While many franchise operations use rebates to drive stronger bargaining arrangements, one home-grown fitness brand is forging its own path. In a ground-breaking community-focused initiative, Brisbane-born health and wellness franchise, Studio Pilates International has partnered with home-delivery meal service Nourish’d.
The new program sees home-delivered meals available for all Studio Pilates customers partaking in the franchise’s Hell Week and 30 Day Challenges. While the healthy meal partnership is delivering results for members and profits through a rebate system, it’s what Studio Pilates franchisees and head-office are doing with that profit that is turning heads.
Instead of pocketing a rebate for meals sold, Studio Pilates is instead committing to tackling hunger, through the franchise group’s new ‘We Eat, They Eat’ initiative.
For every 20 home-delivered meals the Studio Pilates community orders for themselves, one fresh, nutritious meal will be delivered to a person in need.
“Right from inception, our ethos has always been to help other people. That’s what we feel we were put on this earth to do and it’s at our very core,” Studio Pilates International CEO and co-founder Jade Winter told Inside Franchise Business.
‘We Eat, They Eat’
Rather than operate on a faceless basis, the Studio Pilates ‘We Eat, They Eat’ program tackles the issue head-on.
Clients are asked to nominate someone in their community who could do with a helping hand, whether it be a friend, neighbour or local charity.
Winter said the personal approach was critical, as it not only helped to start the conversation around hunger, but provide an opportunity to reflect on the plights of others in the community.
“It gives our clients the power of purchasing-with-purpose,” he said. “Building genuine connection amongst our communities and reminding them that they’re part of something much bigger.”
The new community-focused initiative hits close to home for the global CEO and fitness entrepreneur. Winter reveals that he was inspired to bring the ‘We Eat, They Eat’ project to life after growing up watching his single mother, and other families in his neighbourhood, struggle to put food on the table.
“I believe it’s of the utmost importance to use our platform to push positive growth,” he said. “It’s quite simply the right thing to do.”
Studio Pilates franchisee response
Beyond just the customer network, Studio Pilates franchisees are also backing the new community focused initiative, Winter revealed.
“As an organisation, we exist to help and serve others and make the world a better place, our franchisees are all of the same mindset, it’s absolutely crystal clear for us,” he said.
“When the program was announced, there was instant support from our franchisees right across the globe.”
The new program is currently in the launch phase in certain cities across Australia, with plans to roll it out to all international markets. Studio Pilates aims to deliver 100,000 meals by 2022 to at-risk and in-need individuals, families and community groups.
