Gold’s Gym has signed a master franchise agreement to open 60 locations in Brazil within the next 10 years. A Gold’s Gym Brazil flagship location is slated to open in 2026, with other initial openings in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia.
The franchisee group is led by Dan Chor, a fitness industry veteran and co-founder of BodyTech. He’s joined by Felipe Frajhof, Washington Kasprzykowski and Michel Amorim, seasoned entrepreneurs with extensive experience in real estate development and scalable business operations in Brazil.
“I’m thrilled to bring this legendary fitness brand to Brazil — a country that truly breathes fitness and healthy living,” said Chor. “Gold’s Gym has a storied legacy, made famous by icons like Arnold Schwarzenegger, and we see an incredible opportunity to introduce a concept that combines performance, lifestyle and community in a way that resonates with Brazilian culture. Brazil is currently the second-largest fitness market in the world in number of gyms, with over 20,000 clubs and millions of active members — the momentum is strong, and the timing is perfect.”
The Brazilian flagship gym will pay homage to the legendary original Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach, California, known as The Mecca, where Schwarzenegger and other iconic bodybuilders trained. It will feature a Gold’s legacy-inspired look and feel with brick walls, wooden accents and a reproduction of The Mecca’s famous green wall, plus premium amenities that include state-of-the-art equipment and Olympic lifting platforms.
“Signing a master agreement for 60 new gyms in Brazil is the perfect 60th birthday present for Gold’s Gym, which has been the world’s most iconic gym brand since 1965 and is growing fast, with a focus on our strength and performance roots,” said Kevin Christie, the VP of franchising of Gold’s Gym. “Franchisees like Dan, Felipe, Washington and Michel know the power of the brand and will bring it to life in Brazil for those who want to fulfill their potential and reach their fitness goals.”
The brand has commitments from franchisees to develop more than 200 new locations globally and is actively seeking qualified master franchise candidates for further international expansion. For Latin America, focus areas are Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Mexico.
