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Description of business and significant accounting policies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 28, 2013
Basis Of Presentation Fiscal Year End And New Accounting Pronouncements Disclosure [Abstract] |
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements Disclosure Text Block | 1. Description of B usiness and S ignificant A ccounting P olicies SunOpta Inc. (the “Company” or “SunOpta”) was incorporated under the laws of Canada on November 13, 1973. The Company operates businesses focused on a healthy products portfolio that promotes sustainable well-being. The Company operates in two industry segments, the largest being SunOpta Foods, which consists of three reportable segments—Global Sourcing and Supply, Value Added Ingredients, and Consumer Products—that operate in the natural, organic and specialty food sectors and utilizes a number of integrated business models to bring cost-effective and quality products to market. In addition to SunOpta Foods, the Company own ed approximatel y 66% of Opta Minerals Inc. (“Opta Minerals”) as at December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012, on a non-dilutive basis.Opta Mineralsis a vertically integrated provider of custom process s olutions and industrial mineral products for use primarily in the steel, foundry, loose abrasive cleaning, and municipal water filtration industries. As at December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012, t he Company also had a n approximat e 19% equity ownership position in Mascoma Corporation (“Mascoma”), on a non-dilutive basis. Mascoma is an innovative biofuels company. Basis of P resentation These consolidated financial statements have been prepared by the Company in United States (“U.S.”)dollarsand in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”). The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and those of its wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries, including Opta Minerals. In addition, the accounts of all variable interest entities (“VIEs”) for which the Company has been determined to be the primary beneficiary are included in these consolidated financial statements. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated on consolidation. The Company's investment in Mascoma is being accounted for under the cost method of accounting, as the Company does not have the ability to exercise significant influence over the operating and financial policies of Mascoma. Fiscal Y ear-E nd T he fiscal year of the Company consists of a 52- or 53-week period end ing on the Saturday closest to December 31. Fiscal years 2013, 2012 and 2011 were each 52-week periods ending on December 28, 2013, December 29, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively.F iscal year 2014 will be a 53-week period ending on January 3, 2015, with quarterly periods ending on April 5, July 5 and October 4, 2014. The fiscal year of Opta Minerals ends on December 31, with its quarterly periods end ing on March 31, June 30 and September 30. Use of Es timates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Areas involving significant estimates and assumptions include: inventory valuation reserves; income tax liabilities and assets, and related valuation allowances;provisions for loss contingencies related to claims and litigation; allocation of the purchase price of acquired businesses; fair value of contingent consideration liabilities; useful lives of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets; e xpected future cash flows used in evaluating intangible assets for impairment; evaluating recoverability of investments; and reporting unit fair values in testing goodwill for impairment. The estimates and assumptions made require judgment on the part of management and are based on the Company's historical experience and various other factors that are believed to be reasonable in the circumstances. Management continually evaluates the information that forms the basis of its estimates and assumptions as the business of the Company and the general business environment changes. Business A cquisitions Acquired businesses are accounted for using the acquisition method of accounting, which requires that assets acquired and liabilitiesassumed be recorded at fair value, with limited exceptions. Any excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net assetsacquired is recorded as goodwill. Acquisition-related transaction costs are accounted for as an expense in the period in which the costs are incurred. Contingent consideration is measured at fair value and recognized as part of the consideration transferred in exchange for the acquired businesses. Contingent consideration liabilities are remeasured to fair value at each reporting date with the changes in fair value recognized in other expense (income) on the consolidated statements of operations. Variable I nterest E ntities The Company consolidates the financial results of VIEs in which it holds a controlling financial interest. The Company perform s a qualitative analysis to determine whether it holds a controlling financial interest (i.e., is the primary beneficiary) in the VIE. The analysis identifies the primary beneficiary of a VIE as the entity that has both the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIE and the obligation to absorb losses, or the right to receive benefits, that could potentially be significant to the VIE. Financial I nstruments The Company's financial instruments recognized in the consolidated balance sheets and included in working capital consist of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, inventories carried at market, derivative instruments, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, and customer and other deposits. The fair values of these instruments approximate their carrying values due to their short-term maturities. The fair values of long-term debt and long-term liabilities as at December 28, 2013 are considered not to be materially different from the carrying amounts. The Company's financial instruments exposed to credit risk include cash equivalents and accounts receivable. The Company places its cash and cash equivalents with institutions of high creditworthiness. The Company's trade accounts receivable are not subject to a high concentration of credit risk. The Company routinely assesses the financial strength of its customers and believes that its accounts receivable credit risk exposure is limited. The Company maintains an allowance for losses based on the expected collectibility of the accounts receivable. Fair V alue M easurements The Company has various financial assets and liabilitiesthat are measure d at fair value on a recurring basis, including certain inventories and derivatives, as well as contingent consideration. The Company also appl ies the provisions of fair value measurement to various non-recurring measurements for financial and non-financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (i.e., an exit price). Fair value measurements are estimated based on inputs categorized as follows: Level 1 inputs include q uoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that are observable. Level 2 inputs include qu oted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active; inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability; and inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means. Level 3 includes unobservable inputs that reflect the Company's own assumptions about what factors market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. When measuring fair value, the Company maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs. Foreign