Kentucky Woman-Owned Small Business Two Rivers Fisheries Named EXIM Exporter of the Year
September 21, 2021
(Ex-Im Bank)
EXIM’s Export Credit Insurance Enabled
Environmentally Beneficial Small Business to
Expand Existing Sales and Enter New Markets
WASHINGTON – Two Rivers Fisheries Inc.,
a woman-owned small business in Wickliffe,
Kentucky, that processes and exports local fish
to 12 countries, has been named an Exporter of
the Year by the Export-Import Bank of the
United States (EXIM). The company, which has
used EXIM’s export credit insurance to
support its international sales since 2020, was
awarded today during EXIM’s 2021 Annual
Conference being held virtually September
21-23.
“I am pleased to recognize Two Rivers
Fisheries for its outstanding contributions to
fulfilling EXIM ’s mission of supporting
American jobs by facilitating U.S. exports,”
said EXIM Acting Senior Vice President of Small
Business and Vice President of Women- and
Minority-Owned Business Outreach Tamara
Maxwell. “Approximately 90 percent of
EXIM’s authorizations directly support small
businesses such as the exporters being awarded
at the annual conference. We are dedicated to
facilitating the exporting success of U.S.
small businesses as they compete in the global
marketplace and support American jobs at
home.”
After being involved in seafood and
export-import industries for many years,
Chinese American entrepreneur Angie Yu decided
to address the increasing problem of Asian
carp, an invasive species found in the
Mississippi River ecosystem, by establishing
Two Rivers Fisheries in 2012. Yu founded the
company to harvest carp from local rivers and
lakes and export the fish to China and other
countries. Environmentally conscientious in
other ways, Two Rivers Fisheries also harnesses
the heat output of its processing equipment to
heat the company’s offices and turns its
waste product into organic fertilizer, all
while helping to control the population of carp
in local rivers and lakes. Yu’s efforts were
celebrated and featured in a 2019 short film
about creative adaptation called ADAPTATION:
Kentucky
The company’s export sales had been supported
by letters of credit, but after Yu began using
EXIM’s export credit insurance, the company
was able to reach new customers and expand into
new markets.
"When I learned about EXIM’s export credit
insurance, I knew it could help me a lot,”
said Two Rivers President Angie Yu. “This
gave me the confidence to keep working with new
larger companies and enter new markets. If I
ever had a problem with nonpayment, EXIM was
there to help me out."
Yu added, “EXIM is a great partner to work
with for small businesses seeking to export, as
it could provide valuable financial assistance
as well as invaluable know-how and
informational leads.”
Since 2014, EXIM has supported exports valued
at $437 million from 34companies — including
24small businesses like Two River Fisheries —
across Kentucky.
U.S. companies, particularly small businesses,
can utilize EXIM’s financing tools and
resources to increase their international
sales, showcase their “Made in the USA”
products, and sustain American jobs. By
partnering with EXIM, exporters can mitigate
the risk of nonpayment on international sales,
offer credit terms to foreign buyers, and
access working capital loan guarantees. In
addition, EXIM has implemented several COVID-19
(coronavirus) relief measures for U.S.
exporters and financial institutions to enhance
the agency’s existing programs.
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