Aussie fitness chains are heading to the UK, keen to export their niche business models and boost the country’s fitness levels.
BFT focuses on dynamic group training and is a relative newbie. It launched in 2018 with big ambitions, and is now setting a 50-studio target within 12 months for the UK.
It has already unveiled its first UK studio, in the midlands city of Leicester, and has another three sold.
Cameron Falloon, co-founder of BFT is heading up the UK expansion. He said there is no one franchisee type that will drive growth.
“Our model has a 50/50 split between traditional investors and owner operator. Both work really well. It’s about getting the right people.”
The BFT team is still growing the Australian and Asia-Pacific market. The fitness chain recently unveiled its 200th studio and predicts another 100 could open their doors to members within 12 months.
Pilates fitness brands expands in UK next year
Studio Pilates will open its first UK site early in 2023, Jade Winter, Studio Pilates co founder, told Inside Franchise Business.
Jade is confident the reformer Pilates brand could expand to 700 studios across the UK and Ireland.
“This spearhead into the UK is a really big opportunity. The market needs a high quality offering,” he said.
Studio Pilates has six venues ready to launch in the UK in the first quarter of 2023. The business will opena studio in London, another in the West Country, two in the north of England and one studio in Ireland.
Jade said he is favouring committed hands-on franchisees over big-scale roll-outs, despite the mega targets.
“We want high quality franchisees who can deliver on one store and execute well.”
He said the business has a single focus. “We only do Pilates Reformer. We are a niche and it’s served us well.”
There are already five US studios across New York, Kentucky, and North Carolina. A sixth will open in Denver, Colorado.
Studio Pilates now has 72 studios globally.
“Through franchising we want to service a million people per week in our studios. That means a couple of thousand locations across countries. We’re almost one twentieth of the way!” he said.