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Horizon Family Brands has acquired organic dairy company Maple Hill Creamery to establish itself as a leader in better-for-you food and beverage products. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
New York-based Maple Hill was founded in 2009 and uses regenerative farming practices, and Horizon calls the company “the original 100% grass-fed organic dairy company” in a statement. In addition to milk, Maple Hill also offers kefir, Greek yogurt, butter, and cream-on-top yogurt.
This deal is Horizon’s first acquisition since announcing its intention to build a stable portfolio with better brands earlier this year. Private equity firm Platinum Equity acquired the Horizon Organic and Wallaby brands from Danone in April 2024 and rebranded them as Horizon Family Brands in August, underscoring its ambitions beyond organic dairy.
The Maple Hill deal will allow both brands to expand their reach across retail channels and improve supply chain efficiencies. The companies said the merger would provide more opportunities for innovation and product development in the organic dairy sector.
Maple Hill ranked second in the liquid milk category with approximately $25 million in sales as of 2023, according to James Hau, president and CFO.
“This acquisition represents an exciting step forward for Horizon as we continue to advance our strategic goals and invest in better brands,” said Tyler Holm, CEO of Horizon Family Brands, in a statement. “Maple Hill’s expertise in organic, grass-fed dairy products and impressive growth across customers and channels complement Horizon’s capabilities and vision for the future.”
Horizon said in August that it aims to acquire brands similar to Horizon Organic and Wallaby over the next three to five years. The acquisition of Maple Hill will allow the company to compete with other dairy companies such as Danone and Lifeway by taking advantage of better trends in areas such as yogurt and kefir.
Last November, Horizon named former Keurig Dr Pepper Chief Marketing Officer Andrew Springate as CMO to accelerate the brand’s growth.
