Gym chain, Afrofit, which is gearing up to open its fourth location on the border with Uganda, is launching into franchising to accelerate the growth of the business.

CEO, Yves Preissler, says he’s also taking on investment to scale.

Afrofit is the first international standard chain in Kenya, in a market which is dominated by small self-owned clubs. The first club opened in Nairobi in January 2022, followed by second in the city in March 2023. The third site launched in the coastal town of Malindi, in May 2024.

The fourth Afrofit gym will launch at United Mall, in Kisumu, on 1 December. The 700sq m gym will include 80 pieces of strength and cardio equipment and a 120sq m studio.

Three homegrown class concepts are offered – AfroHIIT, Afrobeats and Afromoves – HIIT, dance and a mix of Pilates and yoga. “Fifty per cent of our members do the classes,” says Preissler. “They are popular because African culture is based on dance.”

Membership of the flagship club was intentionally pitched high at US$100 a month so that it became an aspirational brand: members are business people, tv and music stars. The two-storey, 2,000sq m site offers a gym with 120 pieces of strength and cardio equipment, an outdoor gym and a recovery lab.

At the other sites, membership costs US$40 a month. "We wanted to make the other sites accessible for many," says Preissler. "We want to target the high value low cost market, and the first site is simply a flagship in a prime location for the brand."

Africa is a challenging market in which to operate: rents and import taxes are high, direct debit isn’t established and it’s difficult to recruit good staff, however, with a penetration rate of less than 1 per cent, it’s also ripe with opportunity.

Preissler is ambitious to franchise across East Africa in Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda and in the long term to central and west Africa.

“The market is there for the taking,” he told HCM. “No one is operating on a large scale, now is the time to own the market.”