Mark Retzloff and Paul Repetto founded Horizon in 1991. Retzloff was a co-founder of Alfalfa’s Market in Boulder and Repetto headed Westbrae Natural Foods. They brought in Marc Peperzak, president of Aurora Dairy in Idaho, who at the time was the "largest conventional dairyman in the country." Retzloff and Repetto convinced Peperzak to convert half his existing dairy farm to organic. Rounding out the team is Horizon’s president and CEO Barney Feinblum, former president of Celestial Seasonings. 

Barr considers Horizon to be an Alfalfa’s/Celestial Seasonings spin-off. According to Barr, since Feinblum had "logistical" experience with a national product at Celestial Seasonings, he was able to steer Horizon to become the first national organic milk company. Even the Happy Cow logo is home grown, designed by local artist Betsy Hitchcock. 

The logo is a huge part of Horizon’s success, Barr believes. "Organics were considered very serious" business; but now the bright, fun label stands out in conventional supermarkets and natural food stores across the country, even in Hollywood. In fact, Courier readers can see Horizon products regularly on the hit cable show 7th Heaven. 

The Happy Cow soon will be seen overseas since Horizon purchased Rachel’s Dairy, an organic yogurt company in Wales, U.K. The company also obtained a licensing agreement with the 
Takanashi Milk Company in Japan.

The Happy Cow is more than a cute ad campaign. It is a symbol of dairy cows raised in healthy, natural conditions where they are never treated with chemicals or given growth hormones, including recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH). Barr explained that organic dairy farming is particularly difficult because it requires several years before the operation can be considered organic under established standards. 
 
"The land needs to be pesticide free for three years. Then once the cows are brought on, they need to graze chemical free for one year." The 1,000 cows converted to the organic system on Peperzak’s Idaho dairy farm were finally ready to produce organic milk in August 1995. 
 
Not only does Horizon have company-owned dairy farms, it also supports small family dairies with 30 to 200 cows. These dairies supply Horizon with one-third of its milk. 

According to Barr, Horizon will have Colorado Happy Cows after a dairy in Platteville becomes organic. Right now, the milk purchased for stores in this area comes from Idaho. The milk is processed within 12 hours at Robinson Dairy in Denver. Strict rules with regard to organic production require Horizon’s milk to be processed first each day, when machinery is clean and before conventional milk is handled. Within 36 to 48 hours after its arrival, the milk is on the shelves at Steele’s Market.
  
Horizon currently employs 65 people at the Monarch Park complex, which the company shares with other businesses. There are plans to expand into the entire building sometime in the near future. According to information available on the company’s website, Horizon donates 10 percent of its net profits to a number of different organizations, many of them in Colorado. Included on the list are Niwot Youth Sports, Boulder County Safehouse, Community Food Share, Colorado State University and the University of Colorado.
 
Horizon may assist its new neighbor, Shepherd Valley Waldorf School with an animal learning center and it also is active in the National 4-H organization, teaching kids about organic production. 
 
As for Niwot, Barr would love to see Horizon’s next annual meeting held at the Lefthand Grange Hall saying, "The Grange is really us."
 
Horizon Organic Dairy is located at 6311 Horizon Lane in the Monarch Park Complex off Highway 52. Readers can find more information about Horizon Organic Dairy by going to the company’s website at www.horizonorganic.com.