{{Short description|US multinational fitness center franchise}} {{Infobox company | name = Snap Fitness | logo = Snap Fitness logo.svg | logo_size = | type = Private | genre = Fitness | foundation = {{Start date and age|2003}} | founders = {{ubl|Peter Taunton|Chad Kirchoff}} | location_city = Chanhassen, Minnesota | location_country = U.S. | location = <!-- this parameter modifies "Headquarters" --> | key_people = Ty Menzies (CEO) | area_served = | industry = | products = | services = | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | num_employees = | parent = | divisions = | subsid = | owner = | homepage = {{Official URL}} | dissolved = | footnotes = }}
'''Snap Fitness''' is a privately owned global chain of 24/7 fitness centers headquartered in Chanhassen, Minnesota, United States. It was founded in 2003 and currently operates over 1,000 locations in over 17 countries across 5 continents, with almost a million members.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=March 3, 2022 |title=Snap Fitness 24/7 Earns 2022 Global Franchise Award in "Best Fitness Franchise" Category |url=https://www.whichfranchise.com/news_template2.cfm?articleID=8067#:~:text=Snap%20Fitness%2C%20the%20fitness%20concept%20focused%20on,Franchise%E2%80%9D%20in%20the%202022%20Global%20Franchise%20Awards. |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=www.snapfitness.com |language=en}}</ref>
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 Fitness On Demand and Fitstop.
==History== Snap Fitness was founded in 2003 by Peter Taunton and Chad Kirchoff.<ref>{{cite news| title=Bay gets fast fitness with global gym chain |first=Graham |last=Skellern |date=6 October 2010 |newspaper=Bay of Plenty Times |publisher=New Zealand Media and Entertainment |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/business/bay-gets-fast-fitness-with-global-gym-chain/7S3MLLWGRSQLYYRLZ3XX2TMWIQ/ |url-access=subscription |quote=Snap Fitness, established in 2003 by Americans Chad Kirchoff and Peter Taunton, has become ...}} </ref> A few years later, Kirchoff decided to pursue full-time religious ministry, and sold his half of the business.<ref>{{cite magazine| title=Connecting Faith and Fitness |author=<!-- not stated --> |date=Summer 2017 |work=Engaged in Mission |pages=4–5 |publisher=Minnesota South District |url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5122917ce4b08a7615958803/t/5977c4363e00be2ce9a02911/1501021253745/Summer+17+EIM+Final+WEB.pdf |quote=He [Kirchoff] continued working in the fitness industry, and in 2003 was one of the co-founders of Snap Fitness, [...] and sold his half of Snap Fitness to pursue full-time ministry.}}</ref>
The first Snap Fitness location opened in River Falls, Wisconsin, in 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-04-08 |title=Snap Fitness - A passion for changing lives |url=https://businessviewmagazine.com/snap-fitness-passion-changing-lives/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CHe%20identified%20an%20opportunity%20with,2004%20in%20River%20Falls,%20WI. |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=Business View Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== International expansion === 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.,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Perlroth |first=Nicole |title=Survival of the Fittest |url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0112/054.html |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref> and continued its global expansion with its first club in India, as well as adding locations in Australia and New Zealand.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Snap Fitness to expand into Australia and New Zealand - Australasian Leisure Management |url=https://www.ausleisure.com.au/news/snap-fitness-to-expand-into-australia-and-new-zealand/ |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=www.ausleisure.com.au}}</ref> In 2009, Snap Fitness continued to expand with locations in Mexico.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zabonick-Chonko |first=Rachel |date=2012-12-11 |title=Snap Fitness Continues Rapid International Growth |url=https://clubsolutionsmagazine.com/2012/12/snap-fitness-continues-rapid-international-growth/ |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=Club Solutions Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2010, the company opened its first location in New Zealand in Papanui, Christchurch,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Snap Fitness Launches First NZ Franchise in Papanui |url=https://www.snapfitness.com/us/news/snap-fitness-launches-first-nz-franchise-in-papanui |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=www.snapfitness.com |language=en}}</ref> and in 2012 opened its first United Kingdom location in Milton Keynes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zabonick-Chonko |first=Rachel |date=2012-11-02 |title=Snap Fitness Makes Debut in The United Kingdom |url=https://clubsolutionsmagazine.com/2012/11/snap-fitness-makes-debut-in-the-united-kingdom/ |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=Club Solutions Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>
By 2015, Snap Fitness entered Spain,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Snap Fitness Signs Master Franchise Agreement for Spain |url=https://www.snapfitness.com/us/news/snap-fitness-signs-master-franchise-agreement-for-spain |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=www.snapfitness.com |language=en}}</ref> The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Georgia,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Snap Fitness Signs Four Master Franchise Agreements in One Week |url=https://www.snapfitness.com/us/news/snap-fitness-signs-four-master-franchise-agreements-in-one-week |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=www.snapfitness.com |language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-04-22 |title=Snap Fitness signs 30-club UK franchise deal |url=https://www.healthclubmanagement.co.uk/health-club-management-news/Snap-Fitness-MSG-Life-franchise-TwentyTwoYards/323480 |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=www.healthclubmanagement.co.uk}}</ref>
An Area Developer Agreement was signed for Ireland in August 2016 and in 2017, Snap Fitness signed agreements with Hong Kong, Taiwan,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Snap Fitness Continues Global Expansion with a Move Into Hong Kong and Taiwan {{!}} Health and Fitness Club Industry News |url=http://www.clubinsideronline.com/news/chains/snap-fitness-continues-global-expansion-with-a-move-into-hong-kong-and-taiwan/ |access-date=2024-11-11}}</ref> Indonesia,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reads |first=Snap Fitness {{!}} 0 Shares 203 |title=Snap Fitness Signs Master Franchise Agreement For Indonesia |url=https://www.franchising.com/news/20170523_snap_fitness_signs_master_franchise_agreement_for_.html |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=www.franchising.com}}</ref> Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SNAP FITNESS ANNOUNCES MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION IN SIX COUNTRIES ACROSS ASIA |url=https://www.snapfitness.com/us/news/snap-fitness-announces-major-international-expansion-in-six-countries-across-asia |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=www.snapfitness.com |language=en}}</ref>
Tim McGraw’s Signature Snap Fitness club, TRUMAV, opened in January 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Windsor |first=Pam |title=Country Music Superstar Tim McGraw Launches Fitness Club Franchise |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/pamwindsor/2019/01/18/country-superstar-tim-mcgraw-launches-fitness-club-franchise/ |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>
In October 2024, Snap Fitness opened its 100th location across the United Kingdom and Ireland.<ref>{{cite web |title=Snap Fitness opens 100th UK & Ireland gym |url=https://www.franchisedirect.co.uk/news/snap-fitness-opens-100th-uk-ireland-gym |website=Franchisedirect}}</ref> There are over 500 Snap Fitness gyms in North America, 130+ in Europe and 350+ in Asia and the Pacific.
=== Recent changes === 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Crosby |first=Jackie |date=2019-01-08 |title=Snap Fitness founder resigns as CEO, takes advisory role |url=https://www.startribune.com/snap-fitness-founder-resigns-as-ceo-takes-advisory-role/504008552 |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=www.startribune.com |language=en}}</ref> In August 2020, Ty Menzies was appointed to Global CEO for Lift Brands.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zabonick-Chonko |first=Rachel |date=2020-08-25 |title=Lift Brands Names New CEO |url=https://clubsolutionsmagazine.com/2020/08/lift-brands-names-new-ceo/ |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=Club Solutions Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>
Throughout the early 2020s, Snap Fitness went through an extensive rebrand to its current “For the Feeling” model, which emphasizes how fitness makes you feel over how it makes you look.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Official website}}
Category:Health clubs in the United States Category:Companies based in Minnesota Category:Chanhassen, Minnesota Category:Health care companies established in 2003 Category:2003 establishments in Minnesota Category:Franchises Category:Medical and health organizations based in Minnesota Category:Companies established in 2003 Category:American companies established in 2003