Kangaroo Pouch Day Nursery has signed a deal with Jiangsu Junyi Education Group to open a number of nurseries in China.

The Sandwell-based chain is the largest day nursery business in the West Midlands, with branches in Tividale, Great Bridge, Charlemont, Willenhall and Walsall. It now hopes to establish fifteen new centres across Jiangsu Province over the next three years, with the first one due to open by the end of 2018. Kangaroo Pouch will oversee teacher training and quality control to ensure effective delivery of the curriculum, which will be based on Early Years Foundation Stage.

The partnership arose after Kangaroo Pouch joined a Department for Trade mission to China and Hong Kong in 2017, making contacts and exploring opportunities in the region. The deal was made with the support of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce and the Department for International Trade (DIT). It is the company’s first partnership in China, and chief executive Anita Patel Sahota hopes it will open the door to further collaborations.

Corin Crane, chief executive at the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, cited Kangaroo Pouch’s new deal as an example of why smaller businesses in the Midlands should not be put off by the size of the Chinese market. Ian Harrison, head of exports in the Midlands for DIT, applauded Kangaroo Pouch for its ambition, and stressed that the support it had is also available to other businesses in the Black Country.

Think Sandwell wishes Kangaroo Pouch all the best for its new venture in China. To find out about how we can help your business expand, visit our Business Services pages.