Australian fitness franchise STRONG Pilates is expanding into Saudi Arabia after signing a 10-year Master Franchise Agreement with Saudi franchise and investment operator Healthpreneurs.
The partnership gives Healthpreneurs development rights for 21 STRONG Pilates locations in Saudi Arabia over the next decade, marking the brand’s latest move to strengthen its presence across the Middle East.
The initial rollout will include five corporate-owned studios, with three locations scheduled to open from 2026 in Riyadh and Jeddah. Following the initial launch phase, Healthpreneurs plans to expand the network through sub-franchising.
STRONG Pilates Co-Founder and CEO Michael Ramsey said Saudi Arabia had been a market the brand had been watching, but that local expertise would be critical to the expansion.
“We’ve had our eye on Saudi Arabia for a while, but a market like this only works with the right operator on the ground,” Ramsey said.
He added that the brand’s training format is suited to changing consumer preferences in the Kingdom. “Our Rowformer and Bikeformer put Pilates, strength and cardio into one 45-minute class, and that suits a market that wants more from their training time,” Ramsey said.
Healthpreneurs to Lead Saudi Development
Healthpreneurs is led by Turki Alnowaiser, who also serves as Managing Partner at investment firm Nakhla Ventures. The company will oversee STRONG Pilates’ market entry and development in Saudi Arabia.
The partnership will initially focus on establishing corporate-owned studios in Riyadh and Jeddah before opening the market to sub-franchise partners.
“We’re starting with corporate-owned studios in Jeddah and Riyadh to get the experience right, then opening up to sub-franchisees. Twenty-one locations is our floor, not our ceiling,” Ramsey said.
Alnowaiser said the expansion comes at a time when fitness and sport are becoming increasingly important parts of Saudi Arabia’s economic and social development.
“Sport is a central pillar and strategic driver of Saudi Vision 2030, and hosting the AFC Asian Cup in 2027 and the FIFA World Cup in 2034 further underscores the Kingdom’s deep commitment to sports,” he said.
He added that Saudi Arabia represents a significant opportunity for specialised fitness concepts, with demand growing for more experience-led offerings.
STRONG Pilates’ Global Franchise Expansion
Founded in 2019 by Michael Ramsey and Mark Armstrong, STRONG Pilates combines Pilates, strength and cardio training into 45-minute workouts. Its proprietary Rowformer and Bikeformer machines combine reformer-style training with rowing or cycling.
The brand currently has more than 57,000 members globally and operates 130 studios across 14 countries, with another 200 locations confirmed to open.
Its international footprint spans markets including Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, South Korea, the UAE and Bahrain.
In the Middle East, STRONG Pilates already operates studios in Dubai and Bahrain, making Saudi Arabia the latest market in its regional expansion strategy.
The Saudi agreement also follows the brand’s expansion into Central and Eastern Europe, where it has partnered with Xtreme Brands to develop the concept in Poland and the Czech Republic.
The Healthpreneurs agreement gives STRONG Pilates another master franchise platform for international growth, combining an initial corporate-owned rollout with a longer-term sub-franchise model to build its Saudi network.
