In its first international agreement, US-based Marilyn Monroe spas will franchise 250 locations throughout India in a 10-year partnership with La Vida Investment Holding, with the first units opening in the second half of 2017.

Marilyn Monroe Spas currently has locations in California, Florida, Hawaii, New York and Texas, and officials said several other international locations are also being explored, including Canada, China, Dubai and South America.

The company began development of its franchise offerings in 2015, and has received several rounds of capital infusion, the latest of which was a US$20m investment from JCR Holdings in 2015. Last year, it named James M. Lewisi – a former executive with Walmart, PepsiCo and The Walt Disney Company – as its CEO to help expand its franchising both domestically and internationally.

“India is a vibrant market with potentially limitless growth potential driven by its favourable demographics, ongoing rapid expansion of its economy and pro-business climate,” said Lewis. “Marilyn Monroe holds an iconic status there as she does in most areas of the world, giving us great confidence that working with our local partner La Vida and its franchisees will establish Marilyn Monroe Spas as India’s leading spa and salon destination.”

Al Weiss, chair of Marilyn Monroe Spas, said a key reason for the investment in the Marilyn Monroe brand is its immediate recognition and association with timeless beauty and glamour across global markets.

“Today’s announcement is the first of many we will be making as we execute our international franchising programme, which is a major component of Marilyn Monroe Spas’ growth plan,” said Weiss.

The agreement between Marilyn Monroe Spas and La Vida calls for sales of 250 units in 10 years, and will include a small number of locations owned by La Vida. Locations will be both stand-alone day spas and locations within hotels and resorts, similar to the company’s strategy in the US. Targeted cities include Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and more.

“The strong, continued strength of the Indian economy has created strong demand for premium services and experiences by a middle class which will soon exceed 100 million people,” said Jyotirmoy Bose, executive director and group CEO of La Vida Investment Holding. “This is particularly true in the spa and salon segment, which is what drove us to capitalise on this iconic brand and outstanding franchise concept.”