Bank Indebtedness and Long-Term Debt

9 Months Ended

Sep. 26, 2020

Bank Indebtedness and Long-Term Debt [Text Block]

7. Bank Indebtedness and Long-Term Debt

	September 26,	December 28,
	2020	2019
	$	$
Bank Indebtedness
Global Credit Facility⁽¹⁾	199,654	241,666
Bulgarian credit facility⁽²⁾	254	3,870
	199,908	245,536

Long-Term Debt
Senior Secured Second Lien Notes, net of unamortized debt issuance costs of $3,964 (December 28, 2019 - $5,094)⁽³⁾	219,534	218,404
Finance lease liabilities⁽⁴⁾	14,518	16,223
Asset-backed term loan	4,173	4,386
Other	5,649	6,178
	243,874	245,191
Less: current portion	3,292	2,987
	240,582	242,204

(1) Global Credit Facility

On February 11, 2016, the Company entered into a five-year credit agreement for a senior secured asset-based revolving credit facility with a syndicate of banks in the maximum aggregate principal amount of $350.0 million, subject to borrowing base capacity (the "Global Credit Facility"). The Global Credit Facility is used to support the working capital and general corporate needs of the Company's global operations, in addition to funding future strategic initiatives. The Global Credit Facility also includes borrowing capacity available for letters of credit and provides for borrowings on same-day notice, including in the form of swingline loans. On January 28, 2020, the credit agreement was amended to, among other things, extend the maturity date of the Global Credit Facility to March 31, 2022.

Individual borrowings under the Global Credit Facility have terms of six months or less and bear interest based on various reference rates plus an applicable margin. The margin ranges from 0.25% to 0.75% with respect to base rate and prime rate borrowings and from 1.25% to 1.75% for eurocurrency rate and bankers' acceptance rate borrowings. In connection with the amendment of the credit agreement on January 28, 2020, the applicable margin rate on any loans under the Global Credit Facility (including the U.S. Subfacility, as described below) is increased by an additional 0.50% while the Company's total leverage ratio exceeds a specific threshold.

In September 2017 and October 2018, the Global Credit Facility was amended to add an additional U.S. asset-based credit subfacility (the "U.S. Subfacility") in the aggregate principal amount of $20.0 million, which was fully repaid through quarterly amortization payments of $3.33 million commencing on March 31, 2019 and ending on June 30, 2020. Amounts repaid under the U.S. Subfacility may not be borrowed again. Interest on the U.S. Subfacility was based on various reference rates plus an applicable margin ranging from 2.00% to 2.50% with respect to base rate and prime rate borrowings and from 3.00% to 3.50% for eurocurrency rate and bankers' acceptance rate borrowings.

As at September 26, 2020, the weighted-average interest rate on all borrowings under the Global Credit Facility was 2.84%.

Obligations under the Global Credit Facility are guaranteed by substantially all of the Company's subsidiaries and, subject to certain exceptions, such obligations are secured by first priority liens on substantially all of the assets of the Company.

The Global Credit Facility contains a number of covenants that, among other things, restrict, subject to certain exceptions, the Company's ability to create liens on assets; sell assets and enter into sale and leaseback transactions; pay dividends, prepay junior lien and unsecured indebtedness and make other restricted payments; incur additional indebtedness and make guarantees; make investments, loans or advances, including acquisitions; and engage in mergers or consolidations. The foregoing covenants are subject to certain threshold amounts and exceptions as set forth in the credit agreement.

(2) Bulgarian credit facility

Borrowings under this €6.0 million revolving credit facility are used to cover the working capital needs of the Bulgarian operations of The Organic Corporation B.V. ("TOC"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, and are secured by the accounts receivable and inventories of the Bulgarian operations and fully guaranteed by TOC. Interest accrues under the facility based on EURIBOR plus a margin of 2.75%. The maturity date for this annual facility is April 30, 2021.

(3) Senior Secured Second Lien Notes

On October 20, 2016, the Company's subsidiary, SunOpta Foods Inc. ("SunOpta Foods"), issued $231.0 million of 9.5% Senior Secured Second Lien Notes due 2022 (the "Notes"). As at September 26, 2020, the outstanding principal amount of the Notes was $223.5 million, reflecting the redemption of $7.5 million principal amount by SunOpta Foods in October 2017. Debt issuance costs are recorded as a reduction against the principal amount of the Notes and are being amortized over the six-year term of the Notes. Interest on the Notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on April 15 and October 15 at a rate of 9.5% per annum. The Notes will mature on October 9, 2022. Giving effect to the amortization of debt issuance costs, the effective interest rate on the Notes is approximately 10.4% per annum.

At any time between October 9, 2020 and October 8, 2021, SunOpta Foods may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 102.375%, and at par thereafter, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to but excluding the date of redemption. Certain additional redemption rights were applicable prior to October 9, 2020. In the event of a change of control, SunOpta Foods will be required to make an offer to repurchase the Notes at 101.000% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase.

The Notes are secured by second-priority liens on substantially all of the assets that secure the credit facilities provided under the Global Credit Facility, subject to certain exceptions and permitted liens. The Notes are senior secured obligations and rank equally in right of payment with SunOpta Foods' existing and future senior debt and senior in right of payment to any future subordinated debt. The Notes are effectively subordinated to debt under the Global Credit Facility and any future indebtedness secured on a first-priority basis. The Notes are initially guaranteed on a senior secured second-priority basis by the Company and each of its subsidiaries (other than SunOpta Foods) that guarantees indebtedness under the Global Credit Facility, subject to certain exceptions.

The Notes are subject to covenants that, among other things, limit the Company's ability to (i) incur additional debt or issue preferred stock; (ii) pay dividends and make certain types of investments and other restricted payments; (iii) create liens; (iv) enter into transactions with affiliates; (v) sell assets; and (vi) create restrictions on the ability of restricted subsidiaries to pay dividends, make loans or advances or transfer assets to the Company, SunOpta Foods or any guarantor of the Notes. The foregoing covenants are subject to certain threshold amounts and exceptions as set forth in the indenture governing the Notes. In addition, the indenture provides for customary events of default (subject in certain cases to customary grace and cure periods), which include nonpayment, breach of covenants in the indenture, certain payment defaults or acceleration of other indebtedness, a failure to pay certain judgments and certain events of bankruptcy and insolvency. If an event of default occurs and is continuing, the trustee or holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may declare the principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on, if any, all the Notes to be due and payable.

As at September 26, 2020, the estimated fair value of the outstanding Notes was approximately $228 million, based on quoted prices of the most recent over-the-counter transactions (level 2).

(4) Finance lease obligations

The Company has commitments under certain master lease agreements that provide for up to approximately $35 million of financing in the aggregate related to the addition of new plant-based beverage and ingredient extraction processing and packaging equipment. As at September 26, 2020, the related finance leases had not commenced, and no amount of right-of-use assets, or lease liabilities, were recognized on the consolidated balance sheet as of that date.