Health and wellness has evolved from a consumer trend into one of the most resilient and dynamic categories in franchising. Today’s consumers are investing more than ever in their physical health, mental well-being, recovery, aesthetics and longevity, creating opportunities for franchise brands that help people feel and perform at their best
The category has expanded well beyond the traditional gym. Modern health and wellness franchising now includes boutique fitness studios, sports performance facilities, assisted stretching concepts, medical spas, recovery therapies, IV hydration, red light therapy, massage and facial services and personalized wellness experiences. Together, these businesses are redefining what consumers expect from preventive health and self-care.
And on the franchisee side, the sector offers several key benefits. Many concepts generate recurring revenue through memberships, for example, while others benefit from repeat visits and higher customer lifetime value. Operators can also capitalize on multiple demographic segments, from athletes and fitness enthusiasts to busy professionals, aging adults and consumers seeking aesthetic or recovery treatments.
In this issue, 1851 Franchise is highlighting the brands leading the charge across health, fitness, recovery and wellness. Over the coming weeks, we’ll publish individual profiles exploring what makes each concept stand out, how their business models are scaling and why they represent some of the strongest franchise opportunities in one of franchising’s fastest-growing industries
Planet Fitness — The global fitness giant opened 181 new clubs in 2025, bringing its footprint to 2,896 locations while earning recognition on Entrepreneur’s list of the fastest-growing franchise brands
Club Pilates — Boutique fitness continues its remarkable momentum, highlighted by Xponential Fitness’ largest development agreement ever: a 127-studio expansion with Riser Fitness over the next five years
D1 Training — The athletic training concept finished 2025 with more than 90 franchise agreements, over 40 new openings and more than 165 facilities operating, while setting its sights on surpassing 200 locations during 2026
Burn Boot Camp — The community-focused group fitness conceptsigned 51 franchise agreements and opened 36 new gyms in 2025, with more than 60% of new agreements coming from existing franchisees
Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa — One of the largest names in wellness services continues to grow, signing nine franchise agreements and opening five new spas during the first quarter of 2026while operating more than 650 locations across the United States and Canada
VIO Med Spa — Demand for aesthetic medicine remains strong. VIO Med Spa has already signed 10 franchise agreements in 2026, adding 15 locations to its development pipeline across key U.S. markets
FACE FOUNDRIÉ — The facial bar concept continues building momentum with nine development agreements covering 13 future locations during the first quarter of 2026, alongside five new openings and additional expansion planned throughout the year
BODY20 — Combining EMS technology with personalized fitness, BODY20 has surpassed 200 signed franchise agreements and continues attracting attention as one of the wellness sector’s fastest-growing opportunities
JETSET Pilates — JETSET reported a 546% increase in memberships during 2025and now operates 36 studios with more than 100 additional locations in development
StretchMed — Assisted stretching continues to emerge as a high-growth wellness category. StretchMed entered 2026 recognized among the fastest-growing emerging franchises, with 31 studios operating and another 26 franchises sold for future development
iCRYO — Focused on recovery, cryotherapy and longevity services, iCRYO was named to the Inc. 5000 list of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies for the third consecutive year, underscoring sustained demand for recovery-focused wellness concepts
beem Light Sauna — Red light therapy continues gaining mainstream adoption, and beem Light Sauna has positioned itself for national expansion with more than 60 locations in development while maintaining a disciplined growth strategy
Hydrate IV Bar — As consumers increasingly embrace preventive wellness and hydration therapy, Hydrate IV Bar has earned recognition on both the Denver Fast 50 and Entrepreneur’s Top New and Emerging Franchises rankings
Restore Hyper Wellness — One of the category’s most recognizable brands, Restore Hyper Wellness earned the No. 1 ranking in Entrepreneur’s Miscellaneous Personal-Care Businesses category in the 2025 Franchise 500, reflecting its leadership in preventive wellness and recovery services
StretchLab — Assisted stretching has become one of franchising’s breakout categories. StretchLab added 316 locations between 2021 and 2023, representing 209.3% unit growth, while systemwide sales climbed from $50 million to $200 million, earning the concept the No. 2 spot on Franchise Times’ Fast & Serious ranking
Stay tuned throughout the coming weeks as 1851 Franchise takes a closer look at each of these brands, exploring their growth strategies, franchise models, unit economics and competitive advantages.
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