Nogales, Ariz.-based produce distributor and grower Divine Flavor has hired Patrick Cortes as its director of business development and strategic planning.
His primary duties will center on sustainable growth within the marketer’s customer base and its grower alliance, according to a news release.
“I’m thrilled to join the Divine Flavor team and contribute my experience to an already innovative brand who’s poised for growth,” Cortes said in the release. “Divine Flavor is such a family-oriented company who values not only their work force, but each of its stakeholders whether its their clients, growers, and anyone affiliated to the institution. Applying my knowledge from retail, food service and wholesale, I plan to use this expertise and take Divine Flavor to the next level.”
Cortes spent the last eight years working for Mission Produce as the vice president of business development, the release said. Prior to that, Cortes worked as an export manager for the Gourmet Trading Company overseeing markets outside the U.S., focusing on commodities such as berries and asparagus, according to the release.
“The thoroughness with which Divine Flavor made sure I was the right candidate shows their commitment to cultivating the best talent,” Cortes said in the release. “It demonstrated to me this is an organization which invests in the people they bring into the company and their core family values greatly align with mine.”
Cortes is a professional who has expansive experience in this industry and loves the produce world, Carlos Bon, Divine Flavor’s vice president of sales, said in the release.
“During the whole process I became more and more excited about hiring Patrick,” Bon said in the release. “Interview calls quicky became deep conversations about our industry and you could really get a sense of his passion for the work he does. What did it for me was speaking with our customers to get their point of view and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive about him.”
Cortes will play an important role for the company as it looks to upcoming projects, Alan Aguirre, president and CEO, said in the release.
“We see Mr. Cortes in a pivotal role for our plans for the future,” Aguirre said in the release. “His knowledge and professionalism will bring balance and great things to our organization, and we are very excited he has joined the Divine Flavor family.”
