Created in 2024 in Rio de Janeiro and quickly embraced by Generation Z, artists, and fitness influencers, the Rio-based gym chain The Simple Gym is coming to São Paulo in November.
And with a clear objective: to capture some of the athletes who frequent Ibirapuera Park, in the southern zone of São Paulo, and reach a quadrilateral formed by high-income people in its surroundings. Therefore, the first unit will be in the Moema neighborhood, less than three kilometers from the park.
The company was founded by brothers Gabriel and Gustavo Rodrigues and its partners include Rony Meisler, founder of Reserva and now head of Rebel Ventures , Cesar Villares, of 4MHolding, and Mario Chady, co-founder of Grupo Trigo, owner of brands such as Spoleto, China in Box and Gendai.
Meisler's investment was the first made by his new investment company after selling the Reserva operation and leaving the Azzas 2154 Group. In addition to them, influencer Manuela Cit is also part of the company's ownership structure.
The expansion plan in the city of São Paulo includes opening three more gyms by January 2027. They will be located in Vila Nova Conceição, Itaim Bibi, and another one is currently in the prospecting phase, also in the same region.
“We want to arrive in São Paulo dominating the city’s main corridor of income, influence, and consumption,” Gabriel, currently responsible for the company’s expansion and new business area, tells NeoFeed . “In this sense, Ibirapuera Park has a very strong vocation geared towards wellness. ”
The Rodrigues brothers come from different backgrounds and had no connection to the fitness industry until they started their chain of gyms. Gabriel has experience in public service and was a city councilman in Niterói (RJ). Gustavo worked in marketing for the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) and the Neoenergia company.
“We wanted to start a business and understood that fitness was a great opportunity. But we