Sale of Soy and Corn Business (Narrative) (Details) - Sunopta Grains And Foods Inc [Member] - USD ($) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Feb. 22, 2019	Jun. 29, 2019
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of business	$ 66.5
Other income		$ 45.4
Revenue	10.3
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	$ (0.2)

Amount before tax of gain (loss) not previously recognized resulting from the disposal of a discontinued operation.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 205
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222650&loc=d3e1361-107760

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 205
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222160&loc=d3e957-107759

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 205
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222160&loc=SL51721525-107759

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossFromDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationBeforeIncomeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of operating income (loss) attributable to disposal group, including, but not limited to, discontinued operation.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationOperatingIncomeLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of revenue attributable to disposal group, including, but not limited to, discontinued operation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 205
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5B
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222650&loc=SL51721673-107760

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 205
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222650&loc=SL51721683-107760

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow associated with the amount received from the sale of a business segment or subsidiary or sale of an entity that is related to it but not strictly controlled during the period (for example, an unconsolidated subsidiary, affiliate, joint venture or equity method investment).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinessesAndInterestsInAffiliates
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=stkl_SunoptaGrainsAndFoodsIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: