Horizon Organic, a pioneer in organic dairy and the largest USDA-certified organic milk and dairy brand in the world, and Wallaby, a leading brand of creamy, Australian-style yogurts and organic Greek yogurts, announced that Patricia Stroup has joined the team as chief operating officer (COO). Stroup has a lifelong connection to dairy and an extensive background in global leadership within the food and beverage industry. She brings a broad range of capabilities to the COO role, including operational expertise, industry insight and a people-first leadership mentality.

In her role as COO, Stroup will oversee day-to-day business operations, collaborating closely with teams to strengthen supply chains, optimize performance and continue delivering the products that consumers love. Her focus will be on driving operational excellence, leading strategic network optimization, improving cross-functional engagement, and providing team members with professional development and growth opportunities.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Patricia to the team,” said Tyler Holm, CEO of Horizon Organic. “Her vast experience will lend itself to improving our brands, accelerating our progress, expanding high-impact teams and strengthening our culture. We’re building the tomorrow we want to see for all who are impacted by our work, from our team to our farmers, business partners and the families who choose to put our products in their fridges and on their tables. Patricia is the right COO to help us achieve our goals, now and in the future.”

Prior to joining Horizon Organic, Stroup worked in numerous dairy categories, including milk, cheese, butter and milk powders, at leading organizations, like Hilmar Cheese Company and Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association. She also spent more than 18 years at Nestle, most recently serving as the global senior vice president and chief procurement officer out of Switzerland. Stroup previously served as the chair of the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) board of directors, and she is actively pursuing a doctorate degree in organizational leadership from the University of San Diego. She also studied dairy science at Virginia Tech.

“I am passionate about the dairy industry and am honored to join the Horizon Organic team,” Stroup shared. “My roots in dairy are deep, as I grew up on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania and ran a dairy farm of my own for nearly 10 years. I believe our future success starts with our commitments to dairy farmers and will provide the strong foundation upon which we build both Horizon Organic and Wallaby. I’m excited to serve as COO on this amazing team as we strive to serve even more families across the country with high-quality products.”

Horizon Organic’s experienced leadership team, now including Stroup, brings a depth of unmatched knowledge in strategic business operations, particularly in premium, organic dairy.

About Horizon Organic
Two generations of families — and counting — have grown up on Horizon Organic milk. From the start, as the leading organic milk producer in the U.S., Horizon has been committed to delivering innovative, nourishing dairy that growing families can rely on. As a certified B Corp, Horizon works with more than 500 farmers across the U.S. to bring certified-organic, high-quality milk to consumers.