Monterey Gourmet Foods, a Salinas, Calif.-based manufacturer and marketer of fresh gourmet refrigerated food products said it hired Erika Cottrell as vice president of innovation.

"During the past year and a half, we integrated all of our operating teams, and now we are focused on continuing brand innovation, expanding distribution, and consolidating operations," said Eric Eddings, president and CEO of Monterey. "Erika's background in leading several consumer product / food and beverage companies through growth and change is the ideal experience for this new role in which she will drive our product development and marketing innovation to help maximize growth.”