• Third consecutive year moving up the Franchise Times Top 400, with an 84-spot rise since 2023
• School count grew by one-third in 2025, with 16 new franchise agreements and 15 school openings

BALTIMORE, Oct. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Celebree School, a leader in early childhood education offering infant and toddler care, preschool, before and aftercare, and summer camp programs, has once again moved up the 2026 Franchise Times Top 400. The annual ranking measures the largest U.S. franchise systems by global systemwide sales, making it one of the industry’s most objective benchmarks of scale and performance.

It is Celebree’s third consecutive climb, achieved just seven years after the brand launched its franchise program in 2019. The recognition comes as the brand continues to expand its footprint, adding new schools and entering new states to meet strong demand for quality early childhood education.

A Steady Climb Up the Rankings
Celebree School’s continuous rise on the Top 400 reflects consistent, sustained growth. The brand climbed 39 spots on the 2024 list, 35 more in 2025 and another 10 this year.

The Top 400 ranking adds to a growing list of industry honors for Celebree School, including a spot on Entrepreneur‘s Franchise 500 for 2026, where it moved up 113 places, and the 2026 Franchise Times Fast & Serious list of smartest-growing brands.

Built on the Right People
“Climbing the Top 400 year after year tells us our model is working, but what we’re proudest of is what’s behind it – the   franchisees who are building real, lasting businesses,” said Richard Huffman, founder and CEO of Celebree School. “We are deliberate about who joins our system. Every candidate meets personally with our leadership team, because owning a Celebree School is a very personal decision. That care is why our growth holds.”

Supporting Growth in High-Demand Markets
The company’s growth strategy focuses on expanding within both major metropolitan areas and high-potential emerging markets where demand for early childhood education remains strong. Current target growth markets include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Denver, Indianapolis, and Phoenix.

“Childcare is becoming recognized as essential community infrastructure,” added Huffman. “Developers, municipalities, and landlords increasingly understand the value that quality early childhood education brings to families and neighborhoods. We’re committed to providing franchisees with the tools and support they need to capitalize on that opportunity.”

Strong Economics Continue to Drive Interest
For entrepreneurs seeking a purpose-driven franchise opportunity in the growing early childhood education sector, Celebree School’s enhanced development support platform represents another step in the company’s commitment to franchisee performance and sustainable long-term growth.

Prospects are taking note of the business opportunity, as Celebree School’s Franchise Disclosure Document reports $2.26M AUV for company-operated schools open and operating throughout 2025**. Recently, Celebree introduced a 0% royalty incentive for new franchise owners***.

For more information on Celebree School franchise opportunities, please visit https://franchise.celebree.com/. 

About Celebree School
Founded in 1994, Celebree School is a leader in early childhood education, offering infant and toddler care, preschool, and summer camp programs. With a mission to Grow People Big and Small™, Celebree School believes success in early childhood development is equal parts curriculum and connection. Each school employs a customized program that addresses the physical, social, emotional, and academic needs of children and follows applicable state guidelines. In 2019, Celebree School launched its franchise offering. In 2024, Celebree School’s founder, Richard Huffman, launched a new parent company called Huffman Family Brands, merging Celebree affiliated concepts under one multi-brand company structure. Learn more about how we grow confident children who are prepared for school and life at Celebree.com. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

ABOUT THE FRANCHISE TIMES TOP 400
The Franchise Times Top 400 is the only ranking by systemwide sales and units of the largest 500 U.S.-based franchise brands. Published in the October issue and available in a searchable database online, the Franchise Times Top 400 also analyzes industry sectors based on percentage change in sales growth, reports the 10 fastest-growing franchises by four different measures, and includes exclusive news stories about the biggest names in franchising. The rankings and full report, and the searchable online database, are available at www.franchisetimes.com/top-400-2026.

*The Franchise Times Top 400 ranks the largest U.S.-based and U.S.-operating franchise systems by global systemwide sales from the prior year.

**Based on annual financial performance results for the 26 Company-Operated Schools across Maryland and Delaware that were considered “mature” and that were operated by our affiliates that were open and operating throughout 2025. A mature school is defined as a School that has been open for at least 24 months. This information is presented in Item 19 of our April 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document along with additional financial performance data related to the performance of our outlets. If you purchase a franchise, your results may differ from the represented performance. We can’t guarantee the success of any franchise and you must accept the risk of not doing as well. 

***This is not an offer to sell a franchise. An offer can be made only by means of a Franchise Disclosure Document that has been registered and approved by the appropriate agency in your state, if your state requires such registration.

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SOURCE Celebree School