School of Rock Eyes International Expansion Following Peru Opening

School of Rock, the largest music education franchise in the United States, is targeting development overseas as it continues to expand internationally. The brand began franchising globally in 2010 with an opening in Mexico and has since grown to over 200 schools in nine countries. Most recently, the music franchise introduced its brand to Peru in June 2018 with a location in Lima.

“We currently have two schools in Chile and six in Brazil, and both countries offer a similar marketplace to Peru,” said School of Rock Chief Development Officer Tony Padulo. “Our franchisee in Santiago, Chile referred us to two business partners that were interested in bringing a School of Rock to Peru as they witnessed the success the Santiago location had seen. The two opened their first School of Rock in Lima in June 2018 and they’ll have a second school open in the city by the end of 2019.”

As it continues to make strides internationally, School of Rock hopes to leverage that success to further expansion in targeted countries and territories. With three thriving schools across Australia, along with a five-unit deal underway in Sydney, the brand is looking for continued development in the continent.

International expansion plans

“We’ve seen great success in Australia at our two sites in Sydney and our school in Perth. One of our Sydney franchisees has signed on to bring an additional five schools to the metropolitan market over the next five to six years,” shared Padulo.

School of Rock will continue to prioritize development in Australia and is hoping to break ground in Melbourne, Brisbane and other major cities in the near future.

The rock-focused music franchise is also planning for growth in Europe. The brand does not currently have schools in any European countries and believes there are several marketplaces that are viable for the School of Rock concept.

Targeted markets for growth

“Our most prioritized markets for international growth are the UK and Spain in Europe as well as South Africa,” said Padulo. “The UK has a very strong musical culture and history, bearing rock legends like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. It’s simply a natural fit for School of Rock.”

Spain also offers a similar demographic and atmosphere to markets where School of Rock has flourished, including Chile, Panama and now Peru. Padulo notes that Spain too has a penchant for rock music that makes School of Rock appealing to locals.

With a thriving school in Cape Town, South Africa is also on School of Rock’s radar for development. The franchise plans to utilize its foothold in Cape Town to expand its presence in South Africa, targeting greater development throughout the city’s capital.

As School of Rock continues on its rapid growth streak internationally, the music education franchise will focus on seeking out master franchisees abroad. In the states, the unit owners typically manage one to three locations per market. However, overseas, it’s important for a larger profile individual or corporation to commit to franchising so they can take on high-level responsibilities and duties as School of Rock does not have a corporate presence in foreign countries.

“It’s difficult for US-based franchise owners to provide franchisees overseas with immediate, constant support, which is why we aim to sign on representatives from a larger corporation to essentially take on a role as a corporate source in their given market,” said Padulo. “Ultimately, the schools are individually owned, but we sign third-party franchising agreements with businesses and entrepreneurs who represent School of Rock as a franchisor in international markets.”

School of Rock is in full growth mode, both internationally and in the US, as they continue to make footprints in previously untapped markets all over the world.