Investors interested in Consumer Staples stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. SunOpta (STKL) is a stock that can certainly grab the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? One simple way to answer this question is to take a look at the year-to-date performance of STKL and the rest of the Consumer Staples group's stocks.SunOpta is a member of the Consumer Staples sector. This group includes 177 individual stocks and currently holds a Zacks Sector Rank of #7. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different sector groups. The average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups is measured, and the sectors are listed from best to worst.The Zacks Rank is a proven system that emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions, highlighting a variety of stocks that are displaying the right characteristics to beat the market over the next one to three months. STKL is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).The Zacks Consensus Estimate for STKL's full-year earnings has moved 53.33% higher within the past quarter. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.Based on the latest available data, STKL has gained about 211.20% so far this year. Meanwhile, stocks in the Consumer Staples group have lost about 5.05% on average. This means that SunOpta is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.Looking more specifically, STKL belongs to the Food - Miscellaneous industry, which includes 44 individual stocks and currently sits at #99 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, this group has lost an average of 2.06% so far this year, meaning that STKL is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.Investors in the Consumer Staples sector will want to keep a close eye on STKL as it attempts to continue its solid performance.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report SunOpta, Inc. (STKL): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research