énergie Group targets Pole position with eastern European push
The énergie group is gearing up to roll out its low-cost brand, Fit4less by énergie, into eastern European, with the announcement of a site in Riga, Latvia, and two in Gdansk, Poland.
Edgars and Krišs Baglais, master franchisees for Latvia, opened their first énergie club – an énergie fitness for women – in 2010. They now have three women-only énergie clubs in Latvia, with the most recent opening in Plavnieki last year. Fit4less Centrs, a 6,000sq ft site in Riga, will be the first Fit4less gym in eastern Europe. Owned by the master franchisees, it’s expected to open in October. A second Fit4less site is already in the pipeline.
Meanwhile, the two Polish clubs – the first énergie clubs in the country – will open in the next quarter. The first site, in the area of Suchanino, measures 8,000sq ft and will feature a Precor-equipped gym, a studio and a functional fitness area. The second site, in Srodmiescie, will be 7,500sq ft. The clubs will be launched by Jeremy Rose and Torban Cane – the franchisees of a successful Fit4less franchise in Kilburn, London – who now want to expand internationally.
Jonathan Pearson, master franchisee for Fit4less in Poland, said: “We’re delighted to be ready to go with our first franchisees for Poland. The opening of these first two sites will act as the catalyst for a rapid expansion of the Fit4less brand across Poland.”
Chair and chief executive of the énergie Group, Jan Spaticchia, says the group is focused on expanding internationally. “We will be exploring new territories within Europe, as well as those countries where we already have a foothold," he said.
"We see huge potential in Poland and ultimately expect to open 20–30 énergie clubs there. Latvia is a smaller market – we think there’s capacity for 10–15 clubs – but we’re currently looking at extending the master franchise agreement to cover Lithuania and Estonia too.”
The énergie Group now has almost 100 clubs and 100,000 members in UK, Ireland and mainland Europe, branded as Fit4less, énergie Fitness Clubs and énergie Fitness for Women.
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