SunOpta to acquire Earthwise Processors

26/05/05 SunOpta Inc. has announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire the assets and business of Earthwise Processors LLC (Earthwise), of Moorhead, Minnesota.

Earthwise has annual revenues in excess of $10.0 million dollars and is a vertically integrated producer of organic and identity preserved non-genetically modified grains, primarily focused on soy. Strategically this acquisition provides SunOpta with an expanded and diversified grower base, expansion of soy product offerings, and others such as, organic flax and organic wheat, plus operating synergies. SunOpta is targeting to close this transaction at the end of May.

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.

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