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Club Pilates Signs Master Franchise Agreement in the United Kingdom
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Rhea-AI Summary
Club Pilates, the world’s largest Pilates brand, has signed a Master Franchise Agreement in the UK, allowing for the opening of at least 50 studios over the next decade. This partnership, with franchisee Richard Uku, marks Xponential Fitness's first franchise agreement in the UK. Club Pilates aims to establish a national presence in the UK fitness market, where equipment-based Pilates remains a niche. The first studio is expected to open in 2023, further expanding Club Pilates’ international footprint following agreements in 11 other countries.
Positive
Signing of Master Franchise Agreement in the UK for at least 50 new studios.
Expansion into a new international market, increasing brand presence.
Partnership with experienced franchisee Richard Uku.
First Club Pilates studio in the UK expected to open in 2023.
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World’s Largest Pilates Brand Partners with Current Multi-Unit Franchisee to Develop Dozens of Studios Across the Pond
IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Club Pilates, the world’s largest Pilates brand, announced today it has signed a Master Franchise Agreement in the United Kingdom (UK), including England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The agreement gives the Master Franchisee the opportunity to license at least 50 Club Pilates studios over the next 10 years. The new studios will bring Club Pilates’ international reach to 12 countries outside of North America, following Master Franchise Agreements in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Dominican Republic, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Austria, Germany, and Spain. This deal marks parent company Xponential Fitness, Inc.’s (NYSE: XPOF) first Master Franchise Agreement in the UK. Xponential Fitness established its presence in the region in the first quarter of 2022 with a direct franchise territory sale for its portfolio brand Body Fit Training. The first Club Pilates studio in the UK is expected to open in 2023.
Behind the Master Franchise Agreement in the United Kingdom is Richard Uku, founder of Deblankson Fitness Group, and a Multi-Unit Franchisee of Club Pilates and sister brand, AKT, in the United States. He currently has six studios in New Jersey and New York. Brought up and spending his formative years in the United Kingdom, Uku attended college and started his professional career working in Corporate Finance in the City of London. He moved to the U.S. 20 years ago when Wall Street came calling. Since he became involved with Club Pilates in 2016, he has always had a desire to take the brand back to the UK.
“Richard Uku is a seasoned Club Pilates owner and we look forward to teaming up with him to debut Club Pilates in the United Kingdom,” said John Kersh, Chief International Development Officer of Xponential Fitness. “UK expansion is an important goal for Xponential Fitness, and we know that Richard will hone the skills he’s developed as an owner in the U.S. to bring the life-changing benefits of Pilates to millions of Britons.”
“In the UK today, equipment-based Pilates that uses reformers and other spring-loaded apparatus is still a niche offering within the health and fitness market and there are no brands with a national presence,” said Uku. “This creates a great opportunity for Club Pilates to establish itself and grow in the UK market in a similar way as it has done in the US market. The Deblankson Fitness Group team is very excited to have the responsibility of bringing the Club Pilates brand to the UK.”
In 2018, Club Pilates became an international brand upon its debut in Canada and has rapidly expanded its global footprint ever since, with locations in four continents, most recently expanding to Singapore. Along with the new agreement in the UK, the brand also expects to open its first studio in Germany in late 2022. Club Pilates is backed by Xponential Fitness, the largest global franchisor of boutique fitness brands including Pure Barre, CycleBar, StretchLab, Row House, YogaSix, AKT, Rumble, BFT, and STRIDE.
Founded in 2007, Club Pilates is the largest Pilates brand by number of studios, designed with the vision of making Pilates more accessible, approachable and welcoming to everyone. Based in Irvine, CA, Club Pilates has appeared in both Entrepreneur Magazine'sFranchise 500 and Fastest-Growing Franchises six years running, and Inc. Magazine's Inc. 5000 lists multiple times. Club Pilates offers extensive training certification for its instructors. Its 500-hour training program includes instruction on Pilates, barre, Triggerpoint, and TRX Suspension Trainers. Club Pilates is headquartered in Irvine, CA and backed by Xponential Fitness, the largest franchisor of boutique fitness brands. To learn more about Club Pilates, visit https://www.clubpilates.com.
ABOUT XPONENTIAL FITNESS:
Xponential Fitness, Inc. (NYSE: XPOF) is the largest global franchisor of boutique fitness brands. Through its mission to make boutique fitness accessible to everyone, the Company operates a diversified platform of ten brands spanning across verticals including Pilates, indoor cycling, barre, stretching, rowing, dancing, boxing, running, functional training and yoga. In partnership with its franchisees, Xponential offers energetic, accessible, and personalized workout experiences led by highly qualified instructors in studio locations across 48 U.S. states and Canada, and through master franchise or international expansion agreements in 12 additional countries. Xponential Fitness' portfolio of brands includes Club Pilates, the nation's largest Pilates brand; CycleBar, the nation's largest indoor cycling brand; StretchLab, the largest assisted stretching brand in the United States; Row House, a high-energy, low-impact indoor rowing workout; AKT, a dance-based cardio workout combining toning, interval and circuit training; YogaSix, the largest franchised yoga brand; Pure Barre, a total body workout that uses the ballet barre to perform small isometric movements; STRIDE, a treadmill-based cardio and strength training concept; Rumble, a boxing-inspired full-body workout; and BFT, a functional training, and strength-based program. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at https://xponential.com.