C urrency T ranslation The assets and liabilities of the Company's operations having a functional currency other than the U.S. dollar are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate prevailing at the balance sheet date, and at the average rate for the reporting period for revenue and expense items. The cumulative currency translation adjustment is recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income in shareholders' equity. Exchange g ains and losses arising from foreign currency transactions are included in earnings. Cash and C ash E quivalents Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash and short-term deposits with an original maturity of 90 days or less. Certain cash and cash equivalents can only be used by subsidiaries and are consolidated for financial reporting purposes due to the Company's ownership (see note 16). Accounts R eceivable Accounts receivable comprise t rade receivables that are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. The allowance for doubtful accounts is an estimate of the amount of probable credit losses in existing accounts receivable. Account balances are charged off against the allowance when the Company believes it is probable the receivable will not be recovered. As at December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012, no customer's balance represented 10% or more of the Company's consolidated trade receivables balance. Inventories Inventories (excluding commodity grains) are valued at the lower of cost and market. Cost is principally determined on a weighted-average cost basis. Shipping and handling costs are included in cost of goods sold on the consolidated statements of operations. Inventories of commodity grains, which include amounts acquired under deferred pricing contracts traded on the Chicago Board of Trade (“CBoT”), are valued at market. Grain inventory quantities at year-end are multiplied by the quoted price on the CBoT to reflect the market value of the inventory. This market value is then adjusted for a basis factor that represents differences in local markets, and broker and dealer quotes to arrive at market. Changes in CBoT prices or the basis factor are included in cost of goods sold on the consolidated statements of operati ons and comprehensive earnings. SunOpta Foods economically hedges its commodity grain positions to protect gains and minimize losses due to market fluctuations. Futures contracts and purchase and sale contracts are adjusted to market price and resulting gains and losses from these transactions are included in cost of goods sold. As t he Company has a risk of loss from hedge activity if the grower does not deliver the grain as scheduled, t hese transactions do not qualify as hedges under U.S. GAAP and, therefore, changes in market value are recorded in cost of goods sold on the consolidated statements of operations. Prepaid E xpenses and Ot her C urrent A ssets Prepaid expenses and other current assets include amounts paid in cash and recorded by the Company as a current asset prior to consumption. Property, P lant and E quipment Property, plant and equipment are st ated at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is provided using the straight-line basis at rates reflecting the estimated useful lives of the assets.
Buildings |  | 20 - 40 years
Machinery and equipment |  | 10 - 20 years
Enterprise software |  | 5 years
Office furniture and equipment |  | 3 - 7 years
Vehicles |  | 5 years
Goodwill Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the estimated fair value of the identifiable net assets acquired. Goodwill is not amortized but is instead tested for impairment at least annually, or whenever events or circumstances change between the annual impairment tests that would indicate the carrying amount of goodwill may be impaired. The Company perform ed its annual test for goodwill impairment related to the reporting units of SunOpta Foods as of the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2013. Goodwill related to the reporting units of Opta Minerals was tested at the end of the third quarter of 2013. The Company performs a quantitative test for goodwill impairment by comparing the carrying amount of each reporting unit t o its estimated fair value. If the carrying amount exceeds the r eporting unit's fair value, there is a potential impairment in goodwill. Any impairment in goodwill is measured by allocating the fair value of the reporting unit in a manner similar to a purchase price allocation and comparing the notional goodwill from the fair value allocation to the carrying value of the goodwill. Intangible A ssets The Company's finite-lived intangible assets consist of customer and other relationships, patents and trademarks, and other intangible assets. These intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives as follows:
Customer and other relationships |  | 2 - 25 years
Patents and trademarks |  | 7 - 15 years
Other |  | 3 - 15 years
Contingencies In the normal course of business, the Company is subject to loss contingencies, such as accrued but unpai d bonuses; tax-related matters; and claims or litigation. Accruals for loss contingencies are recorded when the Company determines that it is both probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. If the estimate of the amount of the loss is a range and some amount within the range appears to be a better estimate than any other amount within the range, that amount is accrued as a liability. If no amount within the range is a better estimate than any other amount, the minimum amount of the range is accrued as a liability Contingencies In the normal course of business, the Company is subject to loss contingencies, such as accrued but unpai d bonuses; tax-related matters; and claims or litigation. Accruals for loss contingencies are recorded when the Company determines that it is both probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. If the estimate of the amount of the loss is a range and some amount within the range appears to be a better estimate than any other amount within the range, that amount is accrued as a liability. If no amount within the range is a better estimate than any other amount, the minimum amount of the range is accrued as a liability.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the organization, consolidation and basis of presentation of financial statements disclosure, and significant accounting policies of the reporting entity. May be provided in more than one note to the financial statements, as long as users are provided with an understanding of (1) the significant judgments and assumptions made by an enterprise in determining whether it must consolidate a VIE and/or disclose information about its involvement with a VIE, (2) the nature of restrictions on a consolidated VIE's assets reported by an enterprise in its statement of financial position, including the carrying amounts of such assets, (3) the nature of, and changes in, the risks associated with an enterprise's involvement with the VIE, and (4) how an enterprise's involvement with the VIE affects the enterprise's financial position, financial performance, and cash flows. Describes procedure if disclosures are provided in more than one note to the financial statements. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB) -Number 22 -Paragraph 8 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Statement of Position (SOP) -Number 94-6 -Paragraph 10 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 46R -Paragraph 4, 14, 15 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. + Details
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