Wild Birds Unlimited vs Three Dog Bakery Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Wild Birds Unlimited vs Three Dog Bakery including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Wild Birds Unlimited Franchise
Three Dog Bakery Franchise
Investment $170,382 - $281,606$187,000 - $326,500
Franchise Fee $30,000$25,000
Royalty Fee 4% 5.5%
Advertising Fee 1%-
Year Founded 19811989
Year Franchised 19832007
Term Of Agreement 10 years7 years
Term Of Agreement 10 years7 years
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements

 
Wild Birds Unlimited Franchise
Three Dog Bakery Franchise
Experience

* Enthusiastic about nature and backyard bird feeding * Interested in owning your own business and working for yourself * Willing to work with others who share the same interests * Committed to building a Business Enterprise *Committed to delivering the ultimate WBU customer experience *Committed to following WBU 'Best Practices' to operate your own WBU store *Comfortable with the needs associated with running a business

-

Financing Options

 
Wild Birds Unlimited Franchise
Three Dog Bakery Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees No/Yes-/-
Start-up Costs No/Yes-/-
Equipment No/Yes-/-
Inventory No/Yes-/-
Receivables No/No-/-
Payroll No/No-/-

Training & Support

 
Wild Birds Unlimited Franchise
Three Dog Bakery Franchise
Training On-The-Job Training: 40 hours Classroom Training: 40 hours Additional Training: Ongoing

The franchisee must attend a 6 day training program with Three Dog Bakery. The training program is conducted in various sites in and around Kansas City, Missouri, including the Three Dog Bakery offices, at the central production facility at which Three Dog Bakery produces products for sale in the franchised stores, and at the one "company-owned" Three Dog Bakery store.

Support Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform -
Marketing Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app -
Operations 25% of all franchisees own more than one unit

Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 4

Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

The Three Dog Bakery store must at all times be under the direct, day-to-day, full-time supervision of the franchisee or an operating manager who has been approved by Three Dog and who has satisfactorily completed Three Dog's training program.


Expansion Plans

 
Wild Birds Unlimited Franchise
Three Dog Bakery Franchise
US Expansion YesYes
Canada Expansion Yes-
International Expansion Yes-

Company Overviews

About Wild Birds Unlimited

Jim Carpenter opened the first Wild Birds Unlimited store in Indianapolis in 1981. In 1983 he began franchising. The privately owned company is based in Carmel, Indiana. Each store sells bird-feeding and bird-watching supplies, including birdhouses, feeders, food and binoculars.
We support you all the way:
  • Rated #1 or #2 in Retail for Franchisee Satisfaction for 14 years
  • Rated in Top 10 Overall for Franchisee Satisfaction for more than 6 years
  • Proven, 35+ year business model
  • Our pre-opening support covers business planning, site selection, lease negotiations, classroom and in-store training, store design and layout
  • Our on-going support includes marketing, merchandising and purchasing, store operations, nature and hobby education, financial and information systems
  • Strong customer loyalty by providing an exceptional customer experience and the highest quality bird food and bird feeding products in the industry
  • Many US and Canadian markets are still available for development
The total investment necessary to begin operation of a  Wild Birds Unlimited Store is from $170,382 to $281,606 for a new franchisee ($145,382 to $256,606 for an existing franchisee who is purchasing an additional Wild Birds Unlimited franchise). This includes an amount of $52,860 - $54,260 that must be paid to the franchisor by a new franchisee (or $27,860 - $29,260 by any existing franchisee).
Veteran Incentives  15% off franchise fee
   ""     "Top    "Entrepreneur
In Franchise Business Reviews' Top 200.
#8 in Gator's Top franchises.
#137 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
#186 in Franchise 500 for 2021.









About Three Dog Bakery

Three Dog Bakery is looking for a leader of the pack in select areas for franchise growth. Our franchise opportunities are best of breed in a growing and recession-resilient industry. With continued double-digit growth in the pet food category, our premium products and unique retail franchise experience make tails wag and profits howl. A dog's life is always exciting. They work hard, play hard and above all, love the rewards! Own a unique business with loyal customers in a growing industry Actively manage the return of your investment Experience the satisfaction of managing your own career Build success with the support of an experienced corporate team Take your own dog to work every day! Owning a Three Dog Bakery is more than just running a business. It's connecting with your community, bringing joy to dogs and their owners with a one-of-a-kind offering. From a welcoming greeting to an abundant selection of fresh-baked pastries and healthy food, a visit to Three Dog Bakery is a treat for both customers and owners. Your own dogs will love interacting others in the neighborhood and so will you! Currently Three Dog Bakery is not marketing to residents of or offering franchises for sale in the following states: Hawaii, North Dakota, South Dakota, Rhode Island or Maryland.