Anytime Fitness isn’t just the biggest health club chain in Australia, it’s the largest and fastest-growing fitness franchise in the world. Three million members are getting fit at over 4,500 gyms in close to 30 countries across every continent. Someone new signs up every three minutes. 

“It’s this sustained growth that makes Anytime Fitness an exciting opportunity for investors who share our vision and ambition,” says Luke Guanlao, the group CEO of Inspire Brands Asia, which had recently acquired the master franchisee rights to Anytime Fitness Asia. 

“As part of a portfolio, Asia is the future, and owning a business in the region is looking toward the future. Owning a fitness business is ensuring that the future is profitable.”

Tapping into a growing market

Anytime Fitness opened its first club 16 years ago in Minnesota, US – and the name said it all. The gym was open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year so everyone from shift workers and night owls to parents and students could work out whenever it suited them in a safe and secure environment. 

Add convenience and affordability for both franchise owners and members and it’s little wonder the business took off like a rocket. And, as the network began to grow, more benefits emerged.

Every gym provides state-of-the-art equipment with the feel of a much more expensive health club. And members like having access to every Anytime Fitness club worldwide. When they join one, they join them all, so they can always find a welcome home from home when they were travelling. 

International recognition

The low staff, low headache model also attracted global awards. In 2018, Anytime Fitness was named International Franchisor of the Year by the Franchise Council of Australia. In Asia, the Franchise Licensing Association recognised Anytime Fitness as International Franchisor and Franchisor of the Year for five consecutive years. 

The only regional master franchise for Anytime Fitness is in Asia, covering Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. Here, a new gym opens every five days and franchises sells at close to two a week. This means there’s an opportunity to invest in a proven business, buy a franchise, or expand your portfolio by investing in a managed gym in Asia. 

Anytime Fitness Asia, anticipating members’ needs

Anytime Fitness Asia is built around a smaller footprint in accessible community locations and lower cost of entry and maintenance. During the pandemic, this has enabled gyms to reopen safely and positions them well for growth grow post-COVID-19. 

Guanlao and his team have been finding new ways to provide members with the support and motivation they want with online and at-home workouts.

“The goal is to not just be anytime but also be anywhere and for anyone,” he says. “Fitness has gone beyond the four walls of the gym to our homes. During the pandemic, we have been training our staff to expand their skills and knowledge to adapt to these changing demands, to ensure that we are equipped to address our members’ needs before they are even aware of them.”

If you’re ready to invest in an international future, please get in touch with Johannes Raadsma at johannes@inspirebrandsasia.com.