Business
SunOpta Announces Production Capacity Expansions
SunOpta Announces Production Capacity Expansions.
About this update from Sunopta Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\n\n\nTORONTO, September 13 /CNW/ - SunOpta Inc. (SunOpta or the Company)\n(Nasdaq:STKL)(TSX:SOY). SunOpta today provided an update on a number of\nexpansion projects within the Company's SunOpta Food Group operations.\nIn order to meet increased demand for healthy roasted snacks and\ningredients, the Company has completed an expansion of its roasting and\npackaging facility, Dakota Gourmet, located in Wahpeton, North Dakota. Dakota\nGourmet had reached full capacity at the end of 2005 in this facility where\nthe Company processes, roasts and packages organic and natural food snacks\nfrom corn, soy and sunflower. The expanded facility will add approximately 50%\nfurther capacity and allow for continued growth in a market which is growing\nat 30% per year.\nIn order to meet continued demand for the Company's oat and soy fiber\nproducts, the Company has commenced expansion of capacity by an average of 20%\nat its fiber plants located in Louisville, Kentucky, Cedar Rapids, Iowa and\nCambridge, Minnesota. Demand for oat and soy fibers continues to grow as many\nfood products add fiber for fortification purposes, aimed at improving the\nnutritional content of foods in today's market place. These expansions will be\nimplemented over the next six months.\nSunOpta also announced that it has signed a lease for a new 95,000 square\nfoot organic grocery distribution center in Richmond, British Columbia\nrequired to accommodate strong growth in the Western Canadian market in\norganic and natural food products. This new facility will feature 30 foot\nceilings to increase efficiency and utilize state-of-the-art warehousing\nsystems and innovative technologies and should be ready for occupancy in\nAugust 2007. These facilities will result in the consolidation of two\nlocations currently leased by the SunOpta Canadian Food Distribution Group in\nthe Vancouver area.\nAs a result of increasing demand for the Company's natural and organic\ndried fruit bars, an expansion of drying and processing capabilities at the\nFruit Group's facility located in Omak, Washington, has commenced. This\nexpansion will increase throughput by 70% and will be completed by December\n2006.\nSteve Bromley, President and Chief Operating Officer commented \"We\ncontinue to strategically expand our operating capabilities in response to\ndemand for our healthy product o...