NC Commissioner Steve Troxler: Carolina Fine Snacks Honored as Exporter of the Year

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The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services recently recognized Carolina Fine Snacks as its Exporter of the Year. The Greensboro-based snack company has shipped products to the Turks and Caicos, Canada, Germany, Australia, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Poland and six countries through TJ Maxx Worldwide.

  • At our recent Ag Development Forum, we honored Carolina Fine Snacks as our Exporter of the Year.
  • Company founder Philip Kosak picked up the award at our annual Agricultural Development Forum.
  • The Greensboro-based snack company has been one of the nation’s leading authorities of high-tech snack food manufacturing, with respect to the nutritional process, composition and packaging.
  • Since it opened in 1982, the company is responsible for over 60 different nutritionally profiled foods sold internationally.
  • One of the things I learned about his company is that about half of its employees are people with disabilities.
  • That community mindedness is just one way the company believes in giving back.
  • Philip is also willing to share his export experience with other North Carolina specialty food companies, which is sometimes just the encouragement a company needs to get into the export market.
  • Altogether he has participated in more than 20 international buyer trade missions and exhibits, so he has helped other companies understand what to expect and to prepare for.
  • We appreciate him being a good advocate for our international trade program and the services we can provide food companies.
  • Phil brought along some of the company’s Wicked Crisps snacks made from veggies, herbs and spices to share.
  • The crisps also were recently approved in Japan and Israel.
  • Listeners know I talk a lot about the importance of international trade. Our latest numbers show exports at nearly $3 billion, not counting forestry products.
  • We may see even more opportunities going forward as China works to meet its obligations under the recently signed Phase I trade agreement.
  • It was pointed out during the Ag Forum, that under the agreement, China would need to purchase $40 billion of U.S. food over the next 10 years. To meet that requirement, Dr. Blake Brown noted that they will need to buy high-value ag products.
  • That may bode well for North Carolina food manufacturers looking to expand their market reach.