Fitness First Black – LifeFit Group’s premium chain – has added another club to its collection with the acquisition of SportsUp in the metropolitan area of Wiesbaden, Germany.

SportsUp is one of the leading premium fitness clubs in Wiesbaden with more than 4,000 members – an increase of 39 per cent since 2020. It has a 2,000 square metre training area, a focus on personal support and a comprehensive course offering. It will be modernised and rebranded.

Owner, Claus Maschke, will stay during the transition before moving on to new projects: “I founded SportsUp with great passion and successfully operated it for many years. Now is the right time to integrate the club into a larger network of a trusted partner to continue its positive development.”

Christophe Collinet, CCO of LifeFit Group, says the club has significant potential: “A local market leader that is the perfect fit for the Fitness First Black segment, this acquisition expands the Fitness First network and particularly strengthens our premium segment within the LifeFit Group.”

Johannes Maßen, COO of LifeFit Group and MD of Fitness First, says there is an uptick in interest in premium offerings: “After the pandemic, we noticed that the more affordable Fitness First Red clubs recovered more quickly. Now, we are observing a sustained and strong demand for premium fitness offerings. The integration of SportsUp allows us to strengthen our Fitness First Black network in the Rhine-Main region.”

Under Waterland ownership, LifeFit Group is on a buy-and-build growth strategy, and recently bought Body Culture Group and Buena Vista.

Based in Germany, LifeGroup Group operates a number of brands: Fitness First Red and Black, Elbgym, Barry’s, Club Pilates and YogaSix.