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education and child care business for Sale in Hawaii

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Caterer of Daily School Lunches on Oahu, Hawaii photo
Schools
Food & Related products
+1

Caterer of Daily School Lunches on Oahu, Hawaii

Honolulu, Honolulu County, HI, US

This Oahu catering service specializes in preparing and delivering daily healthy school lunches from a central commercial kitchen to over 20 public charter and private schools, including preschools. NAIC Code: 722310 – Food Service Contractor Operating since 2016, this highly successful and profitable business has grown consistently every year The company prepares and delivers nutritious, balanced, USDA-compliant meals … healthy meals that kids like and actually eat! They serve only fresh produce and prioritize locally grown fruits and vegetables whenever possible. The business is operated out of a 3,500 sq. ft. leased commercial kitchen. There is a loading dock (flat, no curb), dry storage, cold storage, and frozen storage, with additional dry storage nearby. Within two blocks of the freeway. Monthly rent is $3,200 (all inclusive). Lease ends June 2027, but landlord is open to unlimited extensions. Staff & Operations: In addition to the full-time owner-operator, there are 10 part-time employees. They produce and deliver about 900 lunches daily to 24 schools. (Production will likely increase to at least 1,000 daily lunches starting with the Fall 2026 semester.) The staff works Monday-Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 12 noon, with school holidays and vacation days off. Marketing & Opportunities: The reputation is excellent. Growth has been 100% by word of mouth. Parents of children at public charter and private schools care deeply about food quality and are willing to pay a premium. These schools do not have on-site kitchens and need to work with a caterer. With creative marketing and proactive sales activities, a new owner can readily increase sales beyond the typical annual growth of 20% or more, year over year. The company is one of just a few lunch vendors on Oahu, and private school enrollment continues to grow. In addition, new preschools are starting up due to recent legislative action. Financial Data: 75% of revenue comes from parents paying for lunches in advance for the month or semester; the other 25% comes from schools that pay directly for students’ lunches (billed at end of month, net 30). Sales grow consistently, year-over-year: 2023 – $854,956 2024 – $1,063,460 2025 – $1,276, 137 Net Operating Income (calculated before add-backs for the owner’s salary and other compensation): 2023 – $94,000 2024 – $211,340 2025 – $240,729 Seller’s Discretionary Earnings (“SDE”) for 2024 and 2025 are estimated to be about $420,000 each year. (A detailed analysis can be shared with a serious buyer, subject to verification during due diligence.) Training & Transition: The seller will be available for a reasonable period to train and assist the new owner in taking over the business – specific terms to be negotiated. The Transaction: The seller is open to all reasonable offers and terms. The business (not the corporation) is being offered for an initial asking price of $999,000 (subject to increase if certain new business opportunities materialize in the summer of 2026). This includes all assets, tangible and intangible (including but not limited to FF&E, name, website, customer relationships, etc.), except it does not include cash, accounts receivable, or accounts payable*. (*Seller is responsible for A/P and payroll through the date of the Closing.) Nor does it include the corporate entity. Exclusive Broker: Tim Cunha, J.D. Note: All data on this business are provided by the Seller for information purposes only, and no representations are made by the Broker as to accuracy. The Broker has made no independent verification of the data contained herein. The Broker represents the Seller and does NOT represent the Buyer. The Buyer is advised to perform independent due diligence and seek the advice of professionals prior to purchasing the Business.

$999,000
$1,275,000Revenue
$420,000Cash Flow

Market Snapshot

National transaction benchmarks for education and child care business businesses.

Under $500K

Median revenue$361k
Median cash flow$89k
Median sale price$204k
Multiple range1.4x - 2.8x

$500K to $2M

Median revenue$927k
Median cash flow$279k
Median sale price$800k
Multiple range2.4x - 4.5x

Over $2M

Median revenue$2.41m
Median cash flow$858k
Median sale price$3m
Multiple range3.4x - 6.5x

A variety of factors can cause businesses to trade outside this range, including earnings quality, operational transferability, key-person risk, growth trajectory, and geography, so a listing priced above or below the typical multiple usually reflects real differences in the underlying business.

What to know about education and child care business acquisitions

GW

By George Wellmer

Cofounder & CEO

Key diligence, valuation, financing, and transition considerations for buyers evaluating education and child care business acquisitions.

Verify licensing, capacity, and inspection history first

Licensed capacity, staff-to-child ratios, and a clean inspection record define what the business can earn and whether it keeps its doors open. Review violations before anything else.

Check staff credentials, ratios, and turnover

Qualified teachers and directors are both required and hard to replace; losing staff can push you below licensed ratios and force closures.

Examine enrollment, waitlists, and retention

Recurring tuition and a waitlist are the value; get enrollment trends by program and watch revenue-per-child against market benchmarks.

Understand the owner-director's role

In many centers the owner is the licensed director and the face to parents. Know whether a qualified director stays or must be hired.

Assess the real estate and facility

Playgrounds, classrooms, and safety build-outs are capital-heavy and regulated; confirm the space supports licensed capacity without expensive remediation.

Review safety, insurance, and liability exposure

Background-check compliance, incident history, and coverage are non-negotiable here. Confirm standing and adequacy before you commit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common buyer questions for this market.

Yes, helped by recurring tuition. Lenders focus on licensing standing, enrollment stability, and director transfer, so a clean regulatory record and a director who stays make funding straightforward.