Why Retro Fitness Is All-In on Nutrition, App Content
The HVLP gym brand believes it’s got an edge on competitors with its digital app, which offers content around nutrition, mental health and more
It’s hard to stand out in the high-value, low-price gym space these days. Pretty much every modern HVLP gym brand offers top-tier equipment, increasingly high-end amenities and perks like group fitness, all for a similar monthly membership fee.
Retro Fitness believes it’s cracked the differentiation code, or at least part of it.
As Retro chases ambitious expansion goals over the next few years, the gym brand is investing heavily in nutrition offerings and other forms of holistic wellness content inside of its digital app in an effort to grow brand awareness.
Kim Gouch, the chief brand officer for Retro Fitness, tells Athletech News that the gym brand views in-app content as a way to create more touch-points with members beyond the limited amount of time they spend working out inside the club.
“Anyone can be a member at the gym and work out,” Gouch says. “But really, fitness and health are 24/7. So as a brand, we pay close attention to what happens outside of the gym.”
Nutrition Content Leads the Way
To become a 24/7 resource for its members, Retro Fitness has identified nutrition content as a top priority.
Retro Fitness has partnered with professional chefs including Elizabeth Makos, who creates healthy food recipes and shoots video content for the gym brand’s members. The brand also works with Chef Christopher “Murt” Murton. A former MasterChef contestant. Chef Murt creates high-protein recipes for Retro members, including one for cottage cheese bark.
New recipes are added every month, Gouch says, and Retro Fitness actively posts nutrition-related content on its social media channels. The brand also dives into the informational side of nutrition, creating content around topics like hydration, optimal protein intake and the potential benefits of taking collagen supplements.
Members can also take advantage of traditional services such as in-club smoothie bars and grab-and-go options such as protein brownies and candies, which Gouch notes are becoming increasingly popular amid the protein boom.
“Our nutrition (strategy) is a holistic approach to help you whether you’re in the gym or if you’re at home and you’re trying to decide what your meal plan is,” Gouch explains. “You can reference our app and find various customized recipes that have been developed through our chef system.”
More In-App Content
Beyond nutrition, Retro Fitness has also added mental health content including meditation and breathwork to its app along with more traditional fitness-focused offerings such as group classes and “how-to” instructional videos from personal trainers.
“We’re constantly updating content so that it’s relevant, new and fresh, but more importantly, supports your overall journey,” Gouch says.
Retro Fitness also runs monthly workout challenges on its app, where members can earn loyalty points for sticking to their fitness goals. Those points can be redeemed for perks such as smoothies and swag.
The app strategy seems to be bearing fruit so far. Retro Fitness reports that 80% of its members use the app, and that of those users, 60% participate in challenges. The team is working to gather additional data on which forms of in-app content are most popular with members.
Looking ahead, Retro Fitness is exploring ways to better incorporate AI into its app, including potentially linking artificial intelligence to workout equipment and creating AI-powered personal training plans, Gouch shares.
“I want people to believe and understand that Retro Fitness is a resource for them to be healthy overall,” she says of the brand’s content strategy. “We want our membership base to understand that they’re not just a number; they’re part of our community.”
Why Community Matters for Gym Growth
The focus on community aligns with Retro Fitness’ expansion goals under the leadership of CEO Andrew Alfano, a former Starbucks executive who believes the brand can reach 1,000 locations in the United States alone (right now, Retro has over 200 locations open or in development, primarily in the Northeast, Florida and Texas).
In 2022, Retro Fitness announced “Project Lift,” with the stated goal of opening as many as 500 locations in predominantly Black and Brown communities across the U.S. (the BlackRock Impact Opportunities Fund has already signed on to open at least 80 and as many as 100 Project Lift gyms in several states).
As Retro looks to build community with initiatives like Project Lift, it will lean on digital content to complement its on-the-ground efforts.
While Retro Fitness isn’t the only HVLP gym brand with its own app – virtually all of its competitors have one as well – Gouch believes Retro’s offerings are more robust, especially in areas like nutrition.
“I truly believe that in the HVLP space, we’re absolutely leading the way, and by leaps and bounds,” she says. “That speaks volumes to our leadership team, our general culture as a brand and the importance of standing behind what we say, which is that it’s our responsibility to help people live happier, healthier lives. I believe we do that every day.”