By George Anderson
Dean Foods will soon be the top producer of organic milk, after its deal to acquire the remaining 87 percent of Horizon Organic is closed in the fourth quarter, according to a Dallas Morning News report.
The deal for Horizon fills a gap in Dean's refrigerated case offerings. Until now, the company's only major organic foods initiative has been with its Silk soy-based brand line.
Dean's chief financial officer, Barry Fromberg, said, "This is one area of the dairy case -- very fast growing -- that we were not a player in."
Moderator's Comment: How will Dean ownership affect Horizon Organic's product offerings, marketing, etc? How will owning Horizon affect Dean Food's other divisions?
The chairman of Dean Foods, Gregg Engles, told the Dallas Morning News, "Our acquisition of Horizon Organic evidences our commitment to the growth of healthy, better-for-you products."
We're waiting to see if Dean displays the same level of marketing ingenuity with its organic dairy products as it did when it brought Chugs to market. [George Anderson - Moderator]