Talwalkars plans 100 fitness centres by 2008-09

Kochi, Jul 25: Embarking on an aggressive expansion spree following its tie-up with the Future Group of Kishore Biyani, Talwalkars, one of the oldest fitness centre chains in India, plans to reach the 100 branch mark by 2008-09.

Addressing a press conference here to announce the launch of the first Talwalkars fitness centre in Kochi in Kerala, Talwalkars Better Value Pvt Ltd (TBVF) Managing Director Prashant Talwalkar said the group aimed at opening two more centres in Kerala -- one in Kovalam and a second one here.

Talwalkars, which presently has 44 centres in different parts of the country, was planning to reach the 50 branch mark in the next two months with new centres at Hyderabad, Bangalore (two centres), Noida, Ludhiana and Kolkata, he said.

Under a tie-up reached with the Future Group, Talwalkars will open new centres in 59 places in India at the 'Pantaloon' and 'Big Bazar' shopping malls owned by it.

''The fitness centres in shopping malls will help us take the facility to the masses as the membership fee will come down to less than Rs 10,000 per year from the present Rs 15,000 per year at the stand alone centres,'' Mr Talwalkar said.

The new centres would also incorporate spas, combining both the European and Ayurvedic methods, as people were now more conscious about not only becoming fit but also looking good, he said.

Estimating the fitness industry in the country to be around Rs 400 crore to Rs 500 crore, Mr Talwalkar said the investment required for each new Talwalkar centre was about Rs two crore.

''We spend a lot of money on getting the best equipment from abroad besides doing up the interiors of the centres well and training the staff members,'' he added.

The centre at Kochi, spread over 5,300 sq ft, could accommodate 1,500 to 2,000 members. The centre, which has been operational since April, had enrolled 250 members so far.

Describing the brand's journey from humble beginnings in 1932, he said the first centre was set up by his grandfather Vishnu Pant Talwalkar, a wrestler, in 1932 at a time when body building was not viewed in a good light.

''Body builders were considered to have low IQs and there was even an impression that body building would lead to impotency,'' he said.

From 1932, the fitness scenario in India had undergone a sea change and now everyone was conscious of the need to be fit and look good.

A decline in the import and other duties on fitness equipment from 300 per cent in the 1990s to 45 per cent now had also given a boost to the industry, he said.

UNI