SunOpta Inc. Announces New Aseptic Soymilk Contract; Company Expects Approximately $20 Million in Annual Revenues Each Year

October 27, 2005
SunOpta Inc. Announces New Aseptic Soymilk Contract; Company Expects Approximately $20 Million in Annual Revenues Each Year

TORONTO--Oct. 27, 2005--SunOpta Inc. (NASDAQ:STKL)(TSX:SOY) announced today that it has signed a three year exclusive contract for the supply of shelf stable aseptic packaged soymilk for a major global retailer. This contract will initially generate approximately $20 million in annualized revenue with production expected to commence in mid December of this year. The contract will be largely focused on the production of two SKU's of shelf stable packaged organic soymilk for distribution and sale in the customer's retail outlets.

Allan Routh, President of the SunOpta Grains and Foods Group, said, "We are extremely pleased with this contract as it allows SunOpta to partner with a significant retailer to utilize our 'Field to Table' production expertise to provide consumers with a great value organic soymilk and partner with a major retailer to expand great tasting healthy soyfoods offerings to their customers. We are excited with the growth opportunities presented in this relationship. SunOpta's vertically integrated soymilk model is integrated from soy bean sourcing through to packaged products, ensuring SunOpta's control of quality and organic certification and providing direct traceability from the farm gate to the retail shelf. In order to fulfill this contract, soy beans will be sourced and initially processed at SunOpta's facilities in Hope, Minnesota and Moorhead, Minnesota. The processed soy beans will then be delivered to SunOpta's ingredient plants in Alexandria, Minnesota and Afton, Wyoming to be converted into liquid concentrated soy base. The concentrated soy base will then be transported to SunOpta's aseptic packaging facility in Alexandria, Minnesota for blending, packaging and subsequent delivery."

Jeremy Kendall, chairman and chief executive officer of SunOpta Inc., commented, "This type of collaboration with a retail industry leader is possible because of our ability to create and manage the development of organic products that address the nutritional needs of a rapidly increasing market worldwide. Currently SunOpta is a leading processor and packager of organic aseptic soymilk in the U.S. and this contract solidifies our market leadership. We are very excited by this contract and the potential to further expand the supply of natural and organic products in this market."

About SunOpta Inc.

SunOpta Inc. is an operator of high-growth ethical businesses, focusing on integrated business models in the natural and organic food markets. For the last seven consecutive years, SunOpta was included in Profit magazine's 'Profit 100' list of the 100 fastest growing companies in Canada. The Company has three business units: the SunOpta Food Group, which specializes in sourcing, processing and distribution of natural and organic food products integrated from seed through packaged products; the Opta Minerals Group, a producer, distributor, and recycler of environmentally friendly industrial materials; and the StakeTech Steam Explosion Group which engineers and markets proprietary steam explosion technology systems for the pulp, bio-fuel and food processing industries. Each of these business units has proprietary products and services that give it a solid competitive advantage in its sector.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements included in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to references to business strategies, competitive strengths, goals, capital expenditure plans, business and operational growth plans and references to the future growth of the business. These forward looking statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by the Company in light of its experience and its interpretation of current conditions, historical trends and expected future developments as well as other factors that the Company believes are appropriate in the circumstance. However, whether actual results and developments will agree with expectations and predications of the Company is subject to many risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to; general economic, business or market risk conditions; competitive actions by other companies; changes in laws or regulations or policies of local governments, provinces and states as well as the governments of United States and Canada, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Consequently all forward-looking statements made herein are qualified by these cautionary statements and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by the Company will be realized.

    CONTACT: SunOpta Inc.
             Jeremy N. Kendall, Steve Bromley, John Dietrich,
             Susan Wiekenkamp, 905-455-2528, ext 103
             email: susan.wiekenkamp@sunopta.com
             website: www.sunopta.com
             or
             Investment Community Inquiries:
             Lytham Partners, LLC
             Joe Diaz, Robert Blum, Joe Dorame, 602-889-9700
             email: diaz@lythampartners.com

    SOURCE: SunOpta Inc.