Basic-Fit plans to recruit franchisees this autumn

Basic-Fit plans to launch a campaign this autumn to attract independent gym operators to join the chain under the Basic-Fit name. Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported the plans on 21 October. The Dutch company is making franchising a cornerstone of its growth strategy, while there is still no firm timetable for rebranding the German Clever Fit clubs it previously acquired.

Recruitment to support growth through independent operators

The planned campaign aims to encourage entrepreneurs to operate their gyms under the chain’s name. This gives expansion through independent operators a prominent role alongside growth in company-owned sites. Basic-Fit currently has both company-owned and franchised clubs.

The financial rationale is that the company can expand without having to make substantial investments in premises and staff itself. Franchising also brings other revenue streams: fees from franchisees, fitness equipment rental, in-club advertising and sales of fitness products.

For those following the Dutch franchise market, the shift in growth strategy is particularly relevant. A Dutch chain with an extensive European network is putting independent operators at the heart of its further expansion. The planned recruitment drive is a separate step: Basic-Fit intends to launch it before it is clear when the hundreds of acquired Clever Fit clubs can be brought under its own brand.

German brand expansion comes before Clever Fit rebranding

The largest existing group of independent operators involved is in Germany. Basic-Fit acquired 435 Clever Fit clubs there last year, all run by independent operators. The acquisition does not, however, mean these locations now carry the Basic-Fit name.

Before actively encouraging Clever Fit owners to switch brands, the company wants to establish a larger presence under its own name. Basic-Fit has set a target of 200 clubs in Germany, where it currently has 127 clubs trading under its brand.

To move closer to that target, it has acquired 49 clubs from smaller German chains. These are being converted this year. According to chief executive René Moos, they are expected to reopen as Basic-Fit clubs in early 2027. He describes this as an important step towards the target of 200 locations under the company’s own brand.

Two initiatives are therefore running in parallel. On the one hand, Basic-Fit wants to begin recruiting independent operators before the end of this year. On the other, the targeted campaign to persuade Clever Fit owners to adopt the Basic-Fit brand will wait until the German network has expanded further. No date has yet been set for bringing all 435 acquired clubs under the Basic-Fit name.

Revenue growth closely linked to acquisition

The franchise plans follow a period of higher reported revenue for Basic-Fit. Revenue reached €1.2 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 18 per cent on the same period a year earlier.

According to the report, this growth was largely driven by the acquisition of the German Clever Fit clubs. Revenue growth is therefore closely linked to the addition of independently operated sites. That acquisition has increased the importance of franchising within the business.

Membership also grew. Basic-Fit reported 690,000 more members over the first three quarters than in the first nine months of the previous year, bringing total membership to almost 6.3 million. These figures cover the chain as a whole and do not represent separate results for Dutch clubs or individual franchisees.

Substantial presence in the Netherlands

Basic-Fit now has 2,246 locations, including 250 in the Netherlands, making it Europe’s largest gym chain. It has opened four new gyms in the Netherlands so far this year.

The announced franchise strategy should be distinguished from those Dutch site figures. The four openings show how the network is growing in the Netherlands; the recruitment plans set out how Basic-Fit intends to attract independent operators. Meanwhile, the expansion of its brand in Germany shows that joining a company’s network and adopting its brand name can be separate steps.

Practical takeaway: entrepreneurs considering joining the network should ask specific questions about fees, equipment rental and the conditions for using the brand name when the campaign launches. Keep the general recruitment drive separate from the rebranding process for Clever Fit operators.