Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $)	Apr. 04, 2015	Jan. 03, 2015
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 3,491,000	$ 9,938,000
Accounts receivable	128,277,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent	125,896,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent
Inventories	269,300,000us-gaap_InventoryNet	264,256,000us-gaap_InventoryNet
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	21,615,000	18,935,000
Current income taxes recoverable	2,497,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxesReceivable	2,233,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxesReceivable
Deferred income taxes	5,519,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent	8,107,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent
Assets, Current, Total	430,699,000us-gaap_AssetsCurrent	429,365,000us-gaap_AssetsCurrent
Property, Plant and Equipment	134,834,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	134,920,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Goodwill	45,500,000us-gaap_Goodwill	29,082,000us-gaap_Goodwill
Intangible Assets	51,698,000	40,640,000
Deferred income taxes	3,699,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetNoncurrent	2,061,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetNoncurrent
Other assets	4,942,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent	4,882,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent
Assets, Total	671,372,000us-gaap_Assets	640,950,000us-gaap_Assets
Current liabilities
Bank indebtedness	109,217,000us-gaap_ShortTermBorrowings	91,410,000us-gaap_ShortTermBorrowings
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	121,072,000	128,437,000
Customer and other deposits	8,313,000us-gaap_CustomerDepositsCurrent	4,127,000us-gaap_CustomerDepositsCurrent
Income taxes payable	1,603,000us-gaap_TaxesPayableCurrent	3,090,000us-gaap_TaxesPayableCurrent
Other current liabilities	2,163,000us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilitiesCurrent	3,087,000us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilitiesCurrent
Current portion of long-term debt	5,445,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent	5,927,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent
Current portion of long-term liabilities	4,816,000us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesCurrent	250,000us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesCurrent
Liabilities, Current, Total	252,629,000us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent	236,328,000us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent
Long-term debt	30,083,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent	33,928,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
Long-term liabilities	17,664,000us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent	1,962,000us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent
Deferred income taxes	13,973,000	15,404,000
Liabilities, Total	314,349,000us-gaap_Liabilities	287,622,000us-gaap_Liabilities
Sunopta Inc Shareholders Equity [Abstract]
Common shares, no par value, unlimited shares authorized, 67,726,536 shares issued and outstanding (January 3, 2015 - 67,073,944)	194,316,000us-gaap_CommonStockValueOutstanding	190,668,000us-gaap_CommonStockValueOutstanding
Additional paid in capital	22,352,000	22,490,000
Retained earnings	134,543,000	129,309,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income	(6,045,000)	(1,778,000)
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent, Total	345,166,000us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	340,689,000us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
Non-controlling interest	11,857,000us-gaap_MinorityInterest	12,639,000us-gaap_MinorityInterest
Total Equity	357,023,000	353,328,000
Liabilities and Equity, Total	671,372,000	640,950,000
Commitments and contingencies

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Sum of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and due within one year (or the operating cycle, if longer), including liabilities incurred (and for which invoices have typically been received) and payable to vendors for goods and services received, taxes, interest, rent and utilities, accrued salaries and bonuses, payroll taxes and fringe benefits.