Retro Fitness, Colts Neck, New Jersey, announced it opened 14 gyms and signed more than 20 franchise agreements in 2016. This puts the fitness company on track to open 100 additional facilities by 2019, for a targeted total of 250 nationwide, according to a media release from the company.
Retro Fitness’ strategy of making popular exercise trends—such as yoga, boxing and Zumba—affordable to a broad consumer base has been a key to the low-priced fitness franchise's recent success, CEO Eric Casaburi said in the media release. He particularly praised one of Retro Fitness’ latest functional training initiatives, the New Exercise Order program.
“We’re taking the best of functional training and boot camp classes and making it a far more effective and affordable fitness regimen for our members than what they would get at a boutique fitness studio,” he said.
The New Exercise Order was implemented at select Retro Fitness locations in late 2016 and will become available network-wide this year. The program starts at $69 per month and offers three training tiers to members: Team Conditioning, Small Group Strength Training and One on One Training.
“We are innovating fitness and doing it at affordable prices, something we’ve done since our inception,” Casaburi said in the statement. “[The New Exercise Order] is a game changer for our brand. Member adoption continues to rise rapidly and franchise prospects are increasingly becoming interested in our position in the marketplace.”
Retro Fitness has placed on Forbes magazine’s Best Franchises to Buy list every year since 2014, placing No. 6 in 2016. The company recently was recognized on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list, as well as Franchise Times’ Fast & Serious list.
In December, Casaburi announced the company was opening 30 franchised health clubs in Florida, in addition to a second corporate headquarters in Apopka, Florida, approximately 20 miles outside of Orlando.
Retro Fitness was founded by Casaburi in 2004 and has since grown to 155 gyms across 16 states. It ranked No. 66 on Club Industry’s Top 100 Health Clubs of 2016, one position ahead of its 2015 ranking, with estimated revenue of $12.25 million in corporate revenue and franchisee fees.