The Booming Business of Hot & Cold
With the sweeping industry shift to wellness, centuries-old practices like saunas, cold plunges and bathhouses are making a rousing resurgence
Age-old practices like saunas have been infused and enriched with innovation and tech and are being reintroduced. Products, technology and modalities are being combined for new and heightened experiences. Even the shapes and sizes of the equipment are being reimagined.
Here, Athletech dives into the cold tubs that are making a splash and the saunas that are turning up the heat and leading the industry in innovation.
Sauna Studios Proliferate
The sauna – an ancient solution that’s been rediscovered and redefined – is contributing to the wellness market in a formidable way.
SWTHZ – a premium experience contrast therapy studio that offers infrared sauna, cold plunge and Vitamin-C showers – launched roughly twenty months ago and now boasts 25 studios and plans to open 100 additional locations over the next 12 months, which would give it a presence in 30 states. The brand is soon to set sights on an international launch, where a waitlist is expected.
SWTHZ’s founder Jamie Weeks, the leading Orangetheory Fitness franchise operator with around 10% of the nation’s studios, sees a huge market for contrast therapy (alternating between hot and cold modalities), which prompted him to create SWTHZ, formerly known as SweatHouz.
“The growth is not going to slow down any time soon, because it’s more than just recovery.” Weeks says of hot and cold therapy. “For some people, it’s recovery from working out. For others, it’s just being able to go into a sauna and meditate for 30 minutes after a long day, or cold plunging and feeling the endorphins and the dopamine rush. It’s all those things.”
Another innovator – Perspire Sauna Studio – has combined the centuries-old healing practice of a traditional sauna with the science-backed technology of infrared (IR) and red light therapy (RLT). With 50-plus locations and another 30-plus coming soon, Perspire is bringing infrared sauna and red light therapy into communities across the country.
“I would argue that of all modalities on the market in the preventative and longevity space, the combination of red light therapy and infrared sauna is the most effective and biggest bang for your buck,” said Jackie Mendes, Vice President of Franchise Development. “In sessions lasting less than an hour, you can make your body healthier, which then results in countless benefits daily.”
Old-School Bathhouses Get Redefined
Centered on the communal aspect of a traditional sauna, bathhouses are experiencing a renaissance and could very well become the next hottest franchise opportunity.
One such concept, Sauna House, is promoting a “digital detox” within the walls of its growing communal bathing franchise. Sauna House has sold ten locations in markets such as North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida and Colorado, with plans to close an additional twelve locations by the end of the year.
What Sauna House offers isn’t merely a place but a movement, said CEO and founder Andrew Lachlan.
“We are committed to building healing sanctuaries that transcend generations, promoting well-being in both body and spirit,” Lachlan said of Sauna House, which announced upcoming bathhouse studios in Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina.
The franchise features a ‘Hot-Cold-Relax’ circuit that is device-free and touts a whole-body contrast therapy within an environment engulfed in sleek architecture. Sauna House offers guests a hot sauna session, followed by a cold shower and plunge, and then a chance to return to the warmth of a sauna to deepen into relaxation. Drinks such as tea, adaptogenic sparkling water or kombucha are also available to complement the wellness experience.
Branching out from Ontario, Canada, another bathhouse brand Othership, launched in New York City’s Flatiron neighborhood recently.
While Othership offers a traditional circuit, the concept provides a variety of sessions based on needs and moods for its “journeyers.” A free-flow session allows guests to do their own thing with a chance to socialize with others, while a quieter free-flow offers minimal interaction and a relaxing playlist. An evening social session offers a two-hour sober-curious gathering, allowing guests to connect with friends, both new and old.
Its Co-Founder and CEO Robbie Bent sees massive potential for the brand and intends to open Othership locations in every city in North America.
Cold Water Therapy Becomes Mainstream
Turning down the heat, let’s talk cold plunges.
Earlier this year, direct-to-consumer manufacturer Plunge launched four new products in a bid to make cold water immersion therapy more accessible. The Evolve Series offerings include an inflatable, portable cold plunge tub, a pop-up offering, and technological improvements on Plunge’s core offerings.
With the new products, Plunge looks to tap into a different segment of the market that may want an introduction to cold plunging at an even lower price before investing in a larger model.
This is on the heels of the Plunge All-In launch, which has several features for at-home wellness enthusiasts. Its new design is easy to access, allowing users to change their filter quickly. The Plunge app notifies users when it’s time to change the filter, which can be done in seconds. The tub can also be controlled from anywhere through a mobile app, ensuring it’s ready on demand.
A year ago, Ice Barrel was named the official cold partner of the CrossFit Games. Shortly after, Solidcore founder Anne Mahlum invested $265,000 in the company and extended a line of credit worth $1.5 million.
Ice Barrel, led by founder and CEO Wyatt Ewing, takes a slightly different approach to cold plunges, focusing on an upright position versus a lounging, the impetus being that the body’s instinct when in a cold environment is to lean in and engage, and the upright posture allows the participant to fully experience that response.
When it comes to cold tubs, Mystic River Cold Plunge takes engineering ingenuity, aesthetics and craftsmanship to another level.
One way this plays out is the addition of a water agitator (think soothing wave that pushes and pulls across the body, not splashy or noisy) that keeps the body in the desired “Cold Shock Mode” throughout the plunge.
“There is a ‘thermal barrier’ that’s created by the body if the user is sitting still in still water,” Founder Daniel Schmitt explained to Athletech News. “It comforts the body and can take it out of the fight or flight mode. The agitator keeps this from happening, so the user gets the utmost benefit from the plunge.”
The company’s attention to detail encompasses every aspect of the tub’s performance and durability to create a high-end experience. With 1.5 horsepower and 11,500 BTUs it maintains the water temperature even if the user goes from hot to cold.