Two industry veterans are gearing up to launch a longevity concept franchise, with the flagship location opening in Spain, as Kath Hudson reports.

Zenergie Body and Soul is aiming to capture the zeitgeist of longevity, personalisation and a holistic approach to health.

Targeting the over-35s, the new concept is the brainchild of Rod Hill and George Houtenbos – both with proven track records of scaling franchise brands across multiple countries.

They originally co-founded Fit Brands International in Spain, which has held the master franchise for Énergie Fitness Iberia since 2020, with 20 territories sold, 11 clubs open and five at the build stage.

Hill began his career at Fitness First in the UK and played a pivotal role in expanding the chain to 450 clubs globally. Since moving to Barcelona in 2004, he’s been involved with launching Viva Gym, bringing Anytime Fitness to Spain and expanding TRIB3 across Europe.

Houtenbos established the Spanish arm of Basic-Fit and played a key role in the start of its expansion. He was also the founder of Perfect Fit Spain and has worked as a health and fitness consultant.

With such a wealth of industry experience, the duo has faith in both the new model and a rapid international rollout. The target is to open 50 locations in five years, starting with a flagship site in Barcelona. Currently being fitted out, this is set for launch in October, under the ownership of an Argentinian franchisee.

The middle 60 per cent
Hill told HCM that Zenergie has been curated to appeal to people who don’t enjoy the gym. “Gyms appeal to 20 per cent of the population and a further 20 per cent of people will never go one, but we believe there’s a massive audience in the middle of people who are looking for something different. That’s our market,” he says.

“We’re targeting people who cancel their memberships and don’t feel the standard gym environment is for them. They don't want to be super fit or ripped, they have busy lives and just want to maximise their wellbeing and live a good quality of life for as long as possible.”

With a price point of €70 to €150 a month – depending on how many services chosen – Hill expects Zenergie to appeal to people who are old enough to value their health and ready to make the necessary changes to lengthen their healthspan.

“The industry decided that fitness had to be cheap, but people who value their health are prepared to pay in order to get the right advice, guidance and treatment,” he says. “People who join for quality of life reasons are also very loyal.”

Three pillars of good health
The clubs have been designed to fit into a 550 to 600sqm space, because Hill says this cuts down the gymtimidation factor. The offering includes a Zen studio with six types of yoga, breathwork and meditation classes.

Central to the gym is the AI-powered EGYM smart strength studio, which will offer personalised AI-generated plans, following an assessment to establish the individual’s biological age and taking into account any contraindications or medication.

“We’re working on some incredible programming with EGYM,” says Hill. “But while technology has its place, the trainer is also needed. As we go more towards AI, I believe the first connection has to be with a human being and we will train our PTs in the delivery of AI to the customer.”

Recovery makes up the third element, with a relaxation area and Finnish dry saunas in the changing rooms.

Houtenbos says they’ve created a ‘blue zone’ concept which can fit into towns or busy cities where most people live. Hill says the concept set out to address the three pillars of good health and longevity: cardiovascular fitness, strength and mental health. “The fitness industry has always had the solution for longevity, we just haven’t communicated that well enough,” he says. “VO2 max is by far the number one determining factor about whether you're going to have a long life.

“Strength training is vital for building and retaining muscle mass and muscle mass can save your life. If you get a serious illness – like cancer – your ability to overcome that is partly based on your muscle mass.

“If you're not doing strength training to hold your muscle mass – which is where Ozempic is going to be catastrophic for so many people – you're going to have an old age of frailty.

“Mental health is the third element and we will help people relax and recover through yoga, breathwork, meditation and the use of recovery facilities.”

Education on every visit
Nutrition will be part of the mix, with the team about to sign a deal with a Spanish company which will provide the service as an optional add on to the membership, costing around €50 a month.

People taking this option will have an initial consultation to build a nutritional profile and then monthly check-ins to stay on track. The nutritional element will go beyond losing weight and will address factors such as illness and inflammation.

“We want to educate people to understand balanced nutrition, and then take it to another level,” says Hill. “We want to be educating our members every time they come into the club.”

Talks are also underway with Oysho – the athleisure sister brand of global fashion juggernaut, Zara – about running retail areas in the clubs, selling sports clothing.

Although it’s not overtly being branded or marketed as such, Zenergie is a concept that will be most appealing to the over-35s. The design has steered away from a dark, nightclubby, loud environment, instead it is light and airy, with a calming palette which reflects the Mediterranean origins. Music will be quieter and retro, encouraging people to have a chat.

The franchise fee is €35,000 and the club costs around €600,000 to fit out. The team is in talks with a master franchisor for Scandinavia, as well as other potential franchisees in Spain.

Europe is first on the hit list, but nowhere is ruled out, including Asia, the Middle East and Australia. Hill says he expects the franchise interest to be keen.