Favorable Volume/Mix Boost Q4 Revenue At SunOpta
Fourth quarter revenue at SunOpta grew as the company’s net loss shrank from the previous year’s comparable quarter.
For the quarter ended December 28, revenue increased 8.9% to $193.9 million. The growth was driven by a favorable volume/mix of 12.8%. That growth was partially offset by a price reduction of 2.1% due to the pass-through of commodity costs for certain raw materials, together with a 1.7% revenue reduction related to the company’s exit from the smoothie bowls category in March 2024. Volume/mix reflected volume growth for fruit snacks, broths, and plant-based beverages.
SunOpta reported a quarterly net loss of $8.7 million, an improvement from the net loss of $13.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.
“We delivered another solid quarter led by double-digit volume growth reflecting broad strength across our portfolio,” said Brian Kocher, chief executive officer of SunOpta. “Our business momentum remains strong with productivity and efficiency initiatives progressing as planned, unlocking additional capacity.”
Full-year revenue at SunOpta was $723.7 million, up from revenue of $626.7 million in the comparable quarter the previous year. Net loss for the year was $17.4 million, compared to a net loss of $178.8 million in the previous fiscal year.
For fiscal year 2025, the company is forecasting revenue of between $775 and $805 million, up between 7% and 11%.
“In 2025, we look to again drive strong growth and expand our market share by leveraging the competitive strengths of our platform to create unique, high value-add solutions for our customers,” said Kocher. “We will also maintain our disciplined financial approach to deliver sustainable gross margin improvement and continue to generate significant free cash flow. With no major growth capital investments on the horizon, we expect to continue de-levering our balance sheet and drive increasing returns on invested capital.”
