Price Change

Dear Valued Cole’s Customer,

By now everyone has seen some increases in the cost of their wild bird feed, regardless of brand, over the last few months. The wild bird feeding industry is finally experiencing the negative effects of the current ethanol craze coupled with Frito Lay’s decision to use sunflower oil in their products. With all the farmers getting government subsidies to grow corn for ethanol instead of their regular sunflower crops there has been much less sunflower, safflower, etc., to go around. Much of the sunflower that is available has been quickly gobbled up by Frito Lay in an effort to eliminate transfat from their snack foods.

With such low crop outputs, the cost of good quality sunflower and other wild bird feed ingredients has gone through the roof. Crop prices have soared an unbelievable 80-100% or more over the previous year’s harvest.

While never before has the birding industry seen such high prices, it has seen the same cycle. So, even though you may see some price increases at this time please keep in mind that as with all things, what goes up must come down. Eventually this crisis will work itself out and lower prices will return.

To help offset rising costs and keep their prices artificially low, other seed companies usually change package sizes, lower the amount and quality of sunflower, and/or add more millet and corn to their blended products. Needless to say, Cole’s refuses to sacrifice quality or use these well-known packaging tricks.

Nonetheless, we promise to do everything we can to minimize the pain of rising costs. As soon as we get a break from the farmers, we will immediately pass it on to you as we have always done in the past - hopefully, our wait for relief will not be too long in coming. In the mean time, Cole’s will work hard to keep prices as low as possible on all the quality products we produce and carry.

Thank you for your understanding and Happy Birding,

Elaine Cole
Cole’s Wild Bird Products Co.