CARMEL, Ind., March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Wild Birds Unlimited, the national bird feeding and nature specialty franchise, continued its rise among the top nature and pet supply brands in 2020 through steady expansion and effective pandemic pivots.
Despite the challenges 2020 tossed its way, Wild Birds Unlimited enters 2021 following a year featuring the addition of eight new franchise locations and a 22 percent same-store sales increase, along with several honors and recognitions.
"The successes of 2020 are not only evidence of our model's stability but an indication of the strength of our franchisees," said WBU Chief Development Officer Paul Pickett. "We're very pleased that even in a pandemic, with brick-and-mortar retail being scary, our system is growing, our franchisees are growing very strongly, and that is not slowing down."
Much of that pandemic success is due to the numerous pivots Wild Birds Unlimited made to meet the remaining demand, solving short-term challenges with long-term solutions for both consumers and franchisees. From new product offerings such as "Share the Joy" boxes to shifting experiential consumer activities online and launching a new podcast with more than 75,000 downloads to date, WBU maintained and even heightened its engagement with the consumer.
The company also emphasized collaboration and operational support for its franchisees, helping them to obtain roughly $6 million worth of PPP and EIDL loans and rent relief. That support extended to WBU's creation of more than 70 new marketing pieces, promoting pandemic-related safety signage as well as online and curbside shopping notices.
Wild Birds Unlimited enters 2021 carrying that resiliency and dedication into another season of expansion.
"Every business was met with adversity in 2020, but we couldn't be prouder of how the system thrived and set a foundation for the coming year," said Pickett. "Our differentiator is our involvement in the community, so we are thrilled with the efforts of our franchisees to continue strengthening the brand and serving that passion going forward."
In addition to its growing e-commerce presence, the brand has committed yet again to advance its franchise development efforts. Now with nearly 350 locations, WBU plans to open 10 more in 2021, targeting new markets with the goal of obtaining a footprint in 100 markets around the United States and Canada.
About Wild Birds Unlimited
Wild Birds Unlimited is the original and largest franchise system of backyard bird feeding and nature specialty stores with more than 340 locations throughout the United States and Canada. Wild Birds Unlimited specializes in bringing people and nature together with bird feeding and nature products, expert advice and educational events. Wild Birds Unlimited has consistently ranked in the top 10 in the overall category for more than 10 years on Franchise Business Review's prestigious Franchisee Satisfaction Awards. Visit our website and shop online at http://www.wbu.com. To learn how you can open your own Wild Birds Unlimited, visit http://www.wbufranchise.com.
Media Contact
Matt Randall, Wild Birds Unlimited, (919) 578-5994, [email protected]
SOURCE Wild Birds Unlimited
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