Snap Fitness is a privately-owned global chain of 24/7 fitness centers headquartered in Chanhassen, Minnesota, United States. It was founded in 2003 by Peter Taunton and currently operates over 1,000 locations in over 20 countries across 5 continents, with over half a million members. It received the “Best Fitness Franchise” by Global Franchise in 2022.[1]

Snap Fitness
Company typePrivate
GenreFitness
Founded2003; 21 years ago (2003)
FounderPeter Taunton
Headquarters,
U.S.
Key people
Ty Menzies (CEO)
Websitesnapfitness.com Edit this at Wikidata

Snap Fitness is associated by ownership and otherwise with other fitness and franchise businesses through its parent Lift Brands and various affiliate companies.  Those brands include FitnessOnDemand, 9Round and Fitstop.

History

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Snap Fitness was founded in 2003 by Peter Taunton as an industry innovator, created to offer fast, convenient, and affordable fitness. He believed in a lean gym model, providing everything a member needs to get in shape and without the extra amenities and overhead of larger fitness centers.  

The first Snap Fitness location opened in River Falls, Wisconsin in 2004.[2]

International Expansion

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In 2007, Snap Fitness opened its first international location, expanding into Canada with a location in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

By 2008, Snap Fitness had 910 clubs with 400,000 members in 46 states in the U.S.[3], and continued its global expansion with its first club in India, as well as adding locations in Australia and New Zealand.[4] In 2009, Snap Fitness continued to expand with locations in Mexico.[5]

In 2010, the company opened its first location in New Zealand in Papanui, Christchurch[6], and in 2012 opened its first UK location in Milton Keynes[7].

By 2015, Snap Fitness entered Spain[8], The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Georgia[9], and the Philippines by way of separate Master Franchise Agreements for each country. That same year, the company signed a Master Franchise Agreement with Saudi Arabia. In late April 2016, Snap Fitness announced that the company had secured a major development deal for the United Kingdom with MSG Life Limited.[10]

An Area Developer Agreement was signed for Ireland in August 2016 and in 2017, Snap Fitness signed agreements with Hong Kong, Taiwan[11], Indonesia[12], Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh[13].

Tim McGraw’s Signature Snap Fitness club, TRUMAV, opened in January 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee.[14]

Personnel Changes & Rebrand

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In 2019, then-CEO Peter Taunton stepped down from his role to become the nonexecutive chairman of the Lift Brands’ board, where he served as a strategic advisor and Tom Welter, then Lift Brands’ chief operating officer, took over as interim CEO.[15] In August 2020, Ty Menzies was appointed to Global CEO for Lift Brands. [16]

Throughout the early 2020s, Snap Fitness went through an extensive rebrand, moving away from the fast, convenient, and affordable messaging to its current “For the Feeling” model, which emphasizes how fitness makes you feel over how it makes you look.

Awards

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Franchise Market Magazine ranks Snap Fitness #1 on their “Top New Franchise” list in 2007.[17]

Snap Fitness received a 2021 Franchise Innovation Award from Franchise Innovation Media for the company's "MOVE with Snap Fitness at Home" challenge.[18]

Snap Fitness was awarded the Best Fitness Franchise award by Global Franchise in 2022. [1]

Snap Fitness won silver at the TITAN Business Awards in the products and services category in 2024.[19]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Snap Fitness 24/7 Earns 2022 Global Franchise Award in "Best Fitness Franchise" Category". www.snapfitness.com. March 3, 2022. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  2. ^ "Snap Fitness - A passion for changing lives". Business View Magazine. 2020-04-08. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  3. ^ Perlroth, Nicole. "Survival of the Fittest". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  4. ^ "Snap Fitness to expand into Australia and New Zealand - Australasian Leisure Management". www.ausleisure.com.au. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  5. ^ Zabonick-Chonko, Rachel (2012-12-11). "Snap Fitness Continues Rapid International Growth". Club Solutions Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  6. ^ "Snap Fitness Launches First NZ Franchise in Papanui". www.snapfitness.com. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  7. ^ Zabonick-Chonko, Rachel (2012-11-02). "Snap Fitness Makes Debut in The United Kingdom". Club Solutions Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  8. ^ "Snap Fitness Signs Master Franchise Agreement for Spain". www.snapfitness.com. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  9. ^ "Snap Fitness Signs Four Master Franchise Agreements in One Week". www.snapfitness.com. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  10. ^ "Snap Fitness signs 30-club UK franchise deal". www.healthclubmanagement.co.uk. 2016-04-22. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  11. ^ "Snap Fitness Continues Global Expansion with a Move Into Hong Kong and Taiwan | Health and Fitness Club Industry News". Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  12. ^ Reads, Snap Fitness | 0 Shares 203. "Snap Fitness Signs Master Franchise Agreement For Indonesia". www.franchising.com. Retrieved 2024-11-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ "SNAP FITNESS ANNOUNCES MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION IN SIX COUNTRIES ACROSS ASIA". www.snapfitness.com. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  14. ^ Windsor, Pam. "Country Music Superstar Tim McGraw Launches Fitness Club Franchise". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  15. ^ Crosby, Jackie (2019-01-08). "Snap Fitness founder resigns as CEO, takes advisory role". www.startribune.com. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  16. ^ Zabonick-Chonko, Rachel (2020-08-25). "Lift Brands Names New CEO". Club Solutions Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  17. ^ "https://www.snapfitness.com/us/news/snap-fitness-ranked-1-on-franchise-market-magazines-top-100-new-franchises". www.snapfitness.com. Retrieved 2024-11-11. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  18. ^ Goldberg, Kerry Pipes & Eddy. "3rd Annual Franchise Innovation Awards: Franchise innovation shines in the time of Covid". www.franchising.com. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  19. ^ Awards, TITAN Business. "TITAN Business Awards | Snap Fitness - PS24039 Fitness". thetitanawards.com. Retrieved 2024-11-11. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
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