How Wild Birds Unlimited's Commitment to Brand Evolution Helps Franchisees See Success

Susan Maranhao grew up feeding and watching birds in her backyard. So when she decided to leave her job in the public sector to become her own boss, it made sense for her to pursue a franchising opportunity with Wild Birds Unlimited.

It’s been nearly 26 years since Maranhao first opened up her Wild Birds Unlimited store in Sudbury, Massachusetts, and she’s never looked back. Franchising with the brand has allowed her to pursue her passion for nature while at the same time helping her local community connect with the outside world. And that’s a perfect combination that Maranhao isn’t planning on giving up any time soon.

“I’m as excited today about coming to work and being a part of the Wild Birds Unlimited franchise system as I was in 1990 when I first started this business. But I’m even more excited about the future,” said Maranhao. “Wild Birds Unlimited has a long history of being at the forefront of the bird feeding and watching industry—it really has a clear vision of where it needs to go and how it can best get there.”

Having been a part of Wild Bird’s Unlimited’s franchise system for more than two decades, Maranhao has seen the company make some major changes in order to maintain its position as an industry leader. One area in which the brand has evolved is its product line—Wild Birds Unlimited consistently rolls out new bird seeds and feeders to offer customers the highest quality products.

Wild Birds Unlimited is also constantly improving its franchisee support system. The brand’s local business owners all take part in a state-of-the-art training program, and have a direct line of communication to the brand’s support team in the event they ever need a little extra help. Maranhao says that supportive environment makes all the difference.

“This isn’t your average cookie cutter franchise. Wild Birds Unlimited gives us all the tools and resources we need to succeed, while also giving us the opportunity to put our own individual stamp on our stores as local owners. That way we can customize our business for our clientele, and really become an integral part of our communities,” said Maranhao.

As Wild Birds Unlimited continues to grow by entering new markets across the country and welcoming new franchisees into its ever-expanding system, brand evolution will continue to play a major role in its development efforts.

“We’ve become such professional retailers. Not only have we established an excellent reputation and stepped up our game as franchisors, we’re also consistently seeing improvements in the support and services that we provide to our customers,” said Paul Pickett, chief development officer for Wild Bird Unlimited. “We’re incredibly proud of how much the Wild Birds Unlimited brand has changed, and we’re looking forward to evolving in the future.”