With Fees Starting at P999/Month, This Homegrown Gym Brand Looks Set to Disrupt Fitness in the Country

By the time BeFit opened its first location in Northgate Alabang in Muntinlupa City in February, it already had about 1,200 sign-ups, according to COO Tania Machado. It’s not a bad number, considering BeFit is a new brand that hardly anyone had ever heard of.

On the gym’s official ribbon-cutting ceremony last Saturday (March 7), the 1,300-square-meter space was buzzing with activity. Runners huffed and puffed on the row of treadmills near the entrance, there was a full Pilates class inside the glass-walled studio, guys and girls worked on their biceps and triceps in the free weights area, and, towards the far end, there was the Booty Builder zone, for, well, you get the idea. BeFit houses more than 100 pieces of equipment with 24/7 access available to members.

At first glance, BeFit Philippines might look like just another player in the fast-growing fitness scene that’s already stacked with well-known players. But what sets this new brand apart is its pricing and structure. Memberships start at just P999 per month, and unlike many other gyms in the country, BeFit does not require long-term lock-in contracts. Members are free to cancel anytime.

“BeFit was created with the goal of making fitness more accessible to everyone,” Machado said during the launch. “We believe everyone deserves access to a well-designed gym, quality equipment, and a supportive fitness community.”

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According to studies, most of Southeast Asia (with the exception of Malaysia and Singapore), has gym penetration rates that are well below one percent. Interestingly, the market for fitness centers seems to be growing, with estimates projecting it to surge between two to eight percent CAGR over the next five years. The country’s young urban workforce, growing middle class, and increasing awareness around mental and physical health have all contributed to a rising interest in structured fitness programs. This is evident in the increase of franchised international gym brands that have made their way locally.

While there are gyms and fitness studios aplenty in the Philippines, choices seem to be limited between the high-end of the market—premium gym chains that offer large facilities but require long contracts and higher membership costs—and the lower end, which are the so-called “bakal” gyms in lower-income areas that are relatively small in size and offer limited equipment.

Given all these factors, there clearly is a massive gap in the market for middle-class fitness enthusiasts looking to work out in spacious, clean, and pleasant gyms but not be charged too much for that privilege. This is exactly what the team behind BeFit hopes to tap into. It’s a strategy retail analysts often call “affordable premium.” The gym offers spacious facilities, modern machines, and a wide range of classes, but at a price point designed to appeal to first-time gymgoers as well as seasoned members.

During conversations I had with some of the owners and investors of the gym at the grand opening, the frequently cited example was of Pickup Coffee, which helped upend the traditional retail coffee model by offering high-quality beverages at a fraction of the cost of established players. One of BeFit’s co-founders is Brian Cu, who knows a thing or two about scaling a business—he is the former president of Grab Philippines who helped build it into the behemoth it is today. With BeFit, he’s applying a similar playbook: identify a massive consumer habit that hasn’t yet reached scale locally and make it accessible.

“BeFit is about making fitness something you can actually stick with,” Cu said previously when the company signed a lease for a Makati flagship location.

Yes, in addition to the Alabang branch, BeFit is already deep into preparations for opening branches two and three over the course of a few weeks and months. The Makati gym will be located at the PNB building along Ayala Avenue, and which is scheduled to open “in about two to three weeks,” while a third branch is underway in Eastwood in Quezon City. At least two more branches are set to open before the end of the year, the owners say.

The location strategy is deliberate. Office-heavy areas provide a built-in audience of young professionals who are increasingly looking for ways to integrate workouts into their daily routines—before work, after hours, or even during lunch breaks. Machado says that, outside of the popular hours between 5 a.m. to 9 a.m., and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., they’ve noticed members using the facilities at odd hours, too.

“Typically, we have up to 60 people working out during non-peak hours, and, surprisingly, we get an average of about 45 people here between midnight and 5 a.m.,“ she said.

Machado also said BeFit is exploring corporate membership programs that allow employers to provide gym access as part of workplace wellness benefits, which is another segment that has been gaining traction as companies place greater emphasis on employee health.

Beyond traditional workouts, the gym also incorporates wellness services that reflect the broader direction of the global fitness industry. Members have access to massage chairs, nutrition consultations, and physiotherapy services aimed at supporting recovery and long-term health. Even the programming extends beyond standard gym classes. BeFit offers a mix of group workouts, including specialty training such as HYROX, along with Pilates and yoga sessions.

Talking to the team behind BeFit, there is a sense of creating a network of fitness spaces that make gym membership more accessible for a broader segment of the population. In other words, this homegrown brand is betting that fitness in the Philippines is about to scale. For investors and operators alike, the opportunity lies in timing.

Franco Varona, managing partner at Foxmont Capital Partners, which invested in BeFit, said many of his own teammates at the VC firm have already signed up as members.

“BeFit is the first investment of Foxmont under our latest fund,” he said. “I really believe in the business model and have no doubt the people behind it can deliver on their goals.”