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Other expense, net
12 Months Ended
Dec. 28, 2013
Other Income And Expenses [Abstract]  
Other Income And Other Expense Disclosure Text Block

13. Other Expense (Income), Net

The components of other expense (income) are as follows:

    December 28, 2013December 29, 2012December 31, 2011
    $$$
       
(a)Product recall 5,214 - -
(b) Severance and other rationalization costs 1,286 1,705 505
(c)Impairment of long-lived assets 310 - 358
(d)Acquisition-related transaction costs 181 671 467
(e)Loss (gain) on sale of assets 180 (376) (2,872)
 Other (122) 194 (1,290)
    7,0492,194(2,832)

(a)       Product recall

For the year ended December 28, 2013, the Company recorded a provision for the expected loss associated with a voluntary product recall initiated by a customer in November 2013, which related to certain pouch products processed and packaged at the Company's Allentown, Pennsylvania facility.

(b) Severance and other rationalization costs

 

For the year ended December 28, 2013, Opta Minerals incurred severance and other costs in connection with the rationalization and integration of WGI. In addition, the Company recorded employee severance and other costs in connection with the closure of the Chelmsford, Massachusetts administrative office of the former Ingredients Group and the idling of the Fargo, North Dakota grains processing facility of Global Sourcing and Supply.

 

For the year ended December 29, 2012, the Company recorded employee severance and other costs in connection with the rationalization of a number of operations and functions within SunOpta Foods in an effort to streamline operations, which included a reduction in its salaried workforce of approximately 6%, as well as severance payable to a former executive officer. In addition, Opta Minerals incurred severance costs in connection with the acquisition of WGI.

 

For the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company recorded employee severance and other rationalization costs mainly in connection with the divestiture of its fruit processing operations in Mexico and California.

 

 

(c) Impairment of long-lived assets

 

For the year ended December 28, 2013, Opta Minerals wrote off the carrying amounts of certain intangible assets related to long-term licensing agreements that were determined not to be recoverable, due to a decline in the cash flows generated under these arrangements. For the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company wrote off certain long-lived tangible and intangible assets of the frozen food operation of the former Fruit Group in the amounts of $88 and $270, respectively.

 

(d) Acquisition-related transaction costs

 

Represents transaction costs incurred in connection with the fiscal 2013 acquisition of OLC, the fiscal 2012 acquisitions of WGI and Babco by Opta Minerals, and the fiscal 2011 acquisitions of Inland by Opta Minerals and Lorton's (see note 2).

(e) Gain on sale of assets

 

For the year ended December 29, 2012, the gain on sale of assets comprised an insurance recovery that was in excess of the carrying amount of the insured assets. For the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company completed the sale of land, buildings and processing equipment located in Mexico for proceeds of $5,650. The Company recorded a gain on sale of $2,872, after deducting the carrying value of the assets and related transaction costs.