SunOpta Extends Relationship with Jamba Juice
TORONTO--April 5, 2006--SunOpta Inc. (NASDAQ:STKL)(TSX:SOY) announced today that the SunOpta Fruit Group has continued their business relationship to supply Jamba Juice Company with key processed fruit products supporting Jamba's continued growth. This contract represents a 20% increase over the prior crop year and is in line with the growth Jamba Juice has experienced in recent years. Jamba Juice is the category-defining leader in healthy blended beverages, juices and good for you snacks. Operating more than 500 stores in the United States, Jamba Juice's mission is to deliver nourishing quality fruits and vegetables, blended into delicious smoothies or juices, and to provide customers with healthy, nutritious, convenient and affordable meals or snacks.
Sergio Varela, President of the SunOpta Fruit Group commented that he is "delighted to extend the strong relationship that exists between the two companies. It is a pleasure to work with a company that shares our values and has the passion for delivering quality, great tasting healthy choices to its customers. We look forward to leveraging our worldwide sourcing capabilities to create opportunities to expand our product mix with Jamba Juice, and to help them face the challenges of rapidly growing their business."
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 SunOpta BioProcess 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.