Refresco completes acquisition of SunOpta

USA – Refresco has announced the complete acquisition of SunOpta Inc., a North American supply chain solutions provider, expanding its customer offering and strengthening its role as a leading beverage solutions provider.

With the transaction now complete, SunOpta becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Refresco, and its shares will be delisted from Nasdaq and the Toronto Stock Exchange.

The acquisition significantly expands Refresco’s presence in North America and strengthens its position in fast‑growing beverage categories.

SunOpta adds deep expertise in plant‑based and nutritional beverages, strong aseptic manufacturing and product development capabilities, a complementary customer base across retail, club, foodservice, and out‑of‑home channels and a proven track record of innovation and growth.

Steve Presley, Chief Executive Officer of Refresco, said, “SunOpta brings exceptional capabilities in plant‑based and nutritional beverages, tea, broth, and better‑for‑you fruit snacks, supported by strong customer partnerships and a highly skilled team.

“Their expertise complements our existing platform and strengthens our ability to serve customers across more categories, channels, and packaging formats.”

About Refresco
Refresco is the leading independent beverage solutions provider for preeminent global and local beverage brands, with production in North America, Europe, and Australia.

It offers an extensive range of product and packaging combinations from carbonated soft drinks, juices, RTD teas and mineral waters to energy drinks, sports drinks and plant-based beverages in carton, (Aseptic) PET, cans and glass.

SunOpta posts 16.8% revenue growth in Q3 2025 

The company recorded a 16.8% revenue growth to US$205.4 million for the third quarter ended September 27, 2025.  

The growth was driven by higher sales volumes and strong category demand across its product portfolio. 

According to the company, unfavorable pricing effects from lower pass-through pricing related to raw material cost savings were largely offset by incremental tariff-related pricing adjustments. 

Gross profit rose by 11.4% to US$25.5 million, compared to US$22.9 million in the same period in 2024. Operating income increased significantly to US$6.9 million from US$0.8 million in the prior-year quarter.  

The improvement was attributed to reduced employee variable compensation costs, lower professional fees associated with productivity initiatives, and higher gross profit. 

“We delivered outstanding revenue growth in the third quarter and affirmed the strength of our competitive position, the diversity of our revenue streams, and the robust demand across our portfolio,” said Brian Kocher, Chief Executive Officer of SunOpta.

Kocher highlighted that the company experienced accelerated growth, with volumes rising by 17%, driven by both category tailwinds and early realization of pipeline opportunities initially projected for 2026.  

To receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa, the Middle East and around the world, SUBSCRIBE HERE