Earnings Per Share (Table) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Oct. 03, 2015	Oct. 04, 2014	Oct. 03, 2015	Oct. 04, 2014
Earnings Per Share Abstract
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Attributable to Parent	$ 442	$ (617)	$ 7,859	$ 14,667
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	(128)	233	(262)	297
Earnings (loss) attributable to SunOpta Inc.	$ 314	$ (384)	$ 7,597	$ 14,964
Earnings Per Share, Basic, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic	69,180,603	66,918,863	68,198,611	66,763,931
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted	69,180,603	68,686,387	68,405,801	68,273,570
Earnings (loss) per share - basic
from continuing operations basic	$ 0.01	$ (0.01)	$ 0.12	$ 0.22
from discontinued operations basic	0	0	0	0
Earnings Per Share Total	0	(0.01)	0.11	0.22
Earnings (loss) per share - diluted
from continuing operations diluted	0.01	(0.01)	0.11	0.21
from discontinued operations diluted	0	0	0	0
Earnings Per Share Diluted Total	$ 0	$ (0.01)	$ 0.11	$ 0.21
Warrant [Member]
Earnings Per Share, Basic, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Including Options and Restrictive Stock Units	0	554,245	0	523,871
Options and RSU [Member]
Earnings Per Share, Basic, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share, Including Options and Restrictive Stock Units	0	1,213,279	207,190	985,768