Debt - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities— continuing operations	$ 48,071	$ (258,628)
Net cash provided by operating activities — discontinued operations	0	14,174
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	48,071	(244,454)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Payments for property, plant and equipment	(89,486)	(90,387)
Proceeds from sale of fixed assets	18,688	8,526
Net cash used in investing activities-continuing operations	(70,798)	(81,861)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities — discontinued operations	0	1,403,494
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(70,798)	1,321,633
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayments of debt	(498)	(1,027,196)
Proceeds from senior secured revolver	1,865,745	696,000
Payments for senior secured revolver	(1,868,035)	(961,000)
Proceeds from receivables-backed facility	1,836,000	478,000
Payments for receivables-backed facility	(1,754,000)	(478,000)
Proceeds from short-term credit facility	0	626,750
Payments for short-term credit facility	0	(37,521)
Common stock repurchase	(25,000)	0
Cash dividends paid	(19,654)	0
Payment of financing costs	(3,233)	(6,197)
Issuance of common stock, net of share repurchases for withholding taxes	5,296	17,638
Tax savings on share-based compensation	332	2,139
Net change in intercompany balances	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities-continuing operations	36,953	(689,387)
Net cash used in financing activities — discontinued operations	0	(51,584)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	36,953	(740,971)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(607)	(216)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	13,619	335,992
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	16,762	24,657
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	30,381	360,649
Dean Foods Company
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities— continuing operations		(417,208)
Net cash provided by operating activities — discontinued operations		0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(39,062)	(417,208)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Payments for property, plant and equipment	0	0
Proceeds from sale of fixed assets	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities-continuing operations		0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities — discontinued operations		1,441,322
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	1,441,322
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayments of debt	0	(1,027,196)
Proceeds from senior secured revolver	1,865,745	696,000
Payments for senior secured revolver	(1,868,035)	(961,000)
Proceeds from receivables-backed facility	0	0
Payments for receivables-backed facility	0	0
Proceeds from short-term credit facility		626,750
Payments for short-term credit facility		(37,521)
Common stock repurchase	(25,000)
Cash dividends paid	(19,654)
Payment of financing costs	(1,544)	(6,197)
Issuance of common stock, net of share repurchases for withholding taxes	5,296	17,638
Tax savings on share-based compensation	332	2,139
Net change in intercompany balances	108,137	(2,610)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities-continuing operations		(691,997)
Net cash used in financing activities — discontinued operations		0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	65,277	(691,997)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	26,215	332,117
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	(12,289)	15,242
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	13,926	347,359
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities— continuing operations		53,877
Net cash provided by operating activities — discontinued operations		0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	113,069	53,877
Cash flows from investing activities:
Payments for property, plant and equipment	(89,486)	(90,387)
Proceeds from sale of fixed assets	18,688	8,526
Net cash used in investing activities-continuing operations		(81,861)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities — discontinued operations		0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(70,798)	(81,861)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayments of debt	(498)	0
Proceeds from senior secured revolver	0	0
Payments for senior secured revolver	0	0
Proceeds from receivables-backed facility	0	0
Payments for receivables-backed facility	0	0
Proceeds from short-term credit facility		0
Payments for short-term credit facility		0
Common stock repurchase	0
Cash dividends paid	0
Payment of financing costs	0	0
Issuance of common stock, net of share repurchases for withholding taxes	0	0
Tax savings on share-based compensation	0	0
Net change in intercompany balances	(53,579)	30,661
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities-continuing operations		30,661
Net cash used in financing activities — discontinued operations		0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(54,077)	30,661
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	(11,806)	2,677
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	17,433	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	5,627	2,677
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities— continuing operations		104,703
Net cash provided by operating activities — discontinued operations		14,174
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(25,936)	118,877
Cash flows from investing activities:
Payments for property, plant and equipment	0	0
Proceeds from sale of fixed assets	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities-continuing operations		0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities — discontinued operations		(37,828)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	(37,828)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayments of debt	0	0
Proceeds from senior secured revolver	0	0
Payments for senior secured revolver	0	0
Proceeds from receivables-backed facility	1,836,000	478,000
Payments for receivables-backed facility	(1,754,000)	(478,000)
Proceeds from short-term credit facility		0
Payments for short-term credit facility		0
Common stock repurchase	0
Cash dividends paid	0
Payment of financing costs	(1,689)	0
Issuance of common stock, net of share repurchases for withholding taxes	0	0
Tax savings on share-based compensation	0	0
Net change in intercompany balances	(54,558)	(28,051)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities-continuing operations		(28,051)
Net cash used in financing activities — discontinued operations		(51,584)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	25,753	(79,635)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(607)	(216)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	(790)	1,198
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	11,618	9,415
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 10,828	$ 10,613