Fitness Ventures Acquires 22 Crunch Gyms, Becoming System’s Biggest Franchisee

The deal gives Fitness Ventures control of Crunch locations in California and Texas as the group tops fellow Crunch franchisee CR Fitness in terms of unit count

Fitness Ventures has just taken the Crunch Fitness franchisee throne.

The group has acquired 22 clubs from Harman Fitness, a Los Angeles-based franchisee, in a deal that vaults Fitness Ventures to the top of the Crunch system in terms of unit count and puts CR Fitness Holdings, another leading franchisee group, in second place.

Fitness Ventures’ platform now spans 115 locations across 30 states, with the group on track to top 130 by year’s end.

The Harman portfolio covers gyms in California and Texas. The PE-backed Fitness Ventures said more than $50 million will flow into facility upgrades across those two markets in the coming months. All 22 clubs will continue operating under the Crunch banner.

Fitness Ventures founder and CEO Brian Hibbard called the acquisition a major milestone, coming ten years after the company signed its first lease.

“We believe we are just getting started,” Hibbard said. “We truly believe we are redefining what a successful fitness franchise operation can look like.”

Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.

The deal sets up a clear race at the top of the Crunch system.

CR Fitness Holdings, led by CEO Tony Scrimale alongside fellow industry veterans, currently operates nearly 100 clubs across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas and Tennessee, with plans to expand into Arizona. CR Fitness is on track to reach 110 locations nationwide by the end of the year. Last fall, global investment firm Sixth Street announced a  $350 million strategic growth investment in CR Fitness, with North Castle Partners remaining the largest shareholder.

Other Crunch franchisees, including Undefeated Tribe, JF Fitness and Fit Fusion, are also expanding at a rapid pace.

The franchisee land grab is happening on top of an already surging demand for budget-friendly gyms. Crunch signed an estimated 4.27 million square feet of leases in 2025, up nearly 50% year over year, and opened 91 new clubs, according to CoStar data. The high-value, low-price (HVLP) brand is targeting roughly 100 openings globally this year systemwide, and membership has cleared three million.