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Virginia Company Makes a Splash at Pet Fair Asia
When most people think of pets, they think of man’s best friend. But the popularity of exotic pets is on the rise. Parakeets, chinchillas and sugar gliders are examples of this growing sector in the pet marketplace, and these critters need products! That is where Virginia-based Evans Natural Provisions comes in. This small business sources exotic pet products made in America and exports them.
Their first markets? China and Hong Kong. While these might seem like ambitious countries for a start-up, Evans Natural Provisions is not new to exporting. Company Director Keith Long is a veteran of the industry with over 30 years spent helping Virginia companies access foreign markets. “What I learned about China is that you need to go big when you launch. Make sure they see you,” said Long, referencing their oversized presence at Pet Fair Asia in Shanghai this year. “We were only able to have a large booth and travel to the show because of the support we received from SUSTA’s CostShare program,” he said. “We even had a Tik Tok influencer from Malaysia grooming rabbits in our booth!” he added.
In the two months following the show, they already had $75,000 in sales and expect that to reach $120,000 by the end of the year. In 2026, they also plan to target Southeast Asia and the Middle East. This success is due to the Southern United States Trade Association’s CostShare (Branded) program.
