The Japanese fitness club operator Rizap Group is expanding its gym chain Chocozap to China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Chocozap is a chain of unattended fitness facilities that offer unlimited use of gym equipment 24 hours per day, 365 days a year for about €20 per month which is at least half the cost for other gyms in Japan.
Chocozap has services besides training, in the gym customers can get their nails painted, do their laundry and even sing karaoke. Also included can be golf simulators and games like billiard and dart is soon to be added to the gyms, Chocozap says. The convenience gyms are located really near where customers live.
The first Chocozap gym opened up in July 2022, right after the Covid-19 pandemic. In May 2024 the concert has expanded to 1.500 venues with 1.2 million members, making it the largest fitness chain in Japan. The goal is to have 2.800 locations in Japan by March 2026 and another 1.000 by March 2027.
Now comes expansion to other Asian countries, Taichung in Taiwan was first out in July 2023 followed by three locations in Beijing and two in Shanghai. There are also gyms in Los Angeles and in Hong Kong.
All the openings is a big cost and in May this year Rizap announced that it recorded a net loss of €26.8 million. In March 2025 the company will show black €12 million, Hiroki Kobayashi a spokesperson of Rizap says.
