Fast Fitness Japan Obtains Master Franchisee Rights for Anytime Fitness in Germany

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

TOKYO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#Anytimefitness–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/

Contacts

Contact information for this release
PR and IR Department, Fast Fitness Japan Inc.

MAIL: release@anytimefitness.co.jp