Same Store Sales Increases and Commitment to Innovation Fuel Wild Birds Unlimited’s Strong Momentum in New FDD

With more than 300 locations currently operating across the country, it’s clear that Wild Birds Unlimited is at the forefront of the industry dedicated to connecting people with nature. And now, as the brand continues working towards its goal of awarding 20 new franchises by the end of 2017, its momentum is picking up steam.

Wild Birds Unlimited recently unveiled an updated version of its FDD, or Franchise Disclosure Document. The detailed document highlights the ins and outs of its business ownership opportunity, from the startup costs listed in its Item 7 to the financial performance numbers presented in its Item 19. And it’s clear that the brand is continuing its tradition of improving over the year before. This year, for example, Wild Birds Unlimited is reporting an increase in same-store sales in addition to strong new store openings across its entire system.

“Providing prospective franchisees with a detailed and up to date FDD is absolutely essential to our brand’s success. We want our local owners to be aware of what it takes to thrive in our system before they ever sign an official agreement. That’s why we provide them with comprehensive and transparent data detailing our overall performance and store sales,” said Paul Pickett, chief development officer for Wild Birds Unlimited. “When it comes to updating our FDD, we aren’t focused on making major overhauls each and every year. Instead, our top priority is introducing additional franchisee support and training programs that will help our local owners take their businesses to the next level.”

One way in which the brand is planning to enhance its franchisee support is also included in its updated FDD. Wild Birds Unlimited has announced that it’s currently developing a program that will enable its franchisees to participate in home delivery through an online store. With the goal of adding an additional revenue stream for its local owners across the country, the brand is anticipating rolling out the new program in 2017.

According to Wild Birds Unlimited’s franchisees, this type of innovation and commitment to providing its owners with competitive advantages is nothing new for the brand.

“Before we opened up our Wild Birds Unlimited store, we had no previous retail experience. But the brand’s team made sure that we were never in this by ourselves—they’ve been there to hold our hand and support us every step of the way,” said Michelle Gottlieb, a Wild Birds Unlimited franchisee in Huntington Beach, California. “It’s been clear since day one of our discovery process that every member of the Wild Birds Unlimited team is invested in their franchisees’ success. They’re always looking for ways to help our business move forward, and there’s no doubt that we’d be able to do this without their help and guidance.”

As Wild Birds Unlimited continues to build off of its strongest year for development and growth in a decade, the brand has its sights on breaking into new communities across the U.S. And it’s on pace to meet or exceed its annual development goal—to date, Wild Birds Unlimited has signed 12 franchise agreements with another five reservation agreements already in place.

“After achieving 60 percent of our annual goal by the end of May, there’s no doubt that we have a nicely filled pipeline. But there’s still so much more room for Wild Birds Unlimited to grow—that’s why we’re more committed to innovation and technological advancements than ever before,” Pickett said. “Going forward, we’re excited to providing our franchisees with even more tools and resources that will set them up for success. We’re confident that through our updated FDD and new delivery program, we’ll continue building on our strong momentum.”