Over 35 years of CJ Wildlife
Founded in 1987 on a farm in rural Shropshire by cousins Chris and Ben Whittles, CJ Wildlife is proud to be the market-leading manufacturer and distributor of foods, feeders, and nest boxes for garden wildlife in the UK. Thanks to extensive research led by our wildlife experts, the range of bird food on the market in the UK has significantly increased since CJ Wildlife was founded more than 35 years ago. Today, over 80 bird species are being fed in gardens, compared to just 18 when we started our company!
We produce a variety of high-quality, innovative bird foods at our farm while working closely with conservation organisations in the UK and Europe to ensure our products meet the highest standards and provide the right support for garden wildlife. We also contribute towards our partners’ conservation projects, helping to preserve wildlife habitats, protect endangered species, and create new wildlife-friendly spaces.
We use only the best ingredients and have implemented rigorous production standards to develop high-quality products that are loved by wildlife and people. We produce all our nutritious seeds and seed mixes, peanuts, peanut cakes, and peanut butters in-house. We recently opened a new fat production facility, increasing capacity across our range of best-selling fat products.
Quality and sustainability are at the heart of everything we do. Many of our products are made using wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, and our parcels are packaged in boxes made from recycled materials. We also aim to keep transport routes as short as possible, allowing us to use more local ingredients and reduce our carbon emissions.
Vivara and Vivara Pro
Our Vivara brand, launched in 2002, is supported by a Netherlands-based infrastructure, allowing us to reach wildlife enthusiasts across Europe, including Ireland. Today, we produce our specialist wildlife products in Germany, Poland, and Lithuania. In Oberhausen, Germany, we produce high-quality seed mixes and energy-boosting fat products, such as suet blocks.
Our specialist division, Vivara Pro, was created in 2014 in response to a surge in demand for more guidance and expertise on nature-inclusive building and biodiversity enrichment. The team consists of experts in biodiversity who are on a mission to design and implement large-scale installations and projects, all with the aim of helping to reverse the decline of our natural world.
National Trust
As two brands who are passionate about protecting wildlife and better connecting people with nature, we felt it was only natural that we join forces to inspire and provide the tools for people to act for wildlife on their doorstep. So in 2020, our journey together began, for the love of nature.
Our strong reputation for producing high quality wildlife products and passion for supporting conservation efforts, goes hand in hand with the National Trust’s heritage for expert environment and wildlife conservation. Our National Trust Garden Wildlife Range is available to buy online and at a select number of National Trust sites, with a minimum of £190,000 given to the National Trust through sales from the range going towards vital conservation efforts run by teams at their places.
By purchasing any product from our National Trust range, you're not only helping wildlife in your own back garden, you're also helping wildlife across the country thrive - that's pretty amazing.
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 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.
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.
