BOCA RATON, Fla. and WOODBURY, Minn., Feb. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Purpose Brands, the world’s largest and most trusted portfolio of fitness, health, and wellness franchise brands, announced that Anytime Fitness® (AF) was named Franchise of the Year earlier this week at the Beyond Activ World conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The award represents the global success that Anytime Fitness realized in 2025, including a deliberate market entry strategy across Middle Eastern markets. Last year, Anytime Fitness franchisees opened more than 365 clubs worldwide, averaging more than one per day.
In the Middle East specifically, Anytime Fitness partnered with three premier organizations to establish a strong presence in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). AF signed agreements that will grow the brand in United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, all within a 12-month period. Combined with its existing presence in Qatar, this growth leverages Purpose Brands’ regional footprint – sister brand Orangetheory Fitness® already operates in GCC states – while using a flexible model that blends master franchising and area development agreements to balance speed with local market knowledge.
The dual-brand presence of Anytime Fitness and Orangetheory Fitness creates a platform that strengthens Purpose Brands’ competitive positioning and long-term value creation potential across the Middle East and beyond. Globally, AF expanded its brand presence to more than 5,800 clubs in 2025.
“Being named Franchise of the Year by Beyond Activ World validates our strategic approach to international expansion,” said Sander van den Born, International Executive Vice President, Purpose Brands. “Our efforts to scale in high-growth markets, particularly the Middle East, are helping us capitalize on fitness in an evolving space, where it has become a social currency and community pillar. Our success is built on partnering with master franchisees who bring the local expertise to execute our global growth strategy. This honor affirms our market leadership as we continue scaling to advance consumer health and wellness outcomes. We’re grateful to Beyond Activ for this amazing recognition.”
“This award reflects the dedication of our franchise owners, club staff, and members who make Anytime Fitness more than just a gym; it’s a community committed to helping people lead healthier, happier lives,” said Stacy Anderson, Global Brand President, Anytime Fitness. “Our franchise partners are the backbone of our success. This recognition honors their commitment to delivering accessible, supportive fitness experiences in neighborhoods worldwide. We’re excited to keep growing as we work toward our goal of 10 million members and 10,000 clubs by 2030.”
About Purpose Brands, LLC
Purpose Brands is the world’s largest and most trusted portfolio of fitness, health and wellness franchise brands and services: Anytime Fitness, Orangetheory Fitness, Waxing the City, Basecamp Fitness, The Bar Method, Healthy Contributions and Provision Security. Together, these brands generate USD$3.9 billion in revenue, operating across 40 countries on all seven continents with a combined 6 million members. With a world-class franchise operating model and suite of services that help its portfolio brands accelerate, Purpose Brands is best positioned for rapid expansion and to capture a strong market share in the global wellness industry. For more information, visit https://purposebrands.com.
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Contacts:
Julie Elepano
Purpose Brands, LLC
[email protected]
- Anytime Fitness wins Franchise of the Year