Statement of Earnings - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 02, 2016	Jan. 03, 2015	Dec. 28, 2013
Consolidated Statements of Operations
Revenues	$ 1,145,134	$ 1,102,745	$ 998,660
Cost of goods sold	1,034,772	980,640	896,862
Gross profit	110,362	122,105	101,798
Selling, general and administrative expenses	85,754	80,365	69,033
Intangible asset amortization	4,951	2,036	2,182
Other expense (income), net	12,151	(2,220)	5,455
Foreign exchange (gain) loss	(1,641)	(1,993)	(423)
Earnings from continuing operations before the following	9,147	43,917	25,551
Interest Expense	15,669	3,943	4,216
Cost-method Investments, Other than Temporary Impairment	0	8,441	21,495
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	(6,522)	31,533	(160)
Provision for income taxes	(3,390)	12,043	8,423
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	(3,132)	19,490	(8,583)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Abstract]
Loss from discontinued operations	(17,377)	(15,993)	(1,284)
Loss on classification as held for sale	(10,515)	0	0
Gain (Loss) on sale of discontinued operations	0	2,888	0
Recovery of (provision for) income taxes	(402)	2,000	853
Loss from discontinued operations attributable to non-controlling interests	8,819	4,911	303
Income (Loss) from discontinued operations attributable to SunOpta Inc.	(19,475)	(6,194)	(128)
Earnings (loss)	(22,607)	13,296	(8,711)
Earnings (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests	(136)	195	(187)
Earnings (loss) attributable to SunOpta Inc.	$ (22,471)	$ 13,101	$ (8,524)
Earnings (loss) per share - basic
from continuing operations	$ (0.04)	$ 0.29	$ (0.13)
from discontinued operations	(0.27)	(0.09)	0
Earnings (loss) Per Share Total	(0.31)	0.2	(0.13)
Earnings (loss) per share - diluted
from continuing operations	(0.04)	0.28	(0.13)
from discontinued operations	(0.27)	(0.09)	0
Earnings (loss) Per Share Diluted Total	$ (0.31)	$ 0.19	$ (0.13)