Factory Optical

What Factory Optical does

Factory Optical (1980) Ltd. is a privately held Canadian optical retailer and prescription eyewear provider operating 26 retail stores across Western Canada under three brand identities: Factory Optical (Saskatchewan), Optiks International (Alberta and British Columbia), and solis optics (Vancouver). The company sells prescription glasses, designer and luxury sunglasses, contact lenses from major suppliers (Bausch & Lomb, Acuvue/Johnson & Johnson, CooperVision), and ancillary offerings including a 2-year eyewear protection program ($29.99–$59.99) and prescription safety eyewear under the F.O. Safety sub-brand. Its proprietary technology is FreeForm digital lens manufacturing, which surfaces the prescription on the inside curve of the lens to expand peripheral vision and reduce distortion; lens coatings (anti-reflective, scratch-resistant, blue light filters, Transitions, polarized) are offered as add-on modules. Eye exams are conducted by independent Doctors of Optometry at or adjacent to store locations, and online appointment booking is supported.

The business model is primarily direct-to-consumer retail, supported by an Everyday 2-for-1 designer eyewear promotion that is permanent rather than time-limited. Revenue streams include one-time eyewear and contact lens sales, professional eye exam fees, and protection plan attach. Customer acquisition is anchored on physical store traffic, a referral program ("Refer It Forward"), an email newsletter, and direct billing arrangements with major Canadian insurers (Blue Cross, Great-West Life, Green Shield, Sun Life) that reduce consumer friction at point of sale. A secondary B2B motion targets corporate vision benefit programs (Any Promotion Any Time, APAT) and prescription safety eyewear with on-site fitting. The company operates as part of the FYihealth group umbrella, with the FACTORY OPTICAL trademark licensed for Saskatchewan use only and affiliate operations trading as Optiks International outside the province. Headcount is reported at 251–500 employees, and revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Factory Optical

Legal name

Factory Optical (1980) Ltd.

Website

https://factoryoptical.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Factory Optical operates 26 retail eyewear stores across Western Canada under the Factory Optical, Optiks International, and solis optics brands, selling prescription glasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, and digital FreeForm lenses to individual consumers, with supporting B2B safety eyewear and corporate vision benefit programs under the FYihealth group umbrella.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Optical Retail

NAICS

Optical Goods Retailers (456130), Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115), Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers (42346)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Retail (Glasses/Frames/Lenses) (HLAKAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Eyewear Manufacturing & OEM/ODM (Frames & Sunglasses) (CRAAAKAJ), Prescription Eyewear Frames (Optical) (CRAAAKAA)

Keywords

• Prescription eyewear
• Optical retail
• Contact lens sales
• Eye examinations
• Safety eyewear

Headquarters

HQ city

Saskatoon

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Prescription Eyewear Sales: Revenue from selling prescription glasses, frames, and lenses through retail stores. Core revenue driver with the Everyday 2-for-1 promotional model as the primary sales mechanism.
2. Contact Lens Sales: Revenue from daily, bi-weekly, and monthly contact lenses. Customers can reorder online. Offers competitive pricing with online reordering capability.
3. Eye Exams: Revenue from professional optometrist services at in-store or adjacent clinic locations. Eye exams are conducted by independent Doctors of Optometry.
4. Eyewear Protection Program: Optional 2-year eyewear protection program purchased alongside eyewear. Coverage costs range from $29.99 to $59.99 per pair depending on purchase price.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Factory Optical is a Canadian optical retail chain operating 26 stores across Western Canada (Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia) under the Factory Optical, Optiks International, and solis optics brands. The company sells designer prescription eyewear, sunglasses, and contact lenses, and provides eye exam services through independent optometrists at its store locations. Its signature offer is the Everyday Designer 2-for-1 promotion, supported by bulk purchasing power and up to 5,000 designer frames per store.

Product overview

Factory Optical is a retail eyewear company operating 26 stores across Western Canada under the Factory Optical and Optiks International brands. The company offers prescription eyewear (glasses and sunglasses), contact lenses, and eye exams as its core products. The main value proposition is the 'Everyday Designer 2-for-1' offer where customers purchase one complete pair of prescription glasses and receive a second pair free. The company also provides lens coatings (anti-reflective, scratch-resistant, blue light filters, Transitions, polarized), a 2-year eyewear protection program, and prescription safety eyewear under the F.O. Safety sub-brand. Contact lenses are available from major brands (Bausch & Lomb, Acuvue, CooperVision) with online reordering. Eye exams are provided by independent optometrists at store locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Prescription Eyewear Designer prescription glasses for individual consumers, featuring lens options such as single vision, progressive, anti-fatigue, and occupational lenses. Available as part of the everyday 2-for-1 offer across 26 retail locations.
• Sunglasses Designer and luxury sunglasses from brands such as Gucci, Kate Spade, Oakley, Ray-Ban, Tom Ford, and Versace, sold through Factory Optical retail locations.
• Contact Lenses Daily, bi-weekly, and monthly contact lenses from Bausch & Lomb, Acuvue, and CooperVision, available in-store and via online reordering with free trial lenses and on-site fitting.
• Eye Exams Eye examinations conducted by independent Doctors of Optometry at or adjacent to Factory Optical and Optiks International locations, bookable online through the company's appointment system. Recommended once every 2 years.
• F.O. Safety Eyewear Prescription and non-prescription safety glasses (sealed, close fitting, and goggle styles) with CSA-approved frames, sold under the F.O. Safety Eyewear sub-brand. Available through retail locations, an agency network, and on-site corporate fitting and dispensing.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Blue CrosscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDirect billing partner for vision insurance claims. Factory Optical bills Blue Cross directly on behalf of insured customers, eliminating the need for customers to submit claims manually.
• Great-West LifecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDirect billing partner for vision insurance claims. Customers can have claims billed directly to Great-West Life at point of sale.
• Green ShieldcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDirect billing partner for vision insurance claims. Enables customers to maximize their Green Shield vision benefits at point of purchase.
• Sun LifecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDirect billing partner for vision insurance claims. Sun Life policyholders can access direct billing services at Factory Optical locations.
• FYihealth GroupcoreOthersFactory Optical is part of the FYihealth group. The parent company provides operational infrastructure, privacy policy governance, and organizational support. FYihealth group includes affiliated companies within the optical retail network.
• OH! Media (Phoenix Group)minorOthersWebsite development and maintenance partner. OH! Media is a division of Phoenix Group responsible for Factory Optical's website.
• Bausch & LombcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContact lens brand supplier including Biotrue ONEday, PureVision2, and SofLens product lines. Products available for purchase and online reordering through Factory Optical locations.
• Acuvue (Johnson & Johnson)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContact lens brand supplier including 1-Day TruEye, MOIST, Oasys, and ACUVUE Advance product lines. Available for purchase and online reordering.
• CooperVisioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContact lens brand supplier including Biofinity, Proclear, BioMedics, and UltraFlex product lines. Available for purchase and online reordering.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/factoryoptical

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Factory Optical