Earnings Per Share (Table) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 02, 2016	Jul. 04, 2015	Jul. 02, 2016	Jul. 04, 2015
Earnings Per Share Abstract
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Attributable to Parent	$ (4,124)	$ 4,796	$ (13,787)	$ 10,750
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Attributable to SunOpta Inc	0	(2,747)	(570)	(3,467)
Earnings (loss) attributable to SunOpta Inc.	$ (4,124)	$ 2,049	$ (14,357)	$ 7,283
Earnings Per Share, Basic, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic	85,540,722	67,895,257	85,483,333	67,725,800
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted	85,557,026	68,225,780	85,500,621	68,046,880
Earnings (loss) per share - basic
from continuing operations basic	$ (0.05)	$ 0.07	$ (0.16)	$ 0.16
from discontinued operations basic	0	(0.04)	(0.01)	(0.05)
Earnings Per Share Total	(0.05)	0.03	(0.17)	0.11
Earnings (loss) per share - diluted
from continuing operations diluted	(0.05)	0.07	(0.16)	0.16
from discontinued operations diluted	0	(0.04)	(0.01)	(0.05)
Earnings Per Share Diluted Total	$ (0.05)	$ 0.03	$ (0.17)	$ 0.11
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	0	0	0
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	16,304	330,523	17,288	321,080