Birdseeds
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Susan Vandergriff’s journey into the realm of birdwatching began as a personal endeavor to alleviate stress and anxiety. She noticed that conventional birdseed mixes often contained filler ingredients that birds would discard, leading her to create her own high-quality blends. The success of these homemade mixes in attracting a diverse array of birds inspired Susan to establish Happy Birdwatcher, aiming to share her effective solutions with fellow bird enthusiasts.
Happy Birdwatcher is a unique birdseed company known for its customized blends based on local bird data and eco-friendly packaging. Susan Vandergriff sought $150,000 for 10% equity.
Susan did not secure a deal with the Sharks.
After its appearance on Shark Tank, the company continued to offer customized birdseed blends designed to attract local bird species. Additionally, they remained committed to enhancing backyard birdwatching experiences by supplying high-quality, filler-free seeds.
Barbara Corcoran |
No offer |
Kevin O’Leary |
No offer |
Mark Cuban |
No offer |
Lori Greiner |
No offer |
Daniel Lubetzky |
No offer |
In March 2025, Susan presented Happy Birdwatcher on Shark Tank, seeking $150,000 in exchange for 10% equity. She highlighted the company’s unique approach, sales trajectory, and future potential. Despite impressive growth—from $9,000 in the first year to a projected $360,000 in 2024—the company had yet to achieve profitability. The sharks expressed concerns about the business model’s scalability and the competitive birdseed market, ultimately declining to invest. Mark Cuban remarked, “You’re a service business pretending to be a product business,” pointing out the challenges in balancing customization with profitability.
Season and Episode |
Season 16, Episode 12 |
Air Date |
March 7, 2025 |
Entrepreneurs |
Susan Vandergriff |
Product |
Happy Birdwatcher, customized birdseed mixes tailored to attract local bird species, utilizing bird sighting data from customers’ zip codes. |
Investment Sought |
$150,000 |
Equity Offered |
10% |
Valuation |
$1.5 million |
Initial Sales |
Lifetime Sales: $459,000. 2024 Sales (Year To Date): $152,000. 2024 Sales (Projected): $360,000. Not profitable. |
Retail Plans |
Retail Price: $49, Production Cost: $26.79, Profit per Unit: Approximately $22. With more capital plan on reducing cost for production to $22-$24. |
Final Deal |
No deal. |
*After the filming of a Shark Tank episode, investments are subject to thorough audits and evaluations. During this time period, the terms of the investment can be altered or canceled by either party. As a result, the deals presented on the show may not always come to fruition for various reasons. This site does not guarantee the accuracy of any final investment figures.
What sets Happy Birdwatcher apart is its commitment to personalization. By analyzing bird sighting data specific to a customer’s zip code, the company crafts seed blends designed to attract the local bird species. Customers provide information about their feeders and the birds they wish to attract, resulting in a made-to-order mix that enhances the backyard birdwatching experience. This meticulous process ensures that bird enthusiasts can enjoy visits from their desired avian friends.
In addition to offering customized blends, Happy Birdwatcher is deeply committed to environmental sustainability. The company utilizes eco-friendly, plastic-free packaging for its products, reflecting a dedication to minimizing environmental impact. Susan emphasizes that products for nature lovers should be eco-friendly, leading to the choice of paper-only packaging despite the challenges in sourcing such materials.
Happy Birdwatcher offers a variety of products, including the Starter HappySeed Box priced at $36 and the Simply Seeds HappySeed Box at $52. Customers have praised the quality and effectiveness of the seed blends, noting an increase in both the number and diversity of birds visiting their feeders. The company’s dedication to customer service and thoughtful packaging has also been well-received. However, some customers have noted that the Everyday blend was less impressive, and the lack of seasonal adjustments to the formulas means that feeders might not be perfectly stocked for every season.
Despite not securing a deal on Shark Tank, Happy Birdwatcher continues to thrive, driven by a passionate customer base and a clear mission. The company aims to expand its market share within the $4 billion U.S. wild bird seed industry and is exploring options for commercial space to increase production capacity. Susan’s vision encompasses not only business growth but also creating employment opportunities and furthering the company’s charitable contributions.
It’s a birdseed company offering customized blends based on your zip code to attract specific local birds.
No, despite strong sales, the founder did not receive an investment.
Susan Vandergriff, who created the company in 2021 to combine mental wellness and backyard birdwatching.
Products range from $36 to $52 depending on the blend and size.
It offers zip-code-specific, high-quality, filler-free seed blends in eco-friendly packaging.
