Stretchlab has opened its 150th studio this month, just six years since its launch.

The franchised boutique fitness brand, which specialises in delivering assisted stretching, opened 52 sites in 2021 – an average of one each week – despite the pressures placed on the fitness industry by the pandemic.

Owned by Xponential Fitness, StretchLab has also reached another landmark with the signing of its 500th franchise agreement this month.

The newly signed agreements will expand StretchLab’s reach to cities all across the US, with new locations entering its portfolio, including Washington DC, Charleston, Colorado Springs and Miami.

A deal was also signed to develop a studio in Vancouver, which will mark StretchLab’s second Canadian studio.

The brand has also revealed plans to go global and in 2021 signed its first international sites, securing master franchise agreements in Australia and New Zealand.

Lou DeFrancisco, president of StretchLab, said: "Assisted stretching is becoming a mainstream part of the boutique wellness space, as evidenced by our many openings in 2021 and hundreds of studios in development."

Founded in 2015, StretchLab is based on its "flexologist” instructors helping members through their individual wellness journeys.

Xponential acquired the brand in 2017 and has built and curated a diversified platform of 10 boutique fitness brands across a wide range of verticals.

In addition to StretchLab, its portfolio includes Club Pilates, CycleBar, Row House, AKT, YogaSix, Pure Barre, STRIDE, Rumble and Body Fit Training.