| Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment [Table Text Block] |
| Quarter ended | | | | | | September 28, 2013 | | | | | | SunOpta | Opta | Corporate | | | | | | | Foods | Minerals | Services | Consolidated | | | | | | $ | $ | $ | $ | | External revenues by market: | | | | | | | U.S. | 215,314 | 20,236 | - | 235,550 | | | Canada | 9,167 | 6,648 | - | 15,815 | | | Europe and other | 43,315 | 8,043 | - | 51,358 | | Total revenues from external customers | 267,796 | 34,927 | - | 302,723 | | | | | | | | | | | Segment operating income (loss) | 10,430 | 1,704 | (2,298) | 9,836 | | | | | | | | | | | Other expense, net | | | | 787 | | Goodwill impairment | | | | 3,552 | | Interest expense, net | | | | 1,957 | | Provision for income taxes | | | | 1,343 | | Earnings from continuing operations | | | | 2,197 |
| Quarter ended | | | | | | September 28, 2013 | | | | | | Grains and | | Consumer | International | | | | | | | Foods | Ingredients | Products | Foods | SunOpta | | | | | | Group | Group | Group | Group | Foods | | | | | | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | | External revenues by market: | | | | | | | | U.S. | 124,968 | 22,042 | 46,945 | 21,359 | 215,314 | | | Canada | 4,611 | 1,198 | 1,811 | 1,547 | 9,167 | | | Europe and other | 13,472 | 722 | 562 | 28,559 | 43,315 | | Total revenues from external customers | 143,051 | 23,962 | 49,318 | 51,465 | 267,796 | | | | | | | | | | | | Segment operating income | 7,227 | 1,649 | 628 | 926 | 10,430 |
| Quarter ended | | | | | | September 29, 2012 | | | | | | SunOpta | Opta | Corporate | | | | | | | Foods | Minerals | Services | Consolidated | | | | | | $ | $ | $ | $ | | External revenues by market: | | | | | | | U.S. | 201,878 | 20,003 | - | 221,881 | | | Canada | 6,294 | 7,999 | - | 14,293 | | | Europe and other | 38,187 | 4,978 | - | 43,165 | | Total revenues from external customers | 246,359 | 32,980 | - | 279,339 | | | | | | | | | | | Segment operating income (loss) | 10,835 | 3,280 | (1,424) | 12,691 | | | | | | | | | | | Other expense, net | | | | 264 | | Interest expense, net | | | | 2,339 | | Provision for income taxes | | | | 3,947 | | Earnings from continuing operations | | | | 6,141 |
| Quarter ended | | | | | | September 29, 2012 | | | | | | Grains and | | Consumer | International | | | | | | | Foods | Ingredients | Products | Foods | SunOpta | | | | | | Group | Group | Group | Group | Foods | | | | | | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | | External revenues by market: | | | | | | | | U.S. | 123,661 | 18,268 | 41,310 | 18,639 | 201,878 | | | Canada | 2,997 | 1,149 | 195 | 1,953 | 6,294 | | | Europe and other | 13,259 | 856 | 131 | 23,941 | 38,187 | | Total revenues from external customers | 139,917 | 20,273 | 41,636 | 44,533 | 246,359 | | | | | | | | | | | | Segment operating income (loss) | 8,780 | 878 | (544) | 1,721 | 10,835 |
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| Three quarters ended | | | | | | September 28, 2013 | | | | | | SunOpta | Opta | Corporate | | | | | | | Foods | Minerals | Services | Consolidated | | | | | | $ | $ | $ | $ | | External revenues by market: | | | | | | | U.S. | 622,629 | 61,538 | - | 684,167 | | | Canada | 28,013 | 20,103 | - | 48,116 | | | Europe and other | 137,462 | 26,973 | - | 164,435 | | Total revenues from external customers | 788,104 | 108,614 | - | 896,718 | | | | | | | | | | | Segment operating income (loss) | 34,338 | 5,070 | (5,596) | 33,812 | | | | | | | | | | | Other expense, net | | | | 1,799 | | Goodwill impairment | | | | 3,552 | | Interest expense, net | | | | 5,885 | | Impairment loss on investment | | | | 21,495 | | Provision for income taxes | | | | 8,576 | | Loss from continuing operations | | | | (7,495) |
| Three quarters ended | | September 28, 2013 | | | | | | Grains and | | Consumer | International | | | | | | | Foods | Ingredients | Products | Foods | SunOpta | | | | | | Group | Group | Group | Group | Foods | | | | | | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | | External revenues by market: | | | | | | | | U.S. | 354,135 | 61,243 | 143,991 | 63,260 | 622,629 | | | Canada | 14,316 | 3,641 | 4,622 | 5,434 | 28,013 | | | Europe and other | 50,004 | 2,574 | 981 | 83,903 | 137,462 | | Total revenues from external customers | 418,455 | 67,458 | 149,594 | 152,597 | 788,104 | | | | | | | | | | | | Segment operating income | 24,251 | 3,601 | 2,508 | 3,978 | 34,338 |
| Three quarters ended | | September 29, 2012 | | | | | | SunOpta | Opta | Corporate | | | | | | | Foods | Minerals | Services | Consolidated | | | | | | $ | $ | $ | $ | | External revenues by market: | | | | | | | U.S. | 585,642 | 56,637 | - | 642,279 | | | Canada | 24,393 | 22,764 | - | 47,157 | | | Europe and other | 118,414 | 13,125 | - | 131,539 | | Total revenues from external customers | 728,449 | 92,526 | - | 820,975 | | | | | | | | | | | Segment operating income (loss) | 36,423 | 8,178 | (4,781) | 39,820 | | | | | | | | | | | Other expense, net | | | | 2,006 | | Interest expense, net | | | | 7,480 | | Provision for income taxes | | | | 10,302 | | Earnings from continuing operations | | | | 20,032 |
| Three quarters ended | | September 29, 2012 | | | | | | Grains and | | Consumer | International | | | | | | | Foods | Ingredients | Products | Foods | SunOpta | | | | | | Group | Group | Group | Group | Foods | | | | | | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | | External revenues by market: | | | | | | | | U.S. | 346,507 | 55,804 | 133,246 | 50,085 | 585,642 | | | Canada | 12,238 | 4,049 | 1,311 | 6,795 | 24,393 | | | Europe and other | 38,351 | 2,555 | 1,322 | 76,186 | 118,414 | | Total revenues from external customers | 397,096 | 62,408 | 135,879 | 133,066 | 728,449 | | | | | | | | | | | | Segment operating income (loss) | 27,662 | 2,946 | (549) | 6,364 | 36,423 |
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