Crunch Fitness Seals Agreement To Open 75 Gyms in India
Crunch Fitness is among several fitness brands looking to set up shop in India, driven by its rising disposable income, growing population and young demographic
Crunch Fitness is following through on its promise to conquer 2025, having signed a master franchise agreement for India—a move that will bring at least 75 Crunch Fitness gyms to the country in the coming years.
Leading Crunch’s push into India is Nikhil Kakkar, former chief operating officer of Gold’s Gym India and business partner Dr. Umesh Kansal, M.D. and CEO of several companies in the fitness, financial and global apparel sectors.
“We look forward to bringing the Crunch experience to India, marking a significant milestone in our global expansion,” Crunch Fitness CEO Jim Rowley said. “India is a vibrant and dynamic market with a growing passion for fitness, and we are excited to introduce our first physical location with our unique blend of world-class amenities, innovative classes, and inclusive community to this incredible country. This expansion reflects our commitment to making fitness accessible, engaging, and fun for everyone, no matter where they are in the world.”
The news comes as Crunch rolls out a new gym design template dubbed 3.0 in the U.S., where its gyms will receive aesthetic and group fitness enhancements, as well as new equipment and dedicated recovery spaces. CR Fitness Holdings, a leading Crunch Fitness franchisee, is set to open Orlando, Florida’s first Crunch 3.0 gym this fall.
Notably, India has become a burgeoning space for fitness businesses, ranging from boutique to big box, in recent years—and for good reason. A report from Morgan Stanley last January highlighted that the country’s growing population, young demographic, rising disposable income and efforts to build infrastructure over the past decade have set it on a path toward accelerated growth.
Last summer, Drive Fitt—co-launched by Bollywood actress Preity G. Zinta, cricket pro Shubman Gill and entrepreneurs Mark Sellar and Deke Smith—announced it would launch a 24/7 gym facility concept offering both standard fitness offerings as well as cricket training spaces. The group plans to expand Drive Fitt with 300 franchises across India in the coming years, according to reports.
Orangetheory also opened a studio in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, India in August, while UFC Gym opened its second training facility in North East India last fall. Members of UFC Gym can enjoy MMA training, group fitness classes like yoga, Zumba and spinning and access luxury steam and spa amenities. The region’s master franchisees plan to open ten additional UFC Gyms in each state capital within the next year.
Anytime Fitness is also doubling down on India, reportedly envisioning over 500 gyms across key states within the next 3-5 years. Meanwhile, easyGym, a U.K.-based fitness entity, announced a strategic partnership with FranGlobal, which will see the opening of more than 100 gyms across India.