Fast-growing British Columbia franchisor Core Education & Fine Arts (CEFA) has expanded outside the province for the first time - to Calgary.
The junior kindergarten franchisor now has 11 schools and signed franchise agreements for 14 more B.C. schools by 2014. Those 25 current and future franchises were good enough to land CEFA at No. 37 on the Business in Vancouver list of largest franchisors in B.C.
The company encourages learning in fine arts such as dance and music as well as core subjects such as reading, writing, math and science for children aged between one and five years.
Natacha Beim founded the venture in 1998, when she was 22. She opened her first CEFA school in North Vancouver and expanded to 10 locations by 2010.
In 2010, Beim turned down 95 per cent of 100 franchisee requests because she wanted partners who would focus more on kids than on profit. Beim last cited her revenue as being around $2.8 million in 2010, or 12 per cent more than in 2009.
Franchise fees are $50,000 and the capital investment is estimated to be $400,000.
from Western Investor December 2012
