Jane and Stephen Matthews took a gamble shifting from the south coast to launch their prestige childcare. But it appears their business concept, complete with a concierge, in-house chef and gourmet grub for little ones, is something Canberrans have a taste for.
The old Fujitsu building on Moore Street in Turner, now with a million dollar fit-out, has been transformed into Sage Childcare.
The 135-place centre is brimming with infants, toddlers and preschoolers; their parents able to enjoy a professionally made coffee before leaving them to a day of play, language lessons, kindy yoga and more.
Little faces tuck into seasonal menus designed by hatted chef Josh Tyler.
They including breakfasts of organic blueberry pancakes, lunches of pork skewers with fennel, apple and pea risotto, Tilba milk and cheese and the option for families to have chef Jonathan Godin pack up a delicious take-home dinner ready to pick up at home time.
Average childcare costs in Canberra are $100 a day, with some charging up to $130.
Sage Childcare's fees began at $115 for over-threes and $122 for under-threes but Mr Matthews said the centres fees would rise in March by close to $5 per child.
How does the newly established business have the budget for all the noshy organic food and extras?
"It's a balance between trying to meet the market and deliver a better product," he said.
"We came into this with the idea of creating what great childcare looks like. For us it is about priorities. Everyone can do things that are good, but it is not that much harder to do this well."
The couple were involved in a University of Wollongong study into children's needs and what practices generated long-term outcomes at centres they run in Batemans Bay and Moruya.
Mrs Mathews said what they learned there led them to focus on nutrition, put a smartboard in the preschool room and building design with a "home away from home feel", natural light and connected open air spaces.
Belconnen couple Mick and Kylie Barry enrolled their three daughters Ella, Chloe and Demi when the centre launched last year.
Before their five-year-old Ella left to start kindergarten they had a child in each age-group room.
"When we got the info pack I was thinking 'are we going to be able to afford this, what they have on offer?'" Mr Barry said.
"But it worked out for us $5 or $6 more per child to go to Sage than where we were, which was a place you had to supply their lunch."
The commercial air conditioning salesman said he and his wife, a marketing manager, had busy work lives.
Clawing back an hour or two by not having to pack lunches every evening, or occasionally having a take-home meal was a "lifesaver."
"The food is just one part, but I look at the menus and feel like going there for lunch myself!" Mr Barry joked.
"The way they set it up for parents is great. It is awesome for the kids and I think you save the money on the meals. Plus that time, any bit of time that you can get with the kids when you are working full time is great."