Studio Pilates will launch its first UK venue early in 2023.
Jade Winter, Studio Pilates co founder, told Franchise Executives, “This spearhead into the UK is a really big opportunity. The market needs a high quality offering.”
Winter believes there is the potential to set up 700 studios across the UK and Ireland.
Studio Pilates has six venues in the pipeline for the UK, launching first quarter of 2023. One studio will open in London, one in the West Country, two in the north of England and one in Ireland.
Winter said the business will focus on organic growth.
“We are not looking for someone to roll out lots of franchisees. We want high quality franchisees who can deliver on one store and execute well.”
He said the business has a single focus. “We only do Pilates Reformer. We are a niche and it’s served us well.”
Studio Pilates is already operating five studios in the US across New York, Kentucky, and North Carolina. A sixth is launching soon in Denver, Colorado.
Pilot stores are also operating in China.
Infrastructure supports global growth
This is a watershed year for the brand, which is celebrating its 20th birthday.
The brand has spread across Australian and New Zealand and now has 72 studios globally. And there are 50 in the pipeline, Winter revealed.
Winter is looking at opening satellite offices in both the UK and the US as the business develops. This may open up the doors for local recruitment as well as staff relocation from Australia.
He is confident the business’ infrastructure will support the global expansion plans.
“Australia is a very big place; it’s a big thing to launch from Perth to Brisbane. We launched our first [overseas studio] in New Zealand, closely followed by China. There were different challenges.
“Our biggest step was to open four locations in the US; we couldn’t leave because of Covid. They were all launched remotely.”
Winter has focused from the beginning on the brand’s ‘million people plan’.
“Through franchising we want to service a million people per week in our studios. That’s what we’re focused on. That means a couple of thousand locations across countries. We’re almost one twentieth of the way!” he said.
