Xtreme Brands to Expand STRONG Pilates in Central and Eastern Europe

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In this article you will learn

• Why Xtreme Brands will develop STRONG Pilates across Central and Eastern Europe.
• How the company is expanding its strategy by adding a global brand to its portfolio.
• What the expansion plans look like through 2030.

Xtreme Brands is entering a new phase of growth. The company has signed a Master Franchise agreement with Australian fitness brand STRONG Pilates, giving it the rights to develop the concept across ten Central and Eastern European markets. It is the first external brand to join the company's portfolio and an important step in building an international fitness and wellness platform.

Over the past few years, Xtreme Brands has focused on developing its own concepts – Xtreme Fitness Gyms and Xtreme KiDS – creating one of the largest franchise networks in Central and Eastern Europe. Today, the group operates nearly 189 fitness clubs and continues to expand its business portfolio. The partnership with STRONG Pilates marks the next stage of the company's long-term growth strategy.

"From the very beginning, we built Xtreme Brands with the ambition of becoming a company that helps shape the future of the fitness industry. We developed our own brands, invested in operational expertise, and scaled our franchise model. Today, we are ready for the next step. Partnering with STRONG Pilates is not only about adding a world-class premium concept to our portfolio. It is also recognition that Xtreme Brands has become a trusted partner for global brands looking to expand into new markets. Our ambition is to build the strongest fitness and wellness brand platform in Central and Eastern Europe, offering entrepreneurs a range of investment opportunities across different market segments," says James Cotton, CEO of Xtreme Brands.

Developing the entire region

The Master Franchise agreement gives Xtreme Brands exclusive rights to develop STRONG Pilates across Central and Eastern Europe. The company will be responsible for recruiting franchise partners, expanding the network, and maintaining the brand's operating standards in ten countries across the region. Poland will be the first market, followed by a gradual rollout into other Central and Eastern European countries. The company will announce further expansion plans as new franchise agreements are signed.

Although Xtreme Brands has extensive experience creating its own brands, this time it chose to partner with an established international concept.

"STRONG Pilates studios will be developed exclusively under the global STRONG Pilates brand. This is a deliberate strategic decision. Building brands from scratch is something we know very well – both Xtreme Fitness Gyms and Xtreme KiDS were created from the ground up. At the same time, we also understand how much time and investment it takes to build a complete business model that is ready to scale," says James Cotton.

According to Cotton, the boutique Pilates market is growing rapidly worldwide, while Central and Eastern Europe remains a region with significant untapped potential.

"Rather than spending years creating our own concept, we chose to work with a brand that already has a proven business model, proprietary training equipment, a well-developed instructor training system, and successful operations in multiple countries. This allows us to focus on what we do best—building and scaling franchise networks."

A brand operating in 14 countries

STRONG Pilates was founded in Australia and operates boutique fitness studios built around a unique training method that combines Pilates, strength training, and cardio. The concept uses proprietary Rowformer and Bikeformer machines and has expanded internationally through franchising.

The partnership with Xtreme Brands will bring STRONG Pilates into Central and Eastern Europe, increasing the brand's global presence to 15 countries.

"Xtreme Brands is one of the leading fitness and wellness companies in the region, with a strong position in franchising, extensive operational experience, and values that closely match our own. We are confident that STRONG Pilates will grow successfully across Central and Eastern Europe under the leadership of a partner that understands both network expansion and delivering an exceptional customer experience. We look forward to entering new markets and building new fitness communities," says Michael Ramsey, Co-founder and CEO of STRONG Pilates.

STRONG Pilates will operate as an independent premium boutique fitness brand. The concept focuses on small-group training sessions led by certified instructors, an advanced booking system, and building strong local fitness communities. It complements the existing Xtreme Brands portfolio by serving a different segment of the fitness market alongside Xtreme Fitness Gyms and Xtreme KiDS.

The first studios will open in Poland before expanding into other Central and Eastern European markets. The company will announce additional locations as new agreements are finalized.

Main conclusions

By 2030, Xtreme Brands plans to build a network of 750 locations across Central and Eastern Europe. Alongside Xtreme Fitness Gyms and Xtreme KiDS, STRONG Pilates will become one of the key pillars of the group's long-term growth strategy. This expansion is supported by bValue Fund, an investment fund focused on backing fast-growing companies across Central and Eastern Europe.

Author

Anna Smolinska

journalist