Turkey Hill Names New CEO, COO

Lancaster, Pa.-based ice cream maker Turkey Hill has named two food and beverage veterans to its executive ranks.

Andy Jacobs, who has been a member of Turkey Hill's board of directors since 2019, is the company's new CEO. He replaces Tim Hopkins, who joined Turkey Hill in mid-2019 after Kroger sold off the business to a Peak Rock Capital affiliate. Hopkins had previously been CEO of PLM Operations, maker of La Michoacana frozen novelties and refrigerated drinks.

Jacobs most recently was EVP, chief operating officer, and chief customer and experience officer of Hostess Brands. Jacobs also previously was president of Wolfgang Candy Co. and held earlier leadership roles with sweets makers Hershey, Brach's and Nabisco.

Paul Gagliano joins Turkey Hill as chief customer officer after having served in the same role at SlimFast. Gagliano's prior roles include director of grocery at Pepsi Bottling Co. and SVP of North American sales for CytoSport, maker of Muscle Milk. 

Fellow Turkey Hill board member Robert Pistilli said Jacobs' guidance had been instrumental to the company's success in the past two years and called Gagliano an accomplished commercial executive whose industry experience will be "pivotal in executing Turkey Hill's growth strategy."

Jacobs, in a news release, said he looks forward to working with Turkey Hill to accelerate the company's geographic expansion and new product innovation. 

Turkey Hill was founded as a milk-delivery business in 1931, and the company's ice creams debuted in grocery stores in the Philadelphia area in 1981. In the past 20 years, Turkey Hill has doubled in size, now selling ice cream and other frozen treats as well as a selection of beverages nationwide and internationally, the company boasts.