Mission Produce Inc. has hired Brian Miller as the company’s new senior vice president of sales and marketing. He comes from an extensive produce industry background, including the last 15 years when he served as president and chief executive officer of Gourmet Trading Co.

Miller will be filling the position held by Ross Wileman, who has been with the company for 31 years and will be moving into an area where he will lead Mission’s special initiatives. Brian Miller

At Gourmet Trading Co., Miller progressed from a position in sales in 2000, to the vice president of sales and marketing, and finally to president and CEO of the company. After graduating from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Miller joined the Oppenheimer Co. as a salesman prior to moving to Gourmet.

“Brian is highly driven and goal oriented," Steve Barnard, Mission's president and CEO, said in a press release. "He has South American, Asian and European experience, which will add great value to Mission’s future.

“This is the highest position we have ever filled here at Mission,” Barnard added.

“Ross will be involved with specific company initiatives which include food safety, global quality control and standardization from a sales point of view," Barnard said. "Ross will also continue with industry affairs.”

Mission has operations in the U.S., Mexico, Chile, Peru, Canada and The Netherlands as well as eight value-added ripe centers across North America.

Mission is currently involved with major construction projects in California and Peru, where two new packing plants are nearing completion. The company is also growing its own avocados in Peru where significant planting has taken place over the last five years.

“The avocado category has grown at 10 percent, compounded annually for 15 straight years, and the numbers are even higher this year," Barnard said in the release. "With demand for the fruit at all-time highs, sourcing and growing is more important than ever. Concerning our Peruvian operation, we have invested heavily into the production of avocados, transportation and logistics. These moves were all essential in addressing the current demand.”

Mission has also made strong Asian connections and has developed that area into a significant marketplace for avocados. The European market is growing substantially as well, where Mission plans another ripe center in Rotterdam in the very near future.