Kate Leavitt

DIRECTOR

For the past 15 years, Kate Leavitt has been promoting and selling organic and natural food products. Kate Leavitt joined the SunOpta team in 1999. She now serves as the Director, International Sales and Marketing of the SunOpta Grains and Foods Group (formerly Sunrich, Inc). Sunrich was originally established in 1978 as the Minnesota Waxy Corn Growers Association by over 300 grower members/shareholders.

In 1999, Sunrich was acquired by SunOpta. SunOpta is a vertically-integrated food company focused on the value-adding of soy, corn and sunflower. It is publicly traded on NASDAQ under STKL and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under SOY. Between 1999 and 2010, SunOpta acquired another six companies into their Grains and Foods Group. Ms. Leavitt coordinates the significant international marketing efforts of each groups' specialty grain and value-added ingredient products.

In addition to the main focus on sales and marketing to international markets, Ms. Leavitt also sits on several committees and contributes to the efforts of the OTA-Asia Task Force, SunOpta Corporate Branding Team, and works closely with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Trade Office and Minnesota Soybean Growers Association and USSEC on strategic planning and promotional events. Ms. Leavitt is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Soyfoods Association of North America (SANA) and chairs the Sustainability Committee for SANA.

In 2010, the SunOpta Grains and Foods Group produced an estimated $350+ million in sales of IP grains and grain-based food products, of which approx 20% is export-related. These sales positioned the Grains and Foods Group as the largest division of SunOpta, accounting for 35% of the almost $1billion in total revenue from 2009. With her team’s extensive experience in many facets of the specialty organic and IP food industry, Ms. Leavitt understands the complex dynamics of this specialty food industry.

Ms. Leavitt graduated with honors from the University of Minnesota, earning degrees in both Japanese and Mathematics. Raised and currently residing in Eagan, Minnesota, USA she has also lived in Japan, and traveled extensively in Europe and SE Asia. Personally she in the mother of two young sons (ages 4 and 7 years), has been an active member of a bookclub for over 10 years and enjoys ice skating and scrapbooking.

SunOpta operates high-growth ethical businesses that foster the health and well-being of their communities and promotes environmental responsibility. SunOpta focuses on a healthy products portfolio and on integrated business models in the natural, organic, and specialty food markets.