Future Group, Talwalkars to offer fitness destinations in shopping malls

In a 50:50 joint venture, the Future Group has tied up with the Talwalkars chain of health centres for an innovation that will offer consumers a shopping experience along with health, fitness and gym services. The joint venture company is called Talwalkars Pantaloon Fitness. The company aims to establish a chain of fitness clubs and fitness equipment stores within shopping malls across the country. These fitness stores will be branded Talwalkars Fit & Active.

This is a first of its kind venture in India. Its objective is to meet the need of consumers to socialise and experience entertainment and lifestyle options at the same time.

“Promoting this venture among people will not be a tough task,” says Prashant Talwalkar, managing director, Talwalkars Better Value Fitness. He says the malls are strategically placed and receive people throughout the year with an approximation of 4,000-5,000 on each day of the weekend alone. Banking on the readily available number of footfalls, there will be a lot of inside mall promotion activity such as events and displays that will communicate directly to the audience about the unique benefits of the fitness and lifestyle centre over a conventional gym.

According to Damodar Mall, CEO, innovation and incubation, Future Group, the Indian consumer in metros is currently spending 6 per cent of his income on health and fitness and this share is likely to grow considerably in the coming two-three years. There is an opportunity to offer health services within malls and consumption centres, wherein customers can benefit from better accessibility, ambience and parking facilities.

The fitness centres are targeted at middle class people and will charge a fee of Rs 10,000 per year, which breaks down to about Rs 30 per day. Talwalkars Pantaloon Fitness will touch Tier I and Tier II cities in the country to make the fitness services readily available to everyone. The USP of these centres will be the range of options they offer; apart from a gym, they will include spas, swimming pools, yoga and martial arts centres, juice bars and personalised counselling services from dieticians, nutritionists and physiotherapists.

Besides in-mall promotions, the company will soon finalise on a brand ambassador who is likely to be a sports personality or someone who epitomises fitness to endorse the unique features of this venture. An advertising agency will also be decided upon to work out a 360-degree communication plan. The media mix will include print media, hoardings, outdoor advertising, TVCs, radio spots and other promotional activities. The initial advertising budget for the year is estimated to be in the region of Rs 5 crore.