GCC residents may not be familiar with the purple running man logo, but tens of millions around the rest of the world are – and, soon, people in the Gulf will too.
Owned by Self Esteem Brands, Anytime Fitness is the world’s largest gym chain by both membership and number of locations. Now, Self Esteem Brands is seeking a master franchisee partner to bring the fitness chain – alongside studio-based fitness brands The Bar Method and Basecamp Fitness – to the Gulf, a region the Self Esteem Brands team feels is ripe for further growth in already burgeoning fitness sector.
Why the GCC?
The numbers are clear – the GCC is ready to go big on the fitness front. In December, high-end fitness equipment provider Technogym signed a $50-million deal to supply 138 gyms belonging to a fitness operator in Saudi Arabia – a country that saw close to a billion dollars generated through more than a million members at 1,250 health clubs, according to February 2020 figures published by the Facts Academy.
Meanwhile, in the UAE, where just 7 percent of the population reportedly have a gym membership, the World Health Organisation reports that more than 70 percent of the population is overweight – a significant portion of which are obese.
The UAE isn’t alone – both Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have similarly disappointing obesity figures. It’s little wonder, then, that all three countries have made obesity a primary target of their long-term national visions.
The coronavirus pandemic and its associated national lockdowns provided a stern challenge to fitness operators in the region. However, the global awareness of health saw a boom in home fitness equipment sales (it was tough finding resistance bands on Amazon last March), and GCC gyms adapted to the shutdown in new, creative ways – one major chain rented weights and other equipment to its members while they were unable to physically visit the gym.
With the Gulf region already home to thousands of fitness centres – large and small, premium and budget-friendly – Raj Kumar, executive vice president of International at Self Esteem Brands, sees great potential in the region, and feels they are now ready for Self Esteem Brand’s three fitness experiences.
For him, there is an opportunity to provide unique experiences with the Self Esteem Brands’ three formats. “We have an extensive amount of combined fitness experience within the team at Self Esteem Brands. We bring that to you in different ways as we make healthy happen around the world, and now in the GCC.”
The team at Self Esteem Brands believes the Anytime Fitness model, tried and tested worldwide, could thrive in the Gulf
Additionally, the Anytime Fitness business model provides for an intimate community environment to all members and does not require a large number of members to sign up at any given gym. This means smaller communities across the region can access a fitness experience they might not otherwise be able to get.
Anytime Fitness has gyms in every American state, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland, the Cayman Islands, the Netherlands, Spain, Qatar, South Korea, India, Italy, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Japan, where master franchisee Fast Fitness Japan – which manages over 900 Anytime Fitness locations – recently went public on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Self Esteem Brands also owns studio-based fitness brands The Bar Method and Basecamp Fitness. This year, Self Esteem Brands has begun franchising these brands outside North America.
What do 4,000 gyms have in common?
For Kumar, Anytime Fitness’ growth has benefited from Self Esteem Brands taking the time to build the chain into a proven concept in the US first, as well as an innate passion behind the product itself. “When passion meets execution, you have a winning formula.”
“We train our operators and their staff to be inclusive and make their customers comfortable”
While the brand’s execution is adapted to conform to local dynamics and meet the needs of the local consumers, members have a common experience across the board, “They are convenient, close to home, always clean, and allow 24-hour access. Our clubs are inclusive.”
Members can access any Anytime Fitness location in the world. “That gives you power, freedom, independence,” said Kumar. That said, it’s the people in it that make the real difference – something Kumar and Self Esteem Brands are conscious of, too. “We’ve had proven success with a friendly staff model. We train our operators and their staff to be inclusive and make their customers comfortable.”
Simplicity drives adaptability
Another factor behind Anytime Fitness’ successful global growth, Kumar said, is the simplicity of a model that translates well across cultures. “We just need to find people passionate about health and fitness who can help make our values relevant to the citizens of that community.”
Kumar credits this simplicity to the high degree of consistency across markets. However, he also believes simplicity allows easy adaptation for a particular market’s specific needs. “We have confidence in our model but also have the humility to know that a local market will have requests to make it as relevant as possible to that local culture and customer. For instance, as we look at what will work in GCC we know that separate clubs for men and for women are a must. We have a modular construction design, so it is easy to make those adaptations.”
Five key benefits of the model
Kumar outlines a few benefits that, in his view, the Anytime Fitness model can provide better than anyone else.
These include 24-hour club access in convenient locations; a simple revenue model that is financially beneficial to all stakeholders; a culture that seeks to build up self-esteem worldwide; and a complete support mechanism for franchisees.
Support through investment in training programmes, operations and new technologies is key to a franchisee’s success
“We are committed to support our master franchisees and franchisees,” said Kumar, adding that Self Esteem Brands regularly invests in training programmes, operations and new technologies. “This makes it easier (not easy) for our franchise partners to focus on bringing passion to their members.”
“We have a proven model for international expansion,” he said. “with the experience of working with master franchisees for over 12 years.”
Convenience, technology and a personal touch
From a member’s perspective, beyond the 24-7 access, Kumar appreciates that many working people don’t have a lot of free time in this region. “Whether these are busy executives or working-class people, we ‘meet them where they are’ and build tools that allow them to engage in improving their fitness in a way that is convenient and achievable for them.”
Members are offered an array of tools to get fit the way they see fit, whether through in-club coaching and personal training or via virtual coaching and workouts available on the Anytime Fitness app.
“We recognise that you might just be able to get to a club or studio twice a week, but we will make that worth your while, and give you tools to continue to improve your health between visits,” added Kumar.
The rise and rise of studio fitness
Kumar believes that a sense of community and personal connection is a primary factor behind the recent global growth of studio or boutique fitness brands such as The Bar Method and Basecamp Fitness.
The Bar Method relies on high-rep, low-impact strength training that incorporates elements of Pilates and yoga to build both strength and endurance through a series of barre workouts that target the upper body, lower body and core.
Basecamp Fitness is designed to maximise your workout and burn calories very efficiently. The series of interval training with the right balance between cardio and strength is highly productive. “Basecamp Fitness and The Bar Method coaches connect with their members and help members connect with each other so there is a shared connection during the class. Our classes become a community of mutual goals and support.”
Anyone interested in learning more about Anytime Fitness, The Bar Method or Basecamp Fitness and read about the franchising opportunities available with Self Esteem Brands can click here.
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