Driscoll's Names Brie Reiter Smith General Manager of Chile Operations

Driscoll’s is preparing for international growth, and it’s bolstering its global executive team in order to do so. This week, the berry production company announced that Brie Reiter Smith will be moving into a General Manager position at Driscoll’s of Chile, responsible directing the regional subsidiary’s blueberry growing and export operations as it moves toward peak growing season starting in November.

This is a major advancement for Reiter Smith – as the largest producer of blueberries in South America and the largest blueberry exporter to the Northern Hemisphere, it is safe to say that Chile is a key region for Driscoll’s. As the company moves Reiter Smith into this new role, it anticipates moving into a position as the leading blueberry exporter across myriad global markets. Reiter Smith is tasked with developing a plan to guide Driscoll’s expansion plans in Chile toward success.

“Over the past year, we have been evaluating our global blueberry strategy and we are now ready to implement a number of changes designed to ensure our future success. As one of the first steps in this new action plan, I am delighted to announce the promotion of Brie Reiter Smith to her new role as General Manager of Driscoll’s of Chile,” said Soren Bjorn, Executive Vice President of Driscoll’s Americas region, in a press release announcing the restructuring. “Due to the changing role of Chile in the global blueberry market, we have adopted a strategy to focus our supply efforts to the period we believe Chile will remain the world’s leading source of blueberries.”

Brie Reiter Smith’s promotion to General Manager is especially important as it marks the beginning of a new era for the Reiter family that founded Driscoll’s in 1904 – she is the first of the fourth generation of owners to take on a leadership position within the Driscoll’s brand. According to Bjorn, this combination of familial knowledge and true work in the field gives Ms. Reiter Smith a unique perspective that will serve the business well. “Brie and her husband, Brian, have been living and working in Chile for the past two years growing blueberries,” he stated. “She has grown up in and around the Driscoll’s business and has a great sense of what makes our business work.”

For Reiter Smith’s part, the fourth generation leader is anticipating the work that can be done and the brand’s significant further growth potential. “I am excited by the future of Driscoll’s presence in Chile,” she added within the news release. “We are organizing our grower partnerships to capitalize on the ever increasing market demand for premium quality blueberries.”