The fitness franchise KX Pilates, based in Melbourne, has signed a master franchise agreement to enter the Japanese market, the brand’s seventh market overseas. The deal will see KX Pilates set up new studios in major locations including Tokyo and Osaka. The firm, which already boasts more than 100 studios in Australia and a further 20 abroad, is now seeking to venture into the burgeoning Japanese fitness market by introducing its fun-filled reformer Pilates classes to the audiences in the region.
Aaron Smith established KX Pilates in 2010, and he has remained a pillar of the Australian reformer Pilates industry. The brand’s name, KX, reflects the KX concept, where KX means Kaizen Experience, and this moment of expansion in Japan is like a full circle for the brand.
According to KX Pilates CEO Selina Bridge, the competitive advantage of the brand is the workout’s quality and its personalization. “We are 100% focused on delivering a dynamic, full-body Pilates experience that lasts 50 minutes,” she said. “It is about making small steps all the time and that is the Kaizen culture we practice, which is very important in making sure we stand out in the fitness industry.”
The master franchise agreement was signed with Atsuyuki Tsuchiya, who was at one time the president of Fast Fitness Japan and is an established persona in the fitness landscape in Japan. According to Tsuchiya, there is enthusiasm in bringing KX Pilates to Japan, given that the philosophy of the brand and its active workout regime meets the expectations of the modern-day Japanese consumers.
Bridge explained how KX Pilates is intending to implement its growth strategies in Japan: ‘We are going to be very ambitious, but we will not get ahead of ourselves. To begin with we intend to build small and gradually expand. Our priority is on class delivery and the quality of our franchise partners, not on rapid growth.’ She argued that although specific numbers of studios cannot be defined at this point, the philosophy of the brand does not allow for any other type of development except organic and very balanced growth aged with time.
Bridge joined KX Pilates in 2018, the brand has been growing tremendously in Australia with studio numbers increasing from 50 before to 105 now. In addition to the Western Australian based fitness brand Big N Breath, which has recently launched its KX Pilates franchise, and other bigger brands, Bridge, however, believes that KX Pilates still has a niche in the market and will be successful.
All KX Pilates studios come equipped with specially designed KXFormers by the renowned company Balanced Body, who worked with KX Pilates to create a unique screen-free KXWorkout for all clients to enjoy in a variable level progressive environment.
