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Club Pilates, the world's largest reformer Pilates brand by studio count, has signed a Master Franchise Agreement with DM Active Wellness Inc. (DMAW) to open 30 studios across the Philippines over the next 10 years. The deal, announced on April 16, 2026, marks Club Pilates' latest cross-border move in Southeast Asia and adds the Philippines to a fast-growing international system that already counts new openings in Mexico, Thailand, and Belgium this quarter.
At a Glance: Brand — Club Pilates. Parent — Xponential Fitness (NYSE: XPOF). HQ — Irvine, California. System size — over 1,300 locations, including more than 1,100 in the U.S. Average unit volumes — nearly $1 million. New territory — Philippines (30 studios over 10 years). Master franchisee — DM Active Wellness Inc., an affiliate of DM Global Inc.
DMAW is an affiliate of DM Global Inc., a diversified Philippine lifestyle company with more than 17 years of operating experience spanning beauty and wellness, professional sports, food, hospitality, events, and real estate. The company is led by Mars Balajadia (CEO) and Dick Balajadia (President), who have built a track record around customer experience and brand development in the Philippine market.
The Balajadia team's multi-vertical operating base is well aligned with Club Pilates' reformer-led group fitness model, which depends on retail-quality real estate, premium customer service, and recurring-revenue membership fundamentals.
The Philippines master franchise structure is the dominant cross-border model for Club Pilates — the master franchisee receives exclusive rights to develop and sub-franchise studios within a national territory, while operating directly to validate unit economics. For investors evaluating the role of the master franchisee in 2026, the DMAW deal illustrates three points:
Club Pilates carries nearly $1 million in average unit volume per studio — one of the highest in boutique fitness — and operates a reformer-anchored model that has proven resilient to discretionary-spend cycles. Competing reformer concepts in Asia remain fragmented, with most regional operators running single-unit or single-city brands. Club Pilates' advantage is a productized franchise system: standardized real estate specs, certified instructor pipeline, and a global member-acquisition playbook.
“The Philippines represents one of the most attractive consumer markets in Asia for premium wellness.” — industry view echoed by Xponential leadership on its Q1 2026 earnings call
The DMAW deal reinforces a wider trend across ASEAN markets: international franchisors are tilting toward master-franchise structures with multi-vertical local operators rather than single-unit licensees. The Philippines, with rising disposable income, a young demographic, and growing demand for evidence-based wellness, is positioned as a regional bellwether. Investors tracking franchise investment dynamics in Asia should watch how DMAW sequences its first Manila studios and whether unit economics meet the U.S. AUV benchmark.
Minimum Investment Required: Refer to vffranchiseconsulting.com for current minimum-investment benchmarks across Asia and MENA markets.
