About Us

About Us

In the beginning…

CJ WildBird Foods Ltd was founded in 1987 on a farm in rural Shropshire, England, by Chris Whittles, a lifelong ornithologist and wildlife enthusiast.

We began in the early days, researching and selling just a small range of seeds for wild birds, but as awareness grew of the benefits of feeding the garden birds so did we.

Over the years…

CJs have been instrumental in the growth of the bird food market. Thanks to extensive research and a food development programme by our ornithologists the range of wild bird food available has significantly increased over the years. Over 80 common species of wild birds are now being fed in gardens compared to just 18 when we started our research in 1987.

Did you know?

Our research helped establish the importance of year-round feeding for garden birds with the endorsement of the RSPB. We were the first wild bird food company to introduce many of the wild bird seeds we all now take for granted, such as; Black Sunflower Seeds, Sunflower Hearts, Nyjer Seed and Kibbled Sunflower Hearts.

Recognising how important it was for birds to have quick access to calories (particularly during the winter months), CJs developed and introduced high energy foods such as Sunflower Hearts and Peanut Cakes - a new concept in bird feeding!

  • We were the first to sell peanuts with nil-detectable aflatoxin. This ensured that peanuts were safe for birds which previously had been at risk from the toxins produced by this killer mold.
  • We were the first to introduce "No Mess" foods and ground feeding mixes to the market.
  • We developed the innovative 'perching ring' which allows birds to feed from a feeder facing forwards - their natural feeding position.
  • We've also used our wildlife expertise to develop specialist wildlife food mixes
  • We led the field in researching the beneficial impact of Red Mason Bees on the pollination of fruit crops and plants, and in 2011 were the first to offer Red Mason Bee Cocoons for sale in the UK.

And now…

As well as supplying the UK market, we now operate in 9 other European countries and are proud to be the market leaders in the research, design and development of wild bird and wildlife food, and accompanying feeding products. Our dedicated team are passionate about maintaining our high standards of customer service (as well as caring for wildlife), so we can ensure that you get the very best products and advice.

The CJ Team

The CJ Team

Our dedicated staff all share a passion for wildlife. We have a valued customer service team who help with all wildlife enquiries as well as a number of bird enthusiasts (that on occasion have been known to cover the length of the country for a rare sighting!) and product specialists. We are committed to helping native birds and wildlife and are always on hand to offer practical advice to our customers.

1. Observe

By observing nature, we can learn about the needs of birds, hedgehogs, butterflies, insects, bats, amphibians and other wildlife to help them thrive all year round. We work with wildlife organisations across Europe to gather detailed observations and use this to help us develop new products.

2. Expert Design

Our products are researched and developed by in-house wildlife experts to ensure they meet our high quality standards as well as meeting the needs of the wildlife for which they are intended. Working in conjunction with our wildlife charity partners, we are constantly striving to make caring for wildlife easy, as well as finding innovative solutions to ongoing conservation issues.

3. Product Development

The combined knowledge of our wildlife, product and design specialists ensures that every item we develop is high quality, excellent value for money and always beneficial to the wildlife for which they are intended.

Our expertise allows us to create innovative new products. We were the first to introduce many original concepts to the UK bird feeding market, including Peanut Butter for Birds, perching rings for seed feeders and no-mess bird foods.

We also work on ways to make caring for wildlife easier for you; our unique ‘Click & Go’ system is available across our Apollo feeder range and allows you to dismantle feeders for cleaning in only seconds without the use of tools!

4. Product Testing

Before we launch a new product, we extensively test every item. We have our own wildlife garden and also work in collaboration with other organisations to test these at various locations. We check that the quality of the material and the design meets our high standards and that the products really do benefit the wildlife they are designed for. If they do not meet our expectations, we can then take these back to our design team for improvement and further testing.

5. Working with Partners

We work with conservation and wildlife organisations and collaborate with them on the development of new products. They test and approve many of our new items before we manufacture - so you are assured that our products really are the best for your garden wildlife. We pass a portion of our profits onto our partners, so when you make a purchase from CJ Wildlife, you too are helping support their vital work.

Find out more at www.birdfood.co.uk/partners

6. Manufacture

Virtually all our foods are developed, mixed and despatched direct to you from our Shrewsbury headquarters. We also have our own manufacturing facilities for our wooden nest boxes and tables and our WoodStone® range.

Many of the wildlife friendly plants we supply come from our own growing fields in the Netherlands, and we have developed our own mealworm farm to ensure that the live food and dried varieties we supply are all ethically produced, are competitively priced and of a consistently high quality for your garden birds.

The benefit of keeping these processes under our control is that we know what is happening with every bag of food we mix, every jar of Peanut Butter we fill and every nest box we deliver. We can pass this assurance onto you by guaranteeing that every delivery you receive from us will be of the highest quality that we know you (and your garden wildlife) demand. www.birdfood.co.uk/ownproduction

7. Launch & Deliver

You can browse and order our full range of CJ Wildlife products, including all new additions to the range, online at www.birdfood.co.uk. You can also call us on Freephone 0800 731 2820.

We offer free delivery to most of the UK on all order over £35. For orders under £35, we subsidise postage, packaging and delivery costs making it a reasonable £3.25 per order, no matter what the size or weight of your delivery. 

8. Customer Support & Advice

Our website and this guide are filled with hints and tips about caring for your garden wildlife and how it can benefit from the help you offer, but if you have any specific questions about your wildlife, services or our products, you can contact our friendly and knowledgeable customer service team on Freephone 0800 731 2820 or by emailing sales@birdfood.co.uk. Our “no quibble” guarantee means that if for any reason you are unhappy with an item you have bought from us, you can call us within 14 days to arrange return; we will replace the item or issue a full refund.

We also offer additional product guarantees of up to 10 years across selected lines to assure you of the quality of our products. Look out for the logos on qualifying products. 

9. Customer Feedback

Your opinion counts. To ensure we continue to offer the best quality products and services, we value your ideas and suggestions on how we can do better. Please visit www.birdfood.co.uk/contact to send us your feedback, or call freephone 0800 731 2820. You can also contact us via social media.

10. Experience Nature

We strive to offer you the best products, advice and service so that you can help and attract more wildlife into your garden. When you provide for your local wildlife and encourage them into your garden, you will be rewarded with the opportunity to observe and experience nature up close, all year round. We also work with Reevoo to gather customer feedback on our products and services.

CJ WildBird Foods Ltd has been certified by BSI to ISO 9001 under certificate number FM 40547

Watch LIVE From our Farm

Watch LIVE From our Farm

Sit back and relax whilst the birds search for their supper on our feeders

Watch Now