Roark Capital Group Acquires Primrose Schools

    ATLANTA, June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Roark Capital Group, an Atlanta-based
 private equity firm, announced today that its affiliate has acquired
 Primrose Schools. Headquartered in Acworth, Georgia, Primrose Schools is a
 leading provider of education-based early-child-care services. Primrose was
 founded in 1982 and operates as the franchisor of 182 private child care
 centers generating approximately $275 million in system-wide revenues in 15
 states across the U.S.
 
     The acquisition of Primrose Schools is Roark's 14th in the franchise
 sector. Roark's other franchise businesses include Carvel, Cinnabon,
 Schlotzsky's, Moe's Southwest Grill and Seattle's Best Coffee International
 (all of which are owned by affiliates of Focus Brands, a Roark platform
 company), McAlister's Deli, Money Mailer, Fast Signs and Batteries Plus.
 Roark's 14 franchise brands collectively have more than 13,500 points of
 distribution, 2,500 franchisees and $3.2 billion in system-wide revenues in
 50 states and 33 countries.
 
     "We are very excited to partner with CEO Jo Kirchner, the Primrose team
 and its franchisees," said Neal Aronson, Founder and Managing Partner of
 Roark Capital Group. "Primrose Schools is an industry leader that provides
 exceptional value to its children, parents and franchisees. We are thrilled
 to help continue the thoughtful and accelerating growth of the system while
 maintaining the high level of integrity for which Primrose is known."
 
     Kirchner, who is investing alongside Roark in the transaction, will
 continue to lead the company as CEO. "Roark Capital shares the genuine
 integrity and guiding principles on which Primrose operates," said Jo
 Kirchner, President and CEO of Primrose Schools. "Roark's investment
 approach and experience in the franchise industry will enhance our ability
 to execute our growth strategy while maintaining Primrose's high quality
 experience for children, parents and our franchise system."
 
     About Roark Capital Group
 
     Roark Capital Group is an Atlanta-based private equity firm that
 specializes in business and consumer service companies with attractive
 growth prospects and revenues ranging from $20 million to $1 billion.
 Specific areas of focus include franchise, direct marketing, business
 services and financial services. The firm has more than $1.5 billion of
 equity capital under management. For more information, visit
 www.roarkcapital.com .
 
     About Primrose Schools
 
     Founded in 1982, Primrose Schools is the country's leader in early
 childhood education. Primrose Schools' foundation is based on providing
 quality, early education and child care services with a balance of
 learning, character development and play. Developed by and taught
 exclusively at Primrose Schools, the school's Balanced Learning(R)
 curriculum dynamically blends child-initiated play and teacher-guided
 instruction. The company's success, fueled by parents' demand for quality
 child care, is sustained by individual school owners and teachers.
 
     Primrose Schools has achieved accreditation status from the Commission
 on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA), which is managed
 by two participating regional commissions: Southern Council on
 Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI) and North Central
 Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI). Although
 these institutions have been evaluating schools and colleges for more than
 100 years, Primrose was the first educational preschool in the United
 States to achieve this award. Primrose Schools currently operates more than
 180 schools in 15 states. For more information, visit
 www.primroseschools.com .
 
 

     Contact:  Kathy Potaniec
               Fishman Public Relations
               (847) 945-1300, ext. 259
               kpotaniec@fishmanpr.com
 
 

SOURCE Roark Capital Group