SÃO PAULO, Sept. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Smart Fit has risen two levels and now holds 3^rd place among the largest companies in its industry in terms of number of facilities owned. According to IHRSA data, the company that owns the brands Smart Fit, Bio Ritmo, O2, Race Bootcamp, NÓS, Torq, Vidya and Jab House, has 509 units of its own, a significant increase of 119 gyms in 2018, compared to 390 in 2017.

In terms of the number of clients, Smart Fit was ranked in 5th place with 2 million clients, a rise of 3 places in relation to the last survey, where it held 8^th place with 1.5 million registered members.

The Group is setting the standard in the fitness market, with companies in ten Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama and the Peru.

Smart Fit brings a combination of affordable pricing and infrastructure to the fitness market. The company remains solid, and is counting on innovation to build its low cost network. One indication of this is its ranking in terms of number of clients, with Smart Fit the only Latin American representative to appear among the world’s largest networks of fitness centers, having representatives from countries such as the United States, Germany and China. Unlike the rest of the market, most Smart Fit units are its own stores, and not franchises.  

The pitch of Latin America’s largest network of fitness centers expresses everything it takes to keep growing. “The purpose of democratizing high quality fitness means we not only give our clients quality infrastructure, but also access to training that yields results,” says Smart Fit CEO Edgard Corona.

The Group operates using a horizontal management model. This enables all employees to contribute to projects in a participatory and dynamic fashion, resulting in actions that exhibit both greater agility and real impact on client experience. “To be among the world’s leading fitness centers without losing our essential mission of democratizing high quality fitness is our primary achievement.  “Our mission is to get the client to feel that he’s in a first-class fitness center at an affordable price,” he affirms.   

Market numbers

The Latin American market had an increase of 1.7 million people in comparison to the last survey, resulting in a total of 21.6 million people associated with fitness center networks. The Grupo Bio Ritmo accounts for 30% of the growth in this market, with an increase of 511,000 clients throughout its entire network.  

And this growth is continuing: in just the first six months of 2019, the Company revenues grew by 40%, which makes it possible to anticipate its climbing higher again in the next ranking.

According to the 2019 IHRSA global report, which details performance indicators for 65 markets worldwide, global health club industry revenue totaled US$94 billion in 2018, as more than 210,000 clubs served 183 million members. “The fitness industry continues to help consumers lead healthier lives as steady growth was recorded in key markets. The industry is on pace with IHRSA’s global initiative, announced last year, to reach 230 million health club members worldwide by 2030,” said Jay Ablondi, IHRSA’s executive vice president of global products.

“Smart Fit’s strategy is to keep growing in regions that aren’t being served yet, bringing in more clients who have been unable to attend a quality fitness center. This strategy has enabled the Latin American market to reach 20% of the population going to fitness centers. In Brazil, for example, where there are very big differences in people’s purchasing power, only 4% of the population regularly goes to a gym, and we believe we can boost that to around 6% or 7%. That is to say, we’ve still got a long way to grow in Latin America,” Edgard concludes.  

For yet another year, the Group has been the highlight in all categories assessed by the IHRSA global ranking for 2018:

• 3^rd place in number of own units
• 5^th place in number of clients, with 2 million students
• 11^th place in revenues (US$ 406 million)

Smart Fit
With 10 years of activity, the Smart Fit network of fitness centers, which belongs to the group that owns the brands Bio Ritmo, Smart Fit, O2, Race Bootcamp, NÓS, Torq, Vidya and Jab House, has more than 600 units distributed in all Brazilian states and the Federal District, as well as a presence in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru and the Dominican Republic. With more than 2 million clients, Smart Fit has monthly rates starting at R$ 69.90. According to the 2019 IHRSA global ranking, the brand became the third largest in the world industry in terms of the number of own units. The commitment to democratize high quality fitness is what drives Smart Fit. For more information, please visit: www.smartfit.com.br.

SOURCE Smart Fit