Growth Club
1851 Growth Club
Birds of a Feather: Franchisees Flock to Wild Birds Unlimited
The bird-based brand is proving to be a hit among consumers and business owners.
Wild Birds Unlimited* is soaring to even higher heights.
By providing quality products, first-class customer service and unmatched franchisee support, the nature-focused franchise is looking to establish itself as the best backyard bird feeding business in the world.
Currently, there are 291 locations in the U.S. and Canada. By early 2016, the brand will have 300 locations with about one dozen additional franchise agreements lined up. According to Paul Pickett, that’s only the start of something bigger for the franchise concept.
As vice president of franchise development for Wild Birds Unlimited, Pickett works with new and existing franchisees to determine opportunities to grow the brand’s presence. He said that as more and more people become aware of the brand, the number of multi-unit owners continues to increase.
“I feel like we can surpass the 500 mark through the support of our multi-unit owners,” he said. “Between 25 and 30 percent of our growth is through our multi-unit owners, and I only see those numbers increasing as people become familiar with our quality products. When franchisees see the support we offer and they experience success, they’re excited to help the brand grow.”
The ideal franchisee is someone who not only shares a love for wildlife, but also is dedicated to representing the values of Wild Birds Unlimited and who want to build a sustainable business enterprise.
“We are always looking for franchisees who have a passion for birds and nature,” Pickett said. “Ideally, we want to work with someone who is committed to the principles of the brand and delivering customer satisfaction. They need to bring those two concepts together into a sustainable business enterprise.”
Pickett said owning a business can be a wonderful thing, but it’s not always easy. But the franchise provides unwavering support to help franchisees find success. However, it’s important that franchisees are hardworking and determined to thrive.
“We can teach people our best practices and how to be successful, but they need to bring the resiliency. Even though a number of our franchisees are multi-unit owners, that’s not something we push onto them—we want to make sure they see success from the start and that they have that resiliency.”
Recently, the brand was named the best in franchisee satisfaction in its category. Pickett said that recognition starts from the top.
“It’s an incredible ownership experience, and it begins with having a transparent and thoughtful process with intense support. We have a commitment to the individual franchisee to not only meet their expectations, but to exceed their expectations,” he said. “We consider it an honor that they want to invest and be a part of us, so we do everything we can to help them make their dreams come true.”
Backed by a proven system that has seen sustained growth year-over-year, Wild Birds Unlimited has targeted expansion opportunities in Roanoke, Virginia; Burlington, Vermont; Long Island, New York; Fort Worth, Texas; as well as many other locations across the U.S.
For more information about franchising with Wild Birds Unlimited, visit www.wbufranchise.com or call (888) 730-7108.
*This brand is a paid partner of 1851 Franchise. For more information on paid partnerships please click here.
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