Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jan. 02, 2016	Jan. 03, 2015
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 2,274	$ 7,768
Accounts receivable	117,412	106,970
Inventories	371,223	229,770
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	20,088	17,027
Current income taxes recoverable	21,728	1,373
Current assets held for sale	64,330	60,688
Assets, Current, Total	597,055	423,596
Property, Plant and Equipment	176,513	112,492
Goodwill	241,690	29,082
Intangible Assets	195,008	13,755
Deferred income taxes	958	7,830
Other assets	7,979	4,878
Non-current assets held for sale	0	49,317
Assets, Total	1,219,203	640,950
Current liabilities
Bank indebtedness	159,773	78,454
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	151,831	110,867
Customer and other deposits	5,322	4,127
Income taxes payable	1,720	3,090
Other current liabilities	1,521	3,087
Current portion of long-term debt	1,773	1,042
Current portion of long-term liabilities	5,243	0
Current liabilities held for sale	52,486	35,661
Liabilities, Current, Total	379,669	236,328
Long-term debt	321,222	3,539
Long-term liabilities	17,809	1,086
Deferred income taxes	74,324	11,669
Non-current liabilities held for sale	0	35,000
Liabilities, Total	793,024	287,622
Sunopta Inc Shareholders Equity [Abstract]
Common Stock	297,987	190,668
Additional paid in capital	22,327	22,490
Retained earnings	106,838	129,309
Accumulated other comprehensive income	(6,113)	(1,778)
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent, Total	421,039	340,689
Non-controlling interest	5,140	12,639
Total Equity	426,179	353,328
Liabilities and Equity, Total	$ 1,219,203	$ 640,950