John Miller

John Miller

Oxbow Animal Health

John Miller started Oxbow Animal Health in his garage on his farm, in 1992. Since then, Oxbow has become the worldwide leader in small exotic mammal nutrition. These small exotic animals include rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, rats, hamsters, gerbils, and others.

Oxbow Animal Health started with John's desire to add value to the high value alfalfa hay that he produced on his farm. Producing high value alfalfa hay was something which he had become very good at, so after doing market research, he became convinced that he could supply the pet rabbit market with better alfalfa hay than was currently available in the pet stores.

The first alfalfa in 15 oz. bags was sold in 1992. He had gross sales of $92 in pet food in 1992. Oxbow's growth has been exponential ever since, with 85 employees running 2 shifts currently, exporting to 35 countries (Oxbow was named the SBA National Exporter of the Year in 2006), and national distribution in the USA and Canada. The company has strategic planning in place to accomplish 20+ percent growth over the next 5 years. "You just have to differentiate yourself from the competition and stay focused on what you do best," according to John, who is a firm believer in the power of niche markets.

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