9Round, the nation’s fastest-growing kickboxing gym franchise, announces that it has signed a franchise agreement with Saudi Arabia-based Al Munif Holding Company for the development of 100 clubs in seven countries in the Middle East over the next 10 years.
This agreement marks the first expansion in the Middle East for 9Round and will develop clubs in the Unites Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar and Bahrain.
“We are making significant progress expanding the 9Round brand internationally with the right franchise partners and this is further evidence of our momentum,” said 9Round co-founder and CEO Shannon Hudson, who has also signed international agreements in Canada, Mexico and Australia. “This development agreement is our first major expansion in the Middle East and expands our unopened international pipeline to more than 300 clubs.”
The first 9Round club in the Middle East is slated to open in March 2015 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Two others will follow by the end of the year, including one in Dubai.
“We are proud to be associated with the 9Round brand and look forward to developing it in the Middle East,” said Al Munif Holding Company founder Abdullah Al Munif, who has been listed by Forbes Middle East as the most inspirational individuals with the power to initiate change and contribute to Saudi Arabia’s economic success. “This is a great addition to our management portfolio, which already includes companies from various sectors such as education, logistics and food distribution, telecommunication, real estates and retail franchise management.”
9Round co-founder Heather Hudson added, “We couldn’t be more excited to be partnering with Al Munif Holding Company – they have an impeccable track record of business growth and possess immense business and networking strength in the region. We have found a terrific partner for the Middle East, with a strong passion for 9Round and a deep understanding of the different markets and consumers in their region.”
About 9Round
Founded in 2008 by professional kickboxer Shannon Hudson, 9Round is a specialized fitness center that brings boxing and kickboxing fitness training to the average person in a convenient, affordable, 30-minute, full body circuit format. The program is developed around a proprietary and copyrighted system of nine challenging workout stations developed by Shannon himself. Today, there are 180 9Round clubs open and operating throughout the United States and Canada, with plans to have a total of 1,000 locations by 2018.
