Refresco completes acquisition of SunOpta, a North American supply chain solutions provider

Refresco, a leading independent beverage solutions provider for preeminent global and local beverage brands in North America, Europe, and Australia, announced the successful completion of its acquisition of SunOpta Inc., a North American supply chain 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.

Steve Presley, Chief Executive Officer of Refresco, said: “This is an exciting moment for both organizations. 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. I look forward to working closely with Brian and the rest of the SunOpta leadership team as they continue to lead the business within Refresco. All of us at Refresco are excited to build on SunOpta’s momentum and to welcome our new colleagues into the company.”

Brian Kocher, Chief Executive Officer of SunOpta, added: “Joining Refresco marks the start of an important new chapter for SunOpta. Over the past several years, our team has built a strong, high-growth platform across a broad portfolio of beverages, broths and better-for-you snacks. As part of Refresco, we will benefit from greater scale, broader capabilities, and expanded opportunities to better support our customers. I am incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished and confident this combination positions us well for the future.”

Strategic rationale

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
• A proven track record of innovation and growth

The combination supports Refresco’s long term strategy and positions the company to accelerate growth, expand its customer offering, and strengthen its role as a leading beverage solutions provider.