OC Flavors, a custom flavor developer and manufacturer based in Chino, California and backed by Shore Capital Partners, has announced the appointment of Jim Miller as chief executive officer.

With nearly 30 years of experience as a food industry executive, Miller has a strong background in commercial strategy development and new product introductions. His experience in the food industry spans specialty food ingredients, food testing services, and private equity. Notably, Miller was president, North America for Mérieux NutriSciences. Additionally, Miller spent 22 years at Tate & Lyle, where he held multiple roles across sales, marketing, and product management including vice president of North American sales for Specialty Food Ingredients and vice president of global product management for Texturants.

OC Flavors was founded in 2007 by Leah McCuen and Monica Ahuero to offer a full range of natural and organic flavors and flavoring solutions across a variety of food, beverage and supplement product applications. Operating out of a BRC-certified production facility and innovation center, the company’s core offerings include liquid and powdered flavors for the beverage, dairy, plant-based, nutraceutical, snacking, confection, and bakery industries.

“We are pleased to have Jim join our team and serve as the company’s CEO,” said McCuen. “Over 15 years ago, our passion for food and flavor began with the founding of OC Flavors. Since then, we have grown strong customer relationships through the dedication of our customer service and R&D teams. To continue to build and refine our infrastructure and product portfolio, as well as to explore opportunities for inorganic growth through acquisitions, we need a seasoned leader with deep knowledge of the industry.”

“Jim’s leadership skills and experience make him an excellent fit for our company during this next exciting chapter,” Ahuero added. “We are confident Jim can drive OC Flavors to even greater growth and success while ensuring the company remains fully committed to its core mission: to supply quality flavors along with superior customer service.”

“I’m honored and thrilled to serve as CEO of this great company,” stated Miller. “The work that Leah, Monica and the entire OC Flavors team have done to develop an innovative and customer-focused culture is the strength of this company. With the team’s talented R&D personnel and dedication to organic and natural flavor systems, OC Flavors is positioned to be a significant player in the food industry. I’m excited to be a part of its future growth and success.”