The private equity firm's first Australian investment values the Planet Fitness franchisee at roughly $170 million and funds an aggressive club rollout.
Franchise Equity Partners has acquired Bravo Fit, the Planet Fitness franchisee that operates 32 clubs across Australia, buying out existing shareholders including Planet Fitness itself. The deal, FEP's first investment in an Australian company, values Bravo Fit at roughly $170 million and pairs equity with new debt to fund faster club openings.
Planet Fitness exited its minority stake in Bravo Fit as part of the transaction, a deliberate move by the franchisor to seed international markets directly before handing growth off to well-capitalized operators. CEO Colleen Keating framed the sale as validation of that strategy, which the company is also applying as it expands into other international markets.
Bravo Fit holds exclusive development rights for roughly 100 additional clubs across five Australian states and territories, with a stated target of more than 135 locations nationwide. FEP's capital, plus a new debt facility, is earmarked specifically to accelerate that buildout, and Bravo Fit's existing management team stays in place to run it.
The transaction shows private equity is willing to pay premium multiples for proven, multi-unit fitness operators with development rights still on the table, not just for the franchisor brand itself. For large-format fitness operators eyeing growth capital, FEP's structure, majority equity plus debt tied to unit growth, offers a template that ties investor returns directly to store openings rather than a straight buyout.
Revscale Media (illustration)Wyndham's U.S. room count fell about 1% from a year earlier as it cut substandard hotels, yet royalties and franchise fees rose 6% and its AI phone agent now answers calls at more than 1,700 hotels.
Revscale Media (illustration)A former FRANdata research executive and her partner, who run 10 Two Maids locations, signed a three-unit deal to bring Tierra Encantada to Maryland.
Revscale Media (illustration)The luxury brokerage plans to put an in-house AI platform in front of its 4,000-plus agents, keeping sensitive client data on models it hosts itself and betting that owning the stack helps it keep agents.
Revscale Media (illustration)The Hawaiian coffee franchisor is moving POS, ordering, loyalty, payments and back office onto PAR Technology before most of its 100-plus planned shops open.
Revscale Media (illustration)Snap-on's Tools Group sales fell 7% organically in the third quarter as van franchisees drew down stock to protect cash, even though technician demand held steady, the company said.
Revscale Media (illustration)The mobile hydraulic hose franchise added seven new owners and opened five locations in the third quarter, while several existing owners expanded.
