THE ROLE OF EQUICAPITA In 2017, private equity firm Equicapita acquired Smitty’s Canada, providing new resources and a platform for strategic expansion. Kaytor notes the impact of this partnership: “I think Smitty’s Canada was always focused on smart growth when and where it made sense but with the strength of Equicapita behind us we have gained access to some new resources within our markets to help communicate our message and nurture new franchisees from the discovery phase to opening a location and many years of prosperous franchise ownership.” Access to capital and expertise has helped the brand refresh its systems and support infrastructure, giving franchisees more tools to succeed. A STORY OF COMMUNITY AND OPPORTUNITY Among the many openings in recent years, the West Kelowna location illustrates the human side of franchising. The restaurant is owned by Kateryna and Artem, a Ukrainian refugee couple who came to Canada with limited experience but a strong work ethic. “The story of these franchisees and this location starts even a few years ago when Kateryna and Artem came to Canada and one of our local franchisees hired them to be the team of managers for the location he was purchasing in Airdrie Alberta,” Kaytor recounts. “They had limited experience but had an outstanding work ethic, side by side with our training team and thanks to the hard work they put in it was a success story from Sage Hill - Calgary, Alberta 89 NOV 2025 | BUSINESS ELITE CANADA
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