1851

<a href="https://franchise.wbu.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=wild-birds-unlimited-implemented-new-technologies-bird-foods-in-2018-2708607" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wild Birds Unlimited</a> saw major growth in 2018 thanks to a combination of new bird feeding products, customer-oriented changes and store transfers among franchisees.

Chief Development Officer Paul Pickett spoke to the major changes that happened for the brand in 2018.

One of the biggest changes <a href="https://1851franchise.com/wildbirdsunlimited/info/index.html" target="_blank">Wild Birds Unlimited</a> had in 2018 was the implementation of MyWBU, which allows customers to order products online and chose to have those orders shipped to their home or picked up in their Wild Birds Unlimited store. They can also view what they&rsquo;ve ordered in the past.

MyWBU has made for a more seamless customer experience and provides a more convenient way for the customer to shop in their favorite store

&ldquo;Giving our franchisees that omnichannel option was a huge advantage and a major initiative,&rdquo; Pickett said.

MyWBU initially did a test launch towards the end of 2017 with 13 stores and the omnichannel, which is optional for franchisees, became available across the entire system earlier this year.

&ldquo;The initiative is branded &lsquo;MyWBU Store&rsquo; to drive home the fact that it&rsquo;s an extension of the local store customers already shop,&rdquo; Wild Birds Unlimited Director of Marketing Support Bo Lowery <a href="https://1851franchise.com/wildbirdsunlimited/wild-birds-unlimited-introduces-omni-channel-initiative-to-enhance-e-commerce-platform-and-connect-online-sales-to-local-stores-2705037" target="_blank">told 1851 Franchise</a> just before MyWBU was offered system-wide. &ldquo;When ordering via MyWBU Store, orders are fulfilled by the same local staff customers already know and trust.&rdquo;

The brand, which has 337 open stores, saw 15 store transfers in 2018 and also opened 15 new stores. Three of those 15 stores came from multi-unit growth. Wild Birds Unlimited plans to open three more new stores by the end of 2018.

&ldquo;We had a record number of transfers this year,&rdquo; Pickett said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been very fortunate that we&rsquo;ve had a number of existing stores that have opened up second stores or an existing franchisee bought another store from another franchisee, so we&rsquo;ve had a lot of internal growth.&rdquo;

The company is in the middle of migrating from one CRM to another and is also completely revamping their franchise development website. Pickett said both projects are expected to be complete by the end of 2018.

Wild Birds Unlimited also introduced more than 30 new proprietary products to their bird food category.

New products include Winter SuperBlend, the brand&rsquo;s highest fat seed blend that aims to help birds with winter survival. The Jim&rsquo;s Birdacious Bark Butter line of spreadable suet, was expanded to give customers an even more conveinent way to offer the food &ndash; QuickBites, single serving treats. The new products started shipping out to Wild Birds Unlimited stores this fall. Pickett said there has been an &ldquo;incredible level of embracement&rdquo; among franchisees and customers with the new product offerings.

&ldquo;Those products only recently came out just in time for the holiday season, but preliminary results are that customers are loving it,&rdquo; Pickett said. &ldquo;Those products will attract new and different birds and bring new solutions for our customers, right in their own backyards.&rdquo;

In terms of franchisee recruitment, the company is in the process of testing some new Facebook and Google campaigns and has gotten some traction from that, according to Pickett.

Pickett said that Wild Birds Unlimited plans to continue upholding its values as it recruits new franchisees.

&ldquo;From a brand standpoint, we want to make sure our values are really clearly shared with all of our franchisee candidates, and those values are being honest, ethical and respectful,&rdquo; Pickett said. &ldquo;We embrace diversity and guarantee that our products are of the highest quality and excellent value. We&rsquo;re focusing on giving the best experience to all of our franchisee candidates.&rdquo;

The startup costs for a Wild Birds Unlimited franchise range from $146,516 to $249,956, which includes the franchise fee. The franchise fee is $30,000. To learn more about franchising with Wild Birds Unlimited, visit <a href="https://franchise.wbu.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=wild-birds-unlimited-implemented-new-technologies-bird-foods-in-2018-2708607" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://franchise.wbu.com/</a>.

