
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	67,650	378,441
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows
Net Cash (Used for) Provided by Operating Activities	71,593	53,363
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Business acquired, net of cash acquired		0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(46,048)	(68,215)
Proceeds from divestiture		0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities		0
Proceeds from disposal of property, plant, and equipment	57	158
Other - net	1,236	(1)
Net Cash Used for Investing Activities	(44,755)	(68,058)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Proceeds from long-term debt - net		0
Quarterly dividends paid	0	0
Purchase of treasury shares	0	0
Proceeds from stock option exercises	0	0
Intercompany	(26,838)	14,695
Other - net	0	0
Net Cash (Used for) Provided by Financing Activities	(26,838)	14,695
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	0	0
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows
Net Cash (Used for) Provided by Operating Activities	287,758	17,748
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Business acquired, net of cash acquired		(362,846)
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(35,010)	(36,405)
Proceeds from divestiture		9,268
Sales and maturities of marketable securities		0
Proceeds from disposal of property, plant, and equipment	521	719
Other - net	14,114	(2,252)
Net Cash Used for Investing Activities	(20,375)	(391,516)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Proceeds from long-term debt - net		0
Quarterly dividends paid	0	0
Purchase of treasury shares	0	0
Proceeds from stock option exercises	0	0
Intercompany	(241,444)	384,634
Other - net	(10,000)	0
Net Cash (Used for) Provided by Financing Activities	(251,444)	384,634
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(1,461)	(6,019)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	14,478	4,847
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	121,427	113,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	135,905	117,847
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows
Net Cash (Used for) Provided by Operating Activities	0	0
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Business acquired, net of cash acquired		0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0	0
Proceeds from divestiture		0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities		0
Proceeds from disposal of property, plant, and equipment	0	0
Other - net	0	0
Net Cash Used for Investing Activities	0	0
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Proceeds from long-term debt - net		0
Quarterly dividends paid	0	0
Purchase of treasury shares	0	0
Proceeds from stock option exercises	0	0
Intercompany	0	0
Other - net	0	0
Net Cash (Used for) Provided by Financing Activities	0	0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	$ 0	$ 0