The deal sees Kids Planet grow to 92 nurseries, providing around 7,000 childcare places.
Kinder Haven, which runs nine settings across Bradford and Leeds, was founded in 2002 by husband and wife team, Darren and Danielle Dixon. All the nurseries are based in purpose-built facilities and are within close proximity from each other.
This is Kids Planet’s second acquisition in Yorkshire, after it purchased standalone setting, Rainbows Nursery in Tadcaster last month.
Clare Roberts, chief executive of Kids Planet, said, ‘We are delighted to be chosen by Darren and Danielle to take over at Kinder Haven. We are excited to have established a more significant presence in West Yorkshire and to be able to build upon the already high standards of care that have been implemented by the Kinder Haven management team and we immediately recognised the synergies between the two nursery groups. We look forward to working with the management team as we move forward together.’
Vicky Marsland, senior business agent at Christie & Co, who handled the sale, added, ‘This is a fantastic transaction not only for the new owners but also for the region. This wholly organic group was courted by a number of the leading operators, and we are absolutely delighted to have brokered this market setting deal which is in very safe hands with Kids Planet.
‘Buyer demand is stronger than ever in the sector, with a particular increase in the Yorkshire regions for both single settings and multi-site groups from a wide range of buyers.’
Kids Planet has grown rapidly since the start of the year when it had 53 nurseries.
Over the course of 2021, the group has acquired a number of other nursery groups, including 10 Poppy & Jack’s nurseries, and Learning Curve’s five settings and out-of-school clubs in Blackpool. It also won the contract to run Oxford University’s five workplace nurseries.
