Member Article

Scottish wellbeing giant The Original Fit Factory completes $137m acquisition of 8 international wellbeing and lifestyle companies

[GLASGOW, UK: 13th December 2022] The Original Fit Factory today announces the completed acquisition of eight international wellbeing and lifestyle companies to further develop its balanced ecosystem of products and services that deliver physical and mental health benefits to communities across the world.

The Scottish business was launched in 2016 by fitness industry expert David Weir, with two core services; TV.FIT Productions, the vision and creator behind world-class workout programs and TRUCONNECT, the leading global fitness and wellbeing community app, which has experienced exponential growth since launch with 792% growth, for which it was recently acknowledged by Deloitte, as one of the fastest growing technology companies in the UK.

At the inception of TRUCONNECT, it entered 71 countries with two mega deals, including a global insurance company and leading Indian outfit worth £7.5 million and £30 million pounds respectively. The business has since expanded into an ecosystem of brands under one parent group ‘The Original Fit Factory’.

The most recent acquisition sees The Original Fit Factory acquire Wolfson Brands, a global end-to-end ecommerce company focused on online retail in the sports nutrition and wellness sector. The addition of this end-to-end network will strengthen the existing ecosystem of The Original Fit Factory brands, enhancing the customer journey through trend-leading customer insight, elevating the wellbeing journey for everyone. Through innovative technology with close loop integrated functions, the Wolfson Brands acquisition will enable The Original Fit Factory to access research and brand development specialists through the Wolfson Innovation Lab, an unparalleled global affiliate network through FanFuel, and a global platform offering end-to-end ecommerce activity. The purchase of Wolfson Brands also includes renowned media publication Muscle & Health’s digital and print arms, which will significantly increase engagement and growth of the wider ecosystem’s customer base.

Pierre van Niekerk, chief financial officer at The Original Fit Factory commented: “The recent $137m acquisition of these brands will help The Original Fit Factory scale at speed, elevating it to be recognised as a leading global wellness brand. These investments will not only allow us to ensure we have an expanse of wellbeing offerings for customers across the world but will also allow us to focus on driving profitability.”

The acquisitions have been completed over the course of the last 12 months and include the global end-to-end ecommerce company Wolfson Brands, nutrition and wellness brand Smart Protein, holistic employee wellbeing platform Elf at Work, active experiential and fun run provider Cool Events, fitness and yoga studio franchise TruFusion, sustainable lifestyle apparel brand Niyama Sol, remote events platform Virtual Run and military fitness program Battle Ready 360.

They are an important step in The Original Fit Factory’s growth plan, strengthening a community that’s making a healthier way of living easier and more accessible through a diverse offering of products and brands, interlinked with a distinctive set of values at the heart of wellbeing.

David Weir, founder and CEO of The Original Fit Factory, commented: “It was the realisation that the fitness and wellness community was strong, but splintered which originally inspired me to start the business, and since then the vision has always been to change that through the provision of synergistic products and services with ‘access for all’ at their core. The culmination of these acquisitions will be bolstered by the performance driving engine from Wolfson Brands’ Innovation Lab. This will not only increase our sales performance through a global affiliate network, but will enhance our capabilities to be able to manage our products with its own end-to-end ecommerce and logistics platform.

We want to elevate the wellbeing journey for everyone and so have thought holistically in making these acquisitions, to ensure each business is aligned with our purpose and values, as part of our vision to become the most loved and accessible wellbeing company on Earth.“

The acquisitions will provide seamless access to all components of wellbeing, empowering consumers to live healthier lifestyles on their own terms – from breaking down barriers to entry through technology and variety, to ensuring a holistic approach that considers mind and body.

Former AOL CEO and group chairman of The Original Fit Factory Jonathan Miller adds: “It’s a really exciting new chapter for the business in building a community that’s more accessible and innovative than ever before. Whether it’s wellness content, physical experiences, or our products spanning nutrition and activewear, we want to ensure we are putting unrivalled options in reach for consumers.

From a heightened appreciation towards the importance of mental wellbeing to an increasingly hybrid work model, we are expanding and curating our ecosystem to provide accessible products and services that meet the needs of ever-evolving lifestyles, learning from the needs of society.“

As part of the group’s continued growth strategy, The Original Fit Factory is set to expand its presence in the Middle East in Q1 2023, with the launch of its first non-US based Cool Events’ programme in Dubai.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Lucie Hayes .