Subsequent Events	9 Months Ended
Oct. 03, 2015
Subsequent Events [Abstract]
Subsequent Events [Text Block]	16. Subsequent Events Sunrise Acquisition On October 9, 2015 (the “acquisition date”), the Company completed the Sunrise Acquisition for total consideration of approximately $452,000 in cash. In addition, the Company paid approximately $21,000 at closing to settle acquisition-related transaction costs incurred by Sunrise in connection with the Sunrise Acquisition. Sunrise is a processor of conventional and organic IQF fruit in the U.S. The Company financed the Sunrise Acquisition, including the settlement of the related acquisition costs incurred by Sunrise, through a combination of: (i) net proceeds of approximately $95,500 from the Equity Offering (see note 8); (ii) net borrowings of approximately $318,000 under the Loan Agreement (defined below); and (iii) borrowings of approximately $59,500 under its existing North American credit facilities. The Sunrise Acquisition will be accounted for as a business combination under the acquisition method of accounting. The Company will record the assets acquired and liabilities assumed at their fair values as of the acquisition date. Due to the limited time since the closing of the Sunrise Acquisition, the valuation activities and related acquisition accounting are incomplete at the time of the filing of these consolidated financial statements. As a result, the Company is unable to provide amounts recognized as of the acquisition date for major classes of assets and liabilities acquired, including goodwill. In addition, because the acquisition accounting is incomplete, the Company is unable to provide the supplemental pro forma revenue and earnings for the combined entity, as the pro forma adjustments are expected to primarily consist of estimates for the amortization of identifiable intangible assets acquired and related income tax effects, which will result from the purchase price allocation and determination of the fair values for the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. Loan Agreement On October 9, 2015 (the “funding date”), SunOpta Foods Inc. (the “Borrower”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, the Company and certain subsidiaries of the Company, as guarantors (together with the Company, the “Guarantors”), entered into a Second Lien Loan Agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) with a group of lenders, pursuant to which the Company borrowed an aggregate principal amount of $330,000 of term loans. The proceeds of the Loan Agreement, net of related financing costs, were used to partially fund the Sunrise Acquisition as described above. The Loan Agreement is guaranteed by the Company and all of its subsidiaries that guarantee its North American credit facilities, and is secured on a second-priority basis by security interests on all of the Borrower’s and Guarantors’ assets that secure the Company’s North American credit facilities. The term loans made under the Loan Agreement on the funding date (the “Initial Loans”) mature on the first anniversary of the funding date. If any Initial Loans remain outstanding on the first anniversary of the funding date (the “Interim Loan Conversion Date”) and no bankruptcy event of default then exists, all Initial Loans then outstanding automatically convert into term loans (such converted loans, the “Term Loans”), which would mature on the seventh anniversary of the funding date (the “Maturity Date”). At the Company’s election, interest on the Initial Loans is initially determined by reference to either: (i) LIBOR (subject to a 1.0% per annum floor) plus an applicable margin of 6.0% per annum; or (ii) an alternate base rate specified in the Loan Agreement plus an applicable margin of 5.0%. The applicable margin increases by 0.50% at the end of each three-month period after the funding date until the Interim Loan Conversion Date. In each case, the Initial Loans carry a maximum interest rate of 9.5% per annum, and any Term Loans will bear interest at 9.5% per annum. After the Interim Loan Conversion Date, the lenders also have the right to exchange their Term Loans for notes in a corresponding principal amount which would mature on the Maturity Date. The Initial Loans may be voluntarily prepaid at par at any time prior to the Interim Loan Conversion Date and must be prepaid at par upon the incurrence of certain indebtedness, the issuance of certain types of equity and the sale of certain assets. The Loan Agreement contains certain customary representations and warranties, customary covenants that restrict the Company’s and its restricted subsidiaries’ ability to, among other things: incur, assume or permit to exist additional indebtedness (including guarantees thereof); pay dividends or certain other distributions on capital stock or repurchase capital stock or prepay certain indebtedness; incur liens on certain assets; make certain investments; permit certain restrictions on the ability of the restricted subsidiaries to pay dividends or make other payments to the Borrower and Guarantors; engage in transactions with affiliates; and sell certain assets or merge or consolidate with or into other companies.

Sunrise Acquisition

On October 9, 2015 (the “acquisition date”), the Company completed the Sunrise Acquisition for total consideration of approximately $452,000 in cash. In addition, the Company paid approximately $21,000 at closing to settle acquisition-related transaction costs incurred by Sunrise in connection with the Sunrise Acquisition. Sunrise is a processor of conventional and organic IQF fruit in the U.S. The Company financed the Sunrise Acquisition, including the settlement of the related acquisition costs incurred by Sunrise, through a combination of: (i) net proceeds of approximately $95,500 from the Equity Offering (see note 8); (ii) net borrowings of approximately $318,000 under the Loan Agreement (defined below); and (iii) borrowings of approximately $59,500 under its existing North American credit facilities.

The Sunrise Acquisition will be accounted for as a business combination under the acquisition method of accounting. The Company will record the assets acquired and liabilities assumed at their fair values as of the acquisition date. Due to the limited time since the closing of the Sunrise Acquisition, the valuation activities and related acquisition accounting are incomplete at the time of the filing of these consolidated financial statements. As a result, the Company is unable to provide amounts recognized as of the acquisition date for major classes of assets and liabilities acquired, including goodwill. In addition, because the acquisition accounting is incomplete, the Company is unable to provide the supplemental pro forma revenue and earnings for the combined entity, as the pro forma adjustments are expected to primarily consist of estimates for the amortization of identifiable intangible assets acquired and related income tax effects, which will result from the purchase price allocation and determination of the fair values for the assets acquired and liabilities assumed.

Loan Agreement

On October 9, 2015 (the “funding date”), SunOpta Foods Inc. (the “Borrower”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, the Company and certain subsidiaries of the Company, as guarantors (together with the Company, the “Guarantors”), entered into a Second Lien Loan Agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) with a group of lenders, pursuant to which the Company borrowed an aggregate principal amount of $330,000 of term loans. The proceeds of the Loan Agreement, net of related financing costs, were used to partially fund the Sunrise Acquisition as described above. The Loan Agreement is guaranteed by the Company and all of its subsidiaries that guarantee its North American credit facilities, and is secured on a second-priority basis by security interests on all of the Borrower’s and Guarantors’ assets that secure the Company’s North American credit facilities.

The term loans made under the Loan Agreement on the funding date (the “Initial Loans”) mature on the first anniversary of the funding date. If any Initial Loans remain outstanding on the first anniversary of the funding date (the “Interim Loan Conversion Date”) and no bankruptcy event of default then exists, all Initial Loans then outstanding automatically convert into term loans (such converted loans, the “Term Loans”), which would mature on the seventh anniversary of the funding date (the “Maturity Date”). At the Company’s election, interest on the Initial Loans is initially determined by reference to either: (i) LIBOR (subject to a 1.0% per annum floor) plus an applicable margin of 6.0% per annum; or (ii) an alternate base rate specified in the Loan Agreement plus an applicable margin of 5.0%. The applicable margin increases by 0.50% at the end of each three-month period after the funding date until the Interim Loan Conversion Date. In each case, the Initial Loans carry a maximum interest rate of 9.5% per annum, and any Term Loans will bear interest at 9.5% per annum. After the Interim Loan Conversion Date, the lenders also have the right to exchange their Term Loans for notes in a corresponding principal amount which would mature on the Maturity Date.

The Initial Loans may be voluntarily prepaid at par at any time prior to the Interim Loan Conversion Date and must be prepaid at par upon the incurrence of certain indebtedness, the issuance of certain types of equity and the sale of certain assets.

The Loan Agreement contains certain customary representations and warranties, customary covenants that restrict the Company’s and its restricted subsidiaries’ ability to, among other things: incur, assume or permit to exist additional indebtedness (including guarantees thereof); pay dividends or certain other distributions on capital stock or repurchase capital stock or prepay certain indebtedness; incur liens on certain assets; make certain investments; permit certain restrictions on the ability of the restricted subsidiaries to pay dividends or make other payments to the Borrower and Guarantors; engage in transactions with affiliates; and sell certain assets or merge or consolidate with or into other companies.