There is a noticeable shift happening within the nursery acquisitions market.
For many long-standing owners, the conversation is no longer solely about valuation or timing. Increasingly, it is about continuity. Who takes the business forward, how the culture is preserved, and whether the transition reflects the years of care and reputation that built the setting in the first place.
That shift has created growing interest in smaller, operator-led groups such as Emperor Nurseries Group, a group established in 2023 with settings across Hertfordshire and Hampshire, and ambitions for measured, sustainable expansion.
In a recent discussion with founders Avi Sethi and Sunil Unadkat, alongside Leah from Owen Froebel, several themes emerged that reflect a broader trend we are seeing across the sector: sellers looking for alignment as much as acquisition.
Preserving Identity and Legacy
One of the clearest themes from the conversation was the importance of maintaining what already makes a nursery successful.
As Avi explained:
“We don’t change names of a nursery, so they keep their name. They keep their culture. They keep their values.”
That point resonates with many independent operators approaching a sale. For owners who have spent decades building trust within their local communities, legacy matters. In practice, that often means preserving the character of a nursery rather than immediately absorbing it into a larger corporate structure.
Smaller groups are often able to offer a more tailored approach to integration, allowing settings to retain their identity while benefiting from operational support behind the scenes.
Supporting Operators Rather Than Replacing Them
The discussion also highlighted how smaller groups can approach operational integration differently.
Rather than introducing additional layers of management, the focus is often on strengthening existing teams and removing administrative pressure from managers and practitioners.
As Avi noted:
“The nursery retains what made it special in the first place… we’re there to support them from a back-office perspective.”
This reflects a wider reality within the market. Many experienced sellers are not necessarily seeking dramatic operational change. More often, they want reassurance that the quality of care, the staff culture, and the day-to-day ethos will remain intact after completion.
Why Smaller Groups Can Move Differently
Another point raised during the discussion was the agility that smaller groups can bring to both acquisitions and ongoing operations.
Sunil Unadkat explained:
“There’s fewer heads at the table… they meet us. We are the decision makers.”
In practical terms, this can create a more responsive transaction process. Decisions around investment, staffing, training, and operational improvements can often happen more quickly when ownership remains closely connected to the business itself.
For sellers, that accessibility can make the process feel more transparent and collaborative, particularly during periods of transition.
Staying Close to the Settings
A recurring theme throughout the conversation was the value of remaining operationally present after acquisition.
Smaller groups are often highly visible within their settings, both during the handover period and long afterwards.
As Sunil shared:
“We know all the staff by name. We know many of the children by name.”
Within early years education, where relationships underpin reputation and occupancy, that level of involvement carries significant weight. Sellers often want confidence that the nursery will continue to feel familiar to staff, families, and local communities alike.
Making Transition Feel Manageable
Transition remains one of the most emotional aspects of any nursery sale. For many founders, stepping away from a business they have built over decades can feel deeply personal.
Avi addressed that concern directly:
“Everyone’s quite scared of transition… actually, if you’ve got the owners there sitting next to your manager for the first month, it’s much easier than people think.”
That observation reflects an important truth about successful transactions in this sector. Well-managed transitions rarely happen by accident. They rely on alignment between buyer and seller, operational preparedness, and clear communication throughout the process.
A More Nuanced Market
The market will always include a place for larger consolidators, and for many sellers they remain the right fit. But the continued growth of smaller, values-led groups suggests the sector is becoming more nuanced.
Increasingly, owners are asking not only “What is the offer?” but also “What happens next?”
In our experience, that is a healthy evolution for the sector. The strongest transactions are rarely defined purely by price. They are defined by fit, continuity, and the confidence that what has been built over many years will continue to thrive under new ownership.
