The brand’s story began in Benoni on the East Rand of Johannesburg in 1995 when Mannee De Wet and Manny Rivera launched the business as two young entrepreneurs doing it all themselves.
The company has grown organically over the last three decades into a billion-rand business with a national footprint of 51 gyms nationwide that employs thousands of people, serve hundreds of thousands of members, and are recognised as one of the country’s leading gym groups.
De Wet, who serves as Managing Director, says that their focus has been on quality over quantity from the outset.
“Our strategy has always been to create a presence in carefully targeted areas. We treat every new club as an independent business, and we believe in growing our membership base rather than saturating the market with clubs that are too close together.”
This year saw new clubs launching in Randburg and Boksburg, while Durbanville in the Western Cape opened in July and Fourways Mall in Gauteng opened in August.
The group’s considered growth strategy has stood them in good stead as only around 20 clubs have closed over the last 30 years, often as part of a relocation to better premises, with members migrating seamlessly to the new facilities.
Of their 51 existing clubs, 37 are in Gauteng’s economically active hub, with the Western Cape the next major focus for growth.
Overall membership is currently sitting at around 220,000, with Planet Fitness welcoming more than 12,000 new members every month.
However, De Wet places more emphasis on the number of members who actively train every month. “Our clubs see 850,000 members through their doors every month. For us, this high percentage of engagement is a true metric of success.”
Planet Fitness plans to grow its footprint to 80-90 stores by opening five new clubs a year until 2030, making a high-quality training experience accessible to more communities throughout South Africa, without diluting their brand or member experience.
This proudly South African owned and managed business continues to evolve its training offerings to meet members’ ever-changing needs, with partnerships with health and retail brands helping keep the business relevant in a rapidly changing industry.
“Within South Africa’s diverse health and fitness sector, we aim to position Planet Fitness as a training hub that caters to everyone. We’ve got something for everyone, hich makes us a one-stop shop,” explains De Wet.
Newer clubs, like the Fourways mega club, accommodate the HYROX hybrid training movement and incorporate fit-for-purpose stretch and recovery facilities, both of which are firsts in the local training industry.
“Our multistorey Olympus facility in Pretoria includes a rooftop running track and a heated studio, while our De Waterkant club offers reformer Pilates classes,” elaborates De Wet.
The clubs also offer additional services, including a range of bios, dietitians, and other tenants such as Palto coffee shops, and serve as Discovery assessment centres.
De Wet says Planet Fitness’ point of differentiation is presence. “We want to be the clubs that people choose because of the experience they have from the moment they walk in. Equipment and facilities matter, but it’s the people, the atmosphere, the service, that create belonging. And that’s what keeps our members coming back.”
With a clear plan for sustainable expansion and a strong culture rooted in community, Planet Fitness shows no sign of slowing down. De Wet and Rivera continue to prove that a challenger mindset, backed by consistent delivery, can build a billion-rand brand that lasts.
When he’s not writing about sport or health and fitness, Pedro is probably out training for his next marathon or ultra-marathon. He’s worked as a fitness professional and as a marketing and comms expert. He now combines his passions in his role as managing editor at Fitness magazine.
