The Australian franchise says London is quickly growing as the centre of its UK network
Reflecting on the first half of 2023, Body Fit Training (BFT), Australia’s fastest-growing fitness franchise, continues its impressive growth in the UK and globally.
The franchise recently celebrated the launch of its 250th studio, expanded its footprint into Hong Kong and accelerated UK growth at an impressive rate. Since the launch of its first studio in the UK last September, BFT has welcomed three new London-based franchisees into the network, all of whom have multi-unit aspirations.
BFT Battersea opened its doors in February and has signed over 200 members from South West London. The BFT concept has proved that it goes beyond being just another gym by creating a genuine sense of community that fosters friendships and provides a safe space for anyone want to improve their health and fitness.
This approach with the community has helped BFT Battersea engage with over 70% of their members to participate in their 1st 8-week challenge. The challenge goes above and beyond fitness and is aimed at enhancing their strength, improving nutrition, sleep and overall lifestyle.
Charlie Hendrie, franchise owner of BFT Battersea, commented: “BFT Battersea has proved the global BFT model works for members and for us as the first franchisee in London. We’ve exceeded our expectations with membership growth, referrals and uptake of the 8-week challenge.
“By following the BFT model, it means I can focus on our elite coaching and getting members results, which are the key drivers of profitability for us. I truly believe we are changing lives at BFT Battersea, and I’m so proud and thankful to the coaching team who are committed to getting our members results,” he said.
“The BFT programme and community are unrivaled in London, and we’re now exploring the further expansion in South West London. This is just the beginning of our exciting BFT journey.”
A further two more franchisees have since joined the growing network in the nation’s capital since the start of the year. BFT Hackney is set to be launched in the autumn by the trio of Emile Kerim, Frankie Nieto and David Irvine.
The co-owners, all certified personal trainers, bring over 50 years of combined experience to their new venture and have plans to open three studios within the next five years across London.
Rosie Bogle is another franchisee who has joined the BFT family with two locations in South West London. With a strong background in sports marketing, Rosie’s valuable experience in the commercial world will be a real asset to running her own fitness franchise.
“We have seen a strong start to the first half of the year both in terms of franchise growth and members, both here in the UK and globally,” said Cameron Falloon, Founder of BFT.
“London is quickly growing into the centre of BFT’s UK network with four locations secured and plenty more in the pipeline. The future is looking really positive. We want to build on this success we’ve already had to date and continue to grow our presence across every major town and city.
“We now have over 56,000+ members across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, USA, Canada, UK and more recently Hong Kong, where the first-ever studio is opening next month with two more set to follow shortly after. Europe is a hot target for us, and we’re looking to expand into other new markets this year, including Spain, France, Germany and the Netherlands,” he said.
“Another key milestone and accolade for BFT has been the number four ranking on the Australian Financial Review’s 2023 Fast Global List,” Cameron continued.
“Since continuing to expand the BFT family globally, the last three years have seen our compound annual growth rate soar by 240%. This is an incredible piece of brand recognition and a marker of our commitment to growth outside of Australia. The recent partnership with Europe’s largest fitness race, HYROX, is also a game-changer for BFT as we have become the exclusive training centre for HYROX in Asia-Pacific. This is the largest global partnership for HYROX, helping to boost its profile across APAC, while driving BFT brand awareness in Europe as they continue their worldwide expansion,” he said.
The global fitness industry is worth over $87 billion, and BFT is carving a healthy slice out of this booming market as more and more consumers invest in their health. With over 350 franchises sold, the franchise continues to see significant growth and interest in its brand.
Through its strong and solid business foundations, BFT is ready to bring its world-class training programmes, practices, and education to fitness fanatics around the world, while achieving its ambitious goal of selling 1,000 studios by 2024.
For more information about BFT and its franchise opportunity, enquire now.