Facebook
or other presence on the Internet, or otherwise advertise on the Internet or any other public computer network in connection with the Franchised Business, including any profile on Facebook, Instagram,
From the filings
+37.5% units YoYHQ-led decisions
Ducklings Early Learning Center
EducationSoftware purchasing at Ducklings Early Learning Center is controlled at the headquarters level by Founder and CEO Jody Thompson and the executive team. The most recent Franchise Disclosure Document does not mandate any specific technology systems, leaving the current tech stack undisclosed. With 14 total units and 37.5% year-over-year unit growth, the addressable market is small but expanding for vendors targeting premium early childhood education franchises.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Total units
14
11 franchised
Unit growth YoY
+37.5%
vs prior filing
AUV
$1.86M
Item 19, 2024
Royalty
3%
of gross sales
Ad fund
1%
national + local
Initial fee
$55K
per unit
Investment range
$993K–$2.15M
all-in, Item 7
Procurement
Approved supplier
from the filing
Non-compete
2 years
from the filing
Item 19
Claims
from the filing
Ongoing fee load
What the operator pays every month
The recurring percentage of gross sales named in this filing, before rent, labour or any technology fee.
4%of gross sales (FY2025)
15% reference
Mandated & recommended tech
The systems vendors compete with
Systems named in Item 11 of this filing. None is recorded as mandated here, which is not the same as the filing mandating nothing. Read Item 11 before treating the category as open.
Instagram
resence on the Internet, or otherwise advertise on the Internet or any other public computer network in connection with the Franchised Business, including any profile on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn,
LinkedIn
the Internet, or otherwise advertise on the Internet or any other public computer network in connection with the Franchised Business, including any profile on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Instagram,
Pinterest
rwise advertise on the Internet or any other public computer network in connection with the Franchised Business, including any profile on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter,
Twitter
tise on the Internet or any other public computer network in connection with the Franchised Business, including any profile on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube or
YouTube
he Internet or any other public computer network in connection with the Franchised Business, including any profile on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube or any other
Franchisor behaviours
What the franchisor requires
25 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 3 explicit no's; 6 questions the text does not settle, which is not a no.
Accounting
Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor may, without notice to Franchisee, have the right to independently and remotely access any proprietary software program and the computer system that Franchisee is required to use in connection with the Franchised Business or will be required to use in the future (the “Computer System”), via the Internet…
Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall provide Franchisor with the following reports and information, all of which must be certified as true and correct by Franchisee and in the form and manner prescribed by Franchisor: (i) a signed Gross Revenue report each month for Gross Revenue generated during the immediately preceding calendar month
How the franchisor buys
Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?
YesItem 8
We currently serve as the Approved Supplier for: (i) the System Site and other technology services we determine to provide as part of any then-current Technology Fee; and (ii) any training or instruction we provide as part of any then-current Training Fee.
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesItem 8
We reserve the right to designate us or any of our affiliates as an Approved Supplier with respect to any item you must purchase in connection with your Franchised Business in the future.
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
0Item 8
During the past fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, neither we nor any affiliate derived any revenue based on franchisee requires purchases or leases.
Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
We and/or our affiliates may receive payments or other compensation from Approved Suppliers or any other suppliers on account of these suppliers’ dealings with us, you, and/or other System Businesses, such as rebates, commissions or other forms of compensation.
Item 8 gives this proportion in one of two shapes: separate percentages for establishing the business and for operating it, or one figure covering "establishing and operating" together. Where they are separate, answer with the operating percentage; where the passage gives only the combined figure, answer with that. What percentage of the franchisee's purchases must come from designated or approved suppliers?
45Item 8
approximately 45% to 55% of your ongoing costs to operate your Franchised Business on an ongoing basis after your initial ramp-up period of operations.
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesItem 8
We may, but are not obligated to, grant your request to offer any products or services in connection with your Franchised Business that are not Approved Products and Approved Services or purchase any item or service we require you to purchase from an Approved Supplier from an alternative supplier.
Communications
Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall obtain at least three (3) telephone numbers solely dedicated to the Franchised Business, which Franchisee shall assign to Franchisor, at Franchisor’s option, upon termination, expiration, or transfer of this Agreement.
Data and IT
Must the franchisee comply with PCI, data-security or cybersecurity standards set by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee agrees to comply with the then-current Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (“PCI DSS”), as such standards may be revised and modified by the PCI Security Standards Council (see www.pcisecuritystandards.org), or any successor organization or standards that Franchisor may reasonably specify.
Franchise management
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor will, as it deems appropriate in its sole discretion, conduct inspections and/or audits of the Franchised Business and, upon 48 hours’ notice of the Premises to ensure that Franchisee is operating its Franchised Business in compliance with the terms of this Agreement, the Manuals and the System standards…
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesItem 11
We may supplement, revise or otherwise modify the Manuals and/or a System Site as we deem necessary or prudent in our sole discretion, which may, among other things, provide new operations concepts and ideas.
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee may only operate the Franchised Business from a site that Franchisee proposes to Franchisor in writing and that Franchisor approves in writing (the “Premises”).
Marketing
Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee must expend a minimum $20,000 that will serve as the Initial Marketing Spend designed to promote the Franchised Business within the Designated Territory utilizing Franchisor’s Approved Suppliers and/or specified System standards, practices and methodologies for initial marketing campaigns and efforts.
Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?
YesItem 11
As of the Issue Date, we require that franchisees spend a minimum amount per month on local advertising and promotions (the “Local Advertising Requirement”) that, as of the Issue Date, amounts to one percent (1%) of the Gross Revenue generated by your Franchised Business in the preceding calendar month of operations.
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesItem 8
you to purchase any products or services necessary to operate your System Business from a supplier that we approve or designate (each, an “Approved Supplier”), which may include us or our affiliate(s).
Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee must purchase all inventory and supplies required to sell and provide the Approved Products and Approved Services, as well as thereafter maintain such
Payments
Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?
YesItem 6
Your Royalty Fee, as well as any other fees payable to us or our affiliates under the Franchise Agreement, shall be paid to us via ACH.
People
Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall keep the Franchised Business open and in normal operation for such minimum hours and days as Franchisor may prescribe in the Manuals or otherwise in writing and must ensure that the Franchised Business is sufficiently staffed.
Must employees wear uniforms specified by the franchisor?
YesItem 7
You must also provide all initial personnel of your franchised Center with a branded tee-shirt and any other uniform-related items that we specify in the Manuals or otherwise in writing.
Point of sale
Must the franchisee use a specific point-of-sale system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesItem 11
We have the right to specify or require that you use certain brands, types, makes, and/or models of computer hardware and software in connection with the Franchised Business, which currently includes: (i) a computer or laptop that is capable of running all Required Software, including without limitation, the software…
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
We will also have the right to, at any time without notice, electronically and independently connect with your Computer System to monitor or retrieve data stored on the Computer System (or for any other purpose we deem necessary), which may include customer information and information pertaining to the Franchised…
Sales and CRM
Must the franchisee use a CRM system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall record all transactions of the Franchised Business on a Computer System designated or approved by Franchisor, which must contain software that allows Franchisee to record accumulated sales without turning back, resetting or erasing such sales.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor may require Franchisee to pay its then-current training fee in connection with any Additional Training that Franchisor requires under this Section.
Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor may establish and conduct an annual conference for all franchise owners and may require Franchisee (or its Director) to attend this conference, but for no more than five (5) days each year.
The filing answers no to 3 questions
- Does the franchisor charge a fee to evaluate a proposed supplier?Item 8
- Must the franchisee participate in a customer-satisfaction or net-promoter survey program?Franchise agreement
- Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?Item 11
The vendor opportunity at Ducklings Early Learning Center
Ducklings Early Learning Center presents a compact but growing opportunity for software vendors. The system comprises 14 total units—11 franchised and 3 company-owned—with a disclosed Average Unit Volume of $1,859,146.56. Year-over-year unit growth sits at 37.5%, signaling an active development pipeline despite the small base. For a vendor, the total addressable market is currently 14 locations, but the growth trajectory suggests new centers will come online and require technology stacks. The royalty rate is a modest 3.0% on gross revenue, and the initial franchise term runs 10 years.
The brand is headquartered in Pennsylvania and appears to be independently owned, with no parent company on file. This independence means decisions are made by a concentrated leadership team rather than a distant corporate parent, which can shorten sales cycles for vendors who reach the right executive.
Who controls software purchasing
Software purchasing authority rests with the headquarters team. The 2025 FDD lists Jody Thompson as Founder and Chief Executive Officer. The other named executives are Kim Collier (Chief Development Officer), Sarah Vannello (Director of Curriculum), and Lauren Gose (Director of Operations and Training). No dedicated Chief Information Officer or Head of Technology is disclosed. In a system of this size, the CEO and the Director of Operations typically evaluate and approve operational software, while curriculum-specific tools may fall under the Director of Curriculum. Vendors should expect a direct, relationship-driven sales process rather than a formal RFP-driven procurement function.
No multi-unit operators are mapped in our corpus, meaning all franchised locations are likely single-unit franchisees. This further concentrates technology decisions at the franchisor level, as individual franchisees are unlikely to have independent procurement leverage.
Mandated and current tech stack
The 2025 FDD does not mandate or recommend any specific technology systems. No POS provider, no child management platform, no accounting software, and no CRM are named in the available disclosures. This absence of mandates can be a double-edged sword for vendors: it means there is no incumbent to displace at the franchisor level, but it also means there is no top-down push forcing adoption. A vendor must sell the CEO on standardizing a technology stack that currently appears to be chosen ad hoc by each location, or not captured in the FDD at all.
Procurement, renewals, and timing
Procurement signals from Item 8 of the FDD are not captured in our data, so it is unknown whether Ducklings designates specific suppliers, maintains an approved vendor list, or allows franchisees to purchase freely. This gap is itself a signal: the franchisor likely has not formalized a technology procurement program, which creates a greenfield for vendors who can articulate a clear ROI.
Renewal terms from Item 17 show that a franchisee in good standing can sign a successor agreement for an additional 10-year term, unless the franchisor has determined to withdraw from the geographical area. This long-term commitment model means franchisees are stable operators who may be receptive to technology investments that promise a decade of utility. The most immediate software contract windows will likely coincide with new center openings, given the 37.5% unit growth rate.
How to read the Ducklings Early Learning Center FDD
The full 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document is embedded below. For software vendors, the critical sections are Item 11 (Franchisor's Obligations) to spot any mandated technology, and Item 8 (Restrictions on Sources of Products and Services) to understand the procurement model. Cross-reference the executive list in Item 1 with LinkedIn to map the current organizational structure, as small franchisors often evolve their teams between FDD filings. With 14 units and a $1.86 million AUV, this is a niche target best suited for vendors who specialize in early childhood education and can demonstrate value quickly to a founder-led HQ. For a ranked target list of similar franchise systems, FranCloud can help.
Questions vendors ask
Ducklings Early Learning Center, answered from the filing
Founder and CEO Jody Thompson is the top executive. The buying center likely includes the Director of Operations and Training, Lauren Gose, and Chief Development Officer Kim Collier, though specific IT roles are not disclosed in the FDD.
The 2025 FDD does not mandate or recommend any specific POS, operational, or management software systems. The current technology stack in use at franchised or company-owned locations is not disclosed.
There are 14 total units: 11 franchised and 3 company-owned. This places the brand in the micro-franchise segment, though it posted 37.5% unit growth year-over-year.
The procurement model is not detailed in the available FDD extracts. Item 8 signals regarding designated or approved suppliers are not captured, so the degree of purchasing autonomy for franchisees is currently unknown.
The initial franchise term is 10 years. Renewals are for an additional 10 years, conditional on good standing. With only 14 units and recent growth, new location openings may create the most immediate software evaluation opportunities.
The FDD was filed with state franchise regulators in 2025. You can review the full document in the embedded PDF viewer below to conduct your own detailed analysis of Item 11 and Item 8 disclosures.
Source
Read the filing itself
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FDD alert
Tell me when this brand refiles.
We’ll email you the moment Ducklings Early Learning Center files a new annual FDD, usually the freshest signal of a vendor change.
Operator footprint
Who runs the locations
23 operators run 23 mapped locations. 0 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Single-unit23
Top states by locations
| PA | 20 |
|---|---|
| DE | 3 |
Related Education brands
Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.