Wild Birds Unlimited Implemented New Technologies, Bird Foods, in 2018

1851 Franchise

The bird-feeding brand introduced more than 30 new bird foods, implemented an omnichannel and saw a record number of store transfers in 2018. 

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

wild-birds-unlimited-implemented-new-technologies-bird-foods-in-2018

Comfort Keepers

Comfort Keepers - Midyear Press Release 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Comfort Keepers® Hits Mid-Year Stride With Strong Franchise Growth and Rising Demand for In-Home Care

comfort-keepers-franchise-midyear-momentum-2025

petbar

petbar - Garrett Dewan - Why I'm Investing - 1851 Franchise

Why Garrett Dewan Is Choosing To Reinvest in petbar

petbar-franchise-austin-garrett-dewan-multi-unit

Paris Baguette

NJBIZ: Paris Baguette Ramps Up Expansion With New Franchises, Facility and 2030 Growth Target

njbiz-paris-baguette-ramps-up-expansion-with-new-franchises-facility-and-2030-growth-target

Busy Bee Jumpers

Top 10 Reasons To Buy a Busy Bee Jumpers Franchise in 2025

top-10-reasons-to-buy-a-busy-bee-jumpers-franchise-in-2025

Home Halo

home-halo-former-athletes-frachisees-image

Why Former College Athletes Can Make Winning Home Halo Franchise Owners

former-college-athletes-home-halo-franchise

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Wendy's CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down - Breaking News - 1851 Franchise

Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down Amid Challenges, Leaving Franchisees Facing Uncertainty

wendys-ceo-transition-kirk-tanner-franchisee-uncertainty

"Come in, We're OPEN" sign against abstract background

Small Business Optimism Dips, Raising Concerns for Franchise Owners

small-business-optimism-dips-raising-concerns-for-franchise-owners

Photo of Roof Scientist truck and trailer

Roof Scientist Expands Into Northern Indianapolis as Entrepreneur Dale Speckman Launches New Business in Fishers

roof-scientist-expands-into-northern-indianapolis

Image of Donald Trump pointing with red stripes in the background

August 1 Tariff Deadline Is Said to Have ‘No Extensions’: What This Could Mean for Franchises

august-1-tariff-deadline-franchise-impact

What June’s Jobs Report Means for the Franchise Industry

what-junes-jobs-report-means-for-the-franchise-industry

Unlocking Superpowers: How KidStrong Is Building the Next Generation of Confident Kids — and Thriving Franchise Owners

kidstrong-franchise-confident-kids

Image of a kid growing up, developing with kidstrong, high fiving and smiling. 

How KidStrong has Become the Franchise Disrupting Child Development by Partnering with Purpose-Driven Franchise Owners 

kidstrong-franchise-opportunity-child-development

Picture of kids for franchise business Kidstrong which focuses on child development and fitness

KidStrong Is Pediatrician-Recommended for Raising Confident, Capable Kids and Families Can't Get Enough

kidstrong-child-development-program

Bringing Robots to Main Street: How Elad Inbar’s RobotLAB Franchise Is Powering the Local AI Revolution

bringing-robots-to-main-street-how-elad-inbars-robotlab-franchise-is-powering-the-local-ai-revolution

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

Kansas Couple Revitalizes Local Childcare With Children’s Lighthouse

From Corporate Careers to Community Roots: Kansas Couple Revitalizes Local Childcare With Children’s Lighthouse

kansas-couple-opens-childrens-lighthouse-gardner-olathe

From Prescriptions to Pastries: Kari Khandelwal Creates a Comforting Community Bakery 

From Prescriptions to Pastries: Kari Khandelwal Creates a Comforting Community Bakery in Overland Park, Kansas

paris-baguette-franchise-overland-park-khandelwal

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Wild Birds Unlimited Implemented New Technologies, Bird Foods, in 2018

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS