The president of Crunch Fitness, Chequan Lewis, says the company is accelerating its growth plans as it celebrates its 35th anniversary.

Crunch has 460 sites and is aiming to get to 500 by the end of this year and 600 by the end of 2025.

Lewis, former chief operating officer at Pizza Hut, joined the company in February as president to develop growth strategies, improve performance and elevate the brand.

CEO, Jim Rowley, said Lewis brings a wealth of experience, saying: “We believe Chequan’s strategic mindset and proven track record will continue to lift Crunch to new heights.”

The company has locations in 41 US states, as well as the District of Columbia, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Portugal, Puerto Rico and Spain and is heading towards three million members. Lewis told Commercial Observer the team is "looking at planting the flag outside the US".

The brand signalled that it had plans to ramp up its development with the appointment of veteran franchisor, John Kersh in May, who joined to identify global franchise partners.

Kersh was previously chief international development officer at Xponential Fitness and previous to that held executive development roles for Self-Esteem Brands and Anytime Fitness.

Lewis told Commercial Observer the rollout is going well, with investors and franchisees still investing. "It’s a flexible model, but sites of between 25,000 and 35,000 square feet are ideal", he explained.