This Iconic Brand Has Spent Nearly Its Entire Tenure on the Franchise 500 at #1 in Tutoring And, once again, it ranks among the top 10 companies overall.

It's one of the largest franchises in the world.

That's right, with more than 25,000 units worldwide, Kumon has been #1 in the tutoring category for 24 of the 28 years it has appeared on BIZ Experiences's Franchise 500. If that isn't impressive enough, this is also the fifth consecutive year that Kumon ranks among the top 10 of companies overall, coming in at #10.

"Kumon remains the most established brand with a sound business model based on proven curriculum—the Kumon Method, which continues to resonate with parents seeking long-term academic success for their children," says Thomas Kuczek, Franchise Recruitment and Development Manager for Kumon North America.

When BIZ Experiences evaluates franchises for the Franchise 500, we look at more than 150 data points — including very visible ones like size and growth, but we also take a holistic view of the business, the industry it operates in, and the opportunities available to prospective franchisees. That includes things like franchisee support and training, brand strength and marketing, and more.

With strong financials, Kumon scores in the top 1% on this year's list for brand strength and in the top 5% for size and growth.

New programs focused on growth

Kumon's strong growth can be attributed, in part, to two new initiatives that improve Kumon's services and help make them available to more people.

The first is Kumon Connect, which allows students to access their Kumon worksheets anytime, anywhere, with the convenience of a tablet and stylus. It's a significant convenience for students and their families, and it allows instructors to replay the work of completed assignments to see skill development and provide feedback even when the student has completed their work at home.

"Kumon Connect extends our reach with the Kumon Method, helping more families stay on track and access their personalized enrichment from wherever they are," Kuczek says.

The second new initiative is Kumon's English for Spanish Speakers Program. Launched in South Florida and the greater Los Angeles area last summer, it's a specialized learning program designed to help native Spanish speakers develop their English reading, listening, and comprehension skills.

"For Instructors who can support Spanish-speaking families, this program offers students a comprehensive, structured approach to learning English with all the lifetime learning benefits of the Kumon Method," Kuczek says.

Embracing the future of learning and teaching

Kuczek says Kumon's recent success can be attributed to its innovative initiatives, such as Kumon Connect and the English for Spanish Speakers Program, which meet evolving educational needs.

"As education trends shift toward personalization and accessibility, Kumon is well positioned to meet the needs of parents and students," he says. "Consumer demand for enrichment education programs has surged in recent years, driven by parents' increased focus on both academic enrichment and addressing student education gaps."

Kumon says it is equally focused on improving the owner/instructor experience for the decades to come. "Our first-class training and support help owners become masterful Kumon Instructors who can make a real difference in their communities," Kuczek says. "We support that focus with competitive incentives—offering up to $38,700 in incentives for new U.S. Instructors—and a franchise fee of just $2,000.

"We aim to make the transition to becoming a business owner seamless," he continues, "so our instructors can realize the many possibilities that come with being a part of Kumon."

Click here to learn more about Kumon and their exciting franchise opportunities.