Discovering NC Agriculture is a year-long series focusing on twelve N.C. grown, raised, caught, and made commodities. Tune in each month to see how an N.C. commodity is grown, harvested, packed for consumer use and more. Learn nutritional value, find fun recipes to try, hear from local chefs who use that product, and other unique commodity facts throughout the series. We look forward to helping you better understand some of our N.C. commodities and how they impact your everyday lives!
Poultry products from North Carolina are popular not only within our state or country—they are in high demand worldwide! Since 2020, Integra Foods LLC, located in Bladenboro, has been supplying cooked poultry products to customers in Japan, China, Korea, and Singapore.
Vladimir Stepanian and Eugene Korniychuk, owners of Integra Foods LLC, have been in the export business for over 20 years and have extensive experience in international trade. “North Carolina has much to offer in agriculture,” Eugene said. “We’ve seen interest in our products grow overseas since we started, and we’re proud to play a role in showcasing N.C. agriculture worldwide.” Through collaborations with agricultural companies and industry experts like Butterball, Cargill, Sanderson Farms, and others, Integra Foods processes poultry parts at their Bladenboro facility, including their flagship product—smoked turkey legs.
While smoked turkey legs are a common product in North Carolina, especially at fairs and festivals, they are considered a novelty in many countries overseas, including Japan. In 2011, Eugene and Vladimir received an inquiry from Japan to supply smoked turkey legs to Tokyo Disneyland. “The opportunity with Disney came to us unexpectedly, but today they’re one of our biggest customers,” Eugene shared. “Visitors to Disneyland Tokyo are looking for what they call the ‘American Experience,’ and turkey legs are a key part of that. We’re honored to be the ones who provide them.” In fact, Tokyo Disneyland serves more turkey legs than any other Disney park in the world!
Along with Tokyo Disneyland, Integra Foods provides cooked poultry products to various food service and retail outlets in Japan, China, Korea, Singapore, and the U.S. Another unique product that Integra Foods is known for is heat-treated chicken paws, which are particularly popular in China. “Chicken paws are considered a delicacy in China, making them highly sought after,” Eugene explained.
“We offer a range of roasted, smoked, steamed, and sous-vide poultry products, including chicken wings, chicken legs, turkey legs, turkey wings, and whole turkeys,” Eugene said. “Because we serve the Japanese market, we adhere to extremely strict quality control measures.” He added, “Our process is thorough, but it guarantees a high-quality product that consumers can rely on.” The products are calibrated for weight and checked for color uniformity, blemishes, and other undesirable traits.
Integra Foods LLC was recently honored as the 2024 Exporter of the Year by N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “It’s an honor to be named Exporter of the Year, especially considering the many deserving producers in our state,” Eugene said. “We’ve always felt tremendous support from the NCDA&CS, and we’re thankful for the wonderful opportunities this partnership has provided.”
We are grateful to companies like Integra Foods LLC, who continue to share N.C. agriculture with the world. If you ever visit Tokyo Disneyland, be sure to try one of their famous turkey legs!
