Fast Fitness Japan Obtains Master Franchisee Rights for Anytime Fitness in Germany
April 30 2024 - 11:00PM
Business Wire
Leveraging expertise gained from club
development and operating track record spanning more than 1,100
clubs in Japan, Fast Fitness Japan will expand its Anytime Fitness
business operations in Germany
Fast Fitness Japan Inc. (headquartered in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo;
CEO, Representative Director: Kiyoaki Yamabe), which directly
operates and franchises Anytime Fitness 24-hour 365-day fitness
clubs as the master franchisee in Japan, is pleased to announce it
has acquired Eighty-8 Health & Fitness, GmbH, obtaining master
franchisee rights to Anytime Fitness in Germany. Eighty-8 will
continue to operate as a local subsidiary of Fast Fitness Japan as
the master franchisee for Anytime Fitness in Germany.
In conjunction with the expansion of the Anytime Fitness
business in Germany by Fast Fitness Japan, we have brought on Mr.
Florian Dermühl as managing director of the local subsidiary. Mr.
Dermühl is well versed in franchise management in Germany and
possesses a wealth of experience as a manager of fitness companies
in Europe. Looking ahead in Germany, Fast Fitness Japan will
leverage Mr. Dermühl’s leadership combined with the strengths it
has cultivated in expanding and operating branches in Japan, which
has earned high praise from the U.S. headquarters, as it strives to
expand the Anytime Fitness business. We will also actively explore
opportunities for overseas expansion in the future in addition to
Germany, continuing to make great strides forward by establishing a
high-quality presence with members of Anytime Fitness both in Japan
and abroad, and providing workout locations offering high customer
satisfaction in overseas locations as well.
As stated in its corporate philosophy "Get to a healthier
place!", the Fast Fitness Japan Group is a business committed to
realizing a society where everyone can live healthy and fulfilling
lives, through the operation of Anytime Fitness 24-hour fitness
gyms, the pioneer of 24-hour gyms in Japan. In its Medium-Term
Management Plan (fiscal year ending March 31, 2024 - fiscal year
ending March 31, 2026) announced in November 2023, Fast Fitness
Japan started the "development of new growth fields" as one of its
medium-term growth strategies, and has aimed to develop new growth
fields by expanding overseas and developing new brands.
Self Esteem Brands, LLC, the parent company of Anytime Fitness'
U.S. headquarters, has set the target of 10,000 clubs by 2030, up
from the current approximately 5,600 clubs globally (as of February
2024). The U.S. headquarters of Anytime Fitness has had high hopes
that Fast Fitness Japan, which boasts a track record of developing
and operating more than 1,100 clubs domestically, would go beyond
Japan to expand globally. Accordingly, Fast Fitness Japan had been
considering the best methods to employ for its overseas expansion,
such as expanding into countries or regions yet to be granted
master franchisee rights for Anytime Fitness, or providing support
to countries or regions where master franchisee rights have been
granted to help accelerate club expansions. Fast Fitness Japan
choose the German market for various reasons after giving
comprehensive consideration, including that the market is worth 790
billion yen, that the market is booming due to the high estimated
fitness participation rate of nearly 10.3%1 (as opposed to 3.68% in
Japan2), and that there are many fitness gyms other than Anytime
Fitness in a relatively low price range, suggesting value-oriented
needs for mid- to high-priced gyms. Fast Fitness Japan therefore
determined that the size of the market is equivalent to or greater
than the current size in Japan.
Remarks from Kiyoaki Yamabe, CEO and Representative Director of
Fast Fitness Japan Inc.: "We are delighted to have obtained master
franchisee rights for Anytime Fitness in Germany, a market with a
high fitness participation rate where we project a need for high
added-value fitness gyms. The track record we have built opening
and operating clubs in Japan has earned high marks, and I would
like to extent my thanks to Self Esteem Brands, LLC who offered
strong support to help us obtain the master franchisee rights in
Germany. We will continue to work closely with the headquarters in
the United States to further accelerate the opening of new clubs in
Germany as well as other countries."
1. Source: Ken Research (as of December 2022)
2. Source: Club Business Japan Fitness Business Editorial
Department: Trends in Japan's Fitness Club Industry FY2022
Edition
What is Anytime Fitness?
Anytime Fitness is a fitness gym franchise that originated in
the United States and has now expanded to more than 5,000 clubs
around the world. Since Japan's the first club opened in Chofu
City, Tokyo in 2010, Anytime Fitness has expanded to over 1,100
clubs nationwide with a membership topping 800,000 as a network of
gyms fitting people's diverse lifestyles.
https://www.anytimefitness.co.jp/
About Fast Fitness Japan (Listed on the Prime Market of the
Tokyo Stock Exchange, Securities Code 7092)
Japanese Master franchisee operating Anytime Fitness 24-hour
365-day fitness gyms in all 47 prefectures of Japan. Under the
corporate philosophy of "Get to a healthier place!," Fast Fitness
Japan operates the Anytime Fitness business with the aim of
achieving a society where everyone can live a health and fulfilling
life. Company name: Fast Fitness Japan Inc. Representative: CEO,
Representative Director Kiyoaki Yamabe Location: 10F, Shinjuku
i-LAND WING, 6-3-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Established:
May 21, 2010 https://fastfitnessjapan.jp/en/
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240429997139/en/
Contact information for this release PR and IR
Department, Fast Fitness Japan Inc. MAIL:
release@anytimefitness.co.jp