SunOpta, Inc. Appoints Steven Townsend to Board of Directors

Steven Townsend served for nearly 25 years at United NaturalFoods, Inc., the leading natural and organic food distributor in theUnited States. Mr. Townsend was Chairman and CEO from 2003 until hisrecent retirement from the Company. He joined UNFI in 1981 asController and has held progressively advancing executive positions,including President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief FinancialOfficer. During his five-year tenure as President, CEO and Chairman,Mr. Townsend was instrumental in growing sales from approximately $1billion per year to more than $2.3 billion per year - a five year CAGRof 17 percent; increasing income at a five year CAGR of 12 percent;increasing distribution capacity by 68 percent; and successfullycompleting more than 25 acquisitions. Earlier in his career he heldmanagement positions at Harris Corporation and Tupperware Corporation.He holds an MBA in Management and Information Systems and a BS inAccounting, Summa Cum Laude from Bryant College.

Jeremy Kendall, Chairman and CEO of SunOpta, Inc, said, "I amextremely pleased to have one of the preeminent executives in thenatural and organic foods industry join our board. Steven is not onlya pioneer in this burgeoning industry segment, he is also one of themost accomplished operating executives in the business. Steven willprovide another level of tactical and strategic expertise to ouralready dynamic board. We will rely heavily on Steven's expertise aswe continue our drive to become one of the leading providers oforganic and natural foods in North America."

About SunOpta Inc.

SunOpta Inc. is an operator of high-growth ethical businesses,focusing on integrated business models in the natural and organic foodmarkets. For the last seven consecutive years, SunOpta was included inProfit magazine's 'Profit 100' list of the 100 fastest growingcompanies in Canada. The Company has three business units: the SunOptaFood Group, which specializes in sourcing, processing and distributionof natural and organic food products integrated from seed throughpackaged products; the Opta Minerals Group, a producer, distributor,and recycler of environmentally friendly industrial materials; and theSunOpta BioProcess Group which engineers and markets proprietary steamexplosion technology systems for the pulp, bio-fuel and foodprocessing industries. Each of these business units has proprietaryproducts and services that give it a solid competitive advantage inits sector.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements included in this press release may constitute"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United StatesPrivate Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Theseforward-looking statements include, but are not limited to referencesto business strategies, competitive strengths, goals, capitalexpenditure plans, business and operational growth plans andreferences to the future growth of the business. These forward lookingstatements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by theCompany in light of its experience and its interpretation of currentconditions, historical trends and expected future developments as wellas other factors that the Company believes are appropriate in thecircumstance. However, whether actual results and developments willagree with expectations and predications of the Company is subject tomany risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to; generaleconomic, business or market risk conditions; competitive actions byother companies; changes in laws or regulations or policies of localgovernments, provinces and states as well as the governments of UnitedStates and Canada, many of which are beyond the control of theCompany. Consequently all forward-looking statements made herein arequalified by these cautionary statements and there can be no assurancethat the actual results or developments anticipated by the Companywill be realized.