Soren Bjorn has been named as the new CEO of family-owned global berry company Driscoll’s. He is currently president of Driscoll’s of the Americas and will assume his new role overseeing the company’s global day-to-day operations in January 2024.
Bjorn joined Driscoll’s in 2006 and has been involved in nearly every facet of the business over the past 17 years. As the former senior vice-president of international business and global technologies, he led business development in Europe, South America, and Australia, as well as global R&D and breeding. He became the leader of Driscoll’s business unit in North America in 2013 and was promoted to his current position as president of Driscoll’s of the Americas in 2017.
As the incoming CEO, his priorities are to maintain the company’s culture and continue accelerating its global growth. He will also guide the company’s efforts to implement new technologies that improve operational efficiencies and ensure that the business remains resilient against industry-wide challenges such as climate change.
“I’m humbled that Miles, the Board and the thousands of Driscoll’s team members around the world have entrusted me to guide the company into its future,” Bjorn said. “Miles’ legacy is the power and clarity of Driscoll’s mission, vision, and values. As the new steward of Driscoll’s, I fully commit to all our employees, partners, and customers that I will build upon his legacy and honour these same principles”.
J.Miles Reiter, the current chairman and CEO of Driscoll’s, plans to retire at the end of the year and will become executive chairman of the company. “Generations of my family before me and, I suspect, generations after, have been or will be, deeply involved in this always fascinating business,” he said. “A particular pleasure has been to get to know the people who make up our global team of employees, independent growers, industry partners, and retail customers.”
He added, “It’s time for me to step aside as CEO. Along with our Board of Directors, I have sought a new leader who is deeply committed to our values, our mission and a future in which Driscoll’s becomes the world’s berry company. It is with great enthusiasm and confidence that we appoint Soren as the new CEO. His deep global knowledge of the berry business, powerful intellect, sound judgment, and contagious sense of humour make him uniquely qualified for this role.”