Two years of growth for Anytime Fitness

Brother and sister team Justin McDonell and Jacinta McDonell Jiminez have reason to celebrate this month as it has been two years since they introduced Anytime Fitness in Australia.

The anniversary also coincides with the the opening of their 50th fitness franchise, the pair also celebrating becoming a significant force in the booming 24-hour fitness club concept.

Justin and Jacinta introduced Anytime Fitness, the worldâs fastest growing 24-hour fitness club franchise, into Australia and New Zealand in 2008 at a time when other franchises in Australia were having difficulties coping with the economic downturn.

They have now grown their national franchise to an annual turnover exceeding $3.3 million in 2009/10 with plans to open 300 Anytime Fitness clubs in Australia and New Zealand within the next five years.

As Justin explains, "the first Australian Anytime Fitness club opened in Gunnedah in NSW on 25 November 2008 and we've come a long way since then.

"We are well on track to reach our growth objective with 160 territories sold. Anytime Fitness clubs are also opening at an amazing rate with 50 currently open in Australia and about 15 scheduled to open before the end of the year."

Justin and Jacinta's interest in Anytime Fitness was piqued in 2007 when they read about Americaâs fastest-growing fitness club franchise in an industry trade magazine. Six weeks later, they flew to Minnesota (USA) to meet with Anytime Fitness corporate staff and spending a week touring more than 50 Anytime Fitness clubs around the USA.

As Justin recalls "when we went to America to experience Anytime Fitness first hand, we knew immediately that it was going to work in the Australian market.

"The response to our 24-hour fitness club concept has been phenomenal â from both franchisees and consumers."

Justin attributes the success of the franchise to the concept of freedom that underpins Anytime Fitnessâ business model.

"Being in the health and wellbeing industry, the Anytime Fitness franchise model was built around the concept of freedom. Anytime Fitness franchisees can run multiple clubs remotely and require low labour, providing them with more free time and a balanced lifestyle. The modern security system in place also allows clubs to run smoothly and worry-free even during non-staffed hours.

"As for members, weâre giving them the freedom to exercise at any time of the day or night. Itâs a win-win situation."

The growth of 24-hour fitness clubs is assessed in a feature in the November/December 2010 issue of Australasian Leisure Management.

Click here to visit the Anytime Fitness Australia website.

21st September 2010 - WORLD’S FASTEST GROWING 24-HOUR FITNESS CLUB SEEKS AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND FRANCHISEES 

22nd June 2010 - AUSTRALASIAN TEAM LEADS ANYTIME FITNESS RECORD GROWTH 

6th August 2009 - ANYTIME FITNESS EXCEEDS PROJECTIONS FOR FIRST YEAR IN AUSTRALASIA

13th July 2009 - ANYTIME FITNESS TO OPEN IN NEW ZEALAND

18th May 2009 - GYM MEMBERSHIP IS A CASUAL AFFAIR

30th June 2008 - ANYTIME FITNESS TO ENTER AUSTRALIA - 350 NEW CLUBS EXPECTED