Smart Fit to enter Venezuela with a franchise in Caracas

Smart Fit plans to open its first gym in Venezuela on 28 September 2026 at the Chacaíto shopping centre in Caracas. The Brazilian gym chain will enter the country through a franchise, taking a gradual approach aimed at understanding the local market before expanding further, according to reports by Bloomberg Línea, EFE and Folha de São Paulo.

A first gym to understand the Venezuelan market

The opening will make Venezuela the 17th country in the network. According to Bloomberg Línea, Smart Fit’s international presence is concentrated almost entirely in Latin America, and the new Caracas operation forms part of that geographical expansion.

The gym will be located in the Chacaíto shopping centre. EFE and Folha de São Paulo report a floor area of 2,000 square metres, while Bloomberg Línea says the premises exceed that size. All three publications agree on the location and that this will be the brand’s first gym in Venezuela.

The initial aim is not to launch a nationwide rollout, but to use this first venture to understand the market. Bloomberg Línea reports that the company intends to learn from the experience before moving ahead. The available information does not provide a timetable for further Venezuelan locations or identify other cities for future openings.

For those assessing Venezuela’s franchise market, the concrete news is therefore the arrival of an international brand with an announced first location and a named operator, rather than a fully defined territorial expansion programme.

A franchisee with experience in three countries

The gym will be operated by Fit Concept Store, C.A. According to Bloomberg Línea, the franchise is led by the executive team that developed and operated Smart Fit gyms in Colombia, Panama and Costa Rica.

That track record is a key aspect of the announcement: the team responsible for the Venezuelan launch already has experience with the same brand in other Latin American markets. The available reporting does not specify how many gyms the group managed or provide details of the new operation’s ownership structure.

The distinction between the brand and the gym’s operator is also important. In the interview reported by Folha de São Paulo, Smart Fit chief executive Diogo Corona clarified that the market entry involves investment by a franchisee, rather than direct investment by the chain.

The announcement thus combines two separate elements: the expansion of Smart Fit’s international presence and a local operation run by a franchisee. Keeping that distinction clear helps explain the scope of the opening without attributing unannounced investment to the parent company.

Caution shapes the market entry model

EFE reported that Smart Fit chose franchising as a cautious response to the particular challenges of Venezuela’s economic situation. The news agency cited comments made by Corona to Brazilian newspaper Folha de São Paulo about the thinking behind the decision.

“We are entering gradually and cautiously, with a local franchisee and in strict compliance with applicable rules,” the executive said, according to the Spanish version published by EFE. He also stressed that entering a country early has value, but not without capital discipline and an appropriate model.

Folha adds an important clarification: for Corona, franchising is a tool for entering a new geographical market, not the group’s standard expansion model. The choice made for Venezuela should therefore not be interpreted as an announced change across the network.

What to check before assessing an opportunity

The reports reviewed describe the planned opening date, location, operator and rationale for entering the market, but do not include the investment amount, royalties, membership fees or conditions for obtaining future franchises in Venezuela. Nor do they present this opening as a public invitation to prospective franchisees.

The practical takeaway for entrepreneurs considering this franchise market is to distinguish an announced opening from an investment offer. Before assessing an opportunity linked to the brand, it is worth checking franchise availability, contractual requirements and the scope of operational support directly with the company.