Wild Birds Unlimited
Retail & Consumer Goods · Specialty Retail
- Royalty
- 4.0%
of weekly Net Sales
About Wild Birds Unlimited
The business serves birding hobbyists and nature enthusiasts through independently owned brick-and-mortar stores typically located in retail shopping centers. In addition to hardware like bird baths and nesting boxes, locations offer guidance on attracting local wildlife and maintaining backyard habitats. The model incorporates an e-commerce platform that supports online ordering for home delivery or in-store pickup. Franchisees also provide educational outreach and support conservation initiatives within their local communities.
Key terms
- Franchise fee
$40k
- Additional franchise fee reduction
Existing WBU franchisee: Initial Franchise Fee is one-half of the then-current fee (currently 20000).
- Conversion franchise fee
Existing franchisee converting an independent nature retail store: Initial Franchise Fee 5000.
- Brand fund
1.0% of Net Sales
- Local advertising
2.0% of Net Sales
- Footprint
1,200 – 1,700 sq ft
- Veteran discount
15.0% off franchise fee — 15% discount off the Initial Franchise Fee
Brand Percentile Rankings
Rankings compare brands in the same operating year. Fee and investment figures come from the FDD (2026 filing); filings on file: 2024, 2025, 2026.
Growth
- Total locations—
Franchised units open at year-end
- New openings—
Gross new units opened during the calendar year
- 1-year unit growth rate—
Net unit growth versus prior year
- 3-year unit CAGR—
Compound annual growth rate of unit count over the trailing 3 years
- Unit growth ratio—
Cumulative opens / closures through year-end
Unit economics
- Annual unit volume (Median)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (25th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (75th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- 1-year Median AUV growth rate3.7%
Year-over-year change in median AUV
- Store-level EBITDA Margin—
Median unit-level EBITDA / AUV
Investment profile
- Estimated initial investment$304k
Midpoint of estimated initial investment range
↓ Lower is better - Time to open135 months
Midpoint of average time from agreement to opening
↓ Lower is better - Royalty rate4.0%
Percent of net sales paid to the franchisor
↓ Lower is better - Sales-to-investment ratio—
Median AUV / estimated initial investment midpoint
- Cash-on-cash returns—
Median unit-level EBITDA / estimated initial investment midpoint. Steady-state estimate; year 1 returns will be lower as the unit ramps to median volumes.
Franchisee healthLocked
- Unit closure ratio
- Transfer vs. closure ratio
- Percent multi-unit franchisees
- Litigation rate
- EBITDA multiple on sales & transfers
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Sources
Financial and operating figures are sourced from the brand's Franchise Disclosure Documents. Brand percentile rankings are based on comparisons to other brands that include the same metrics in their Franchise Disclosure Documents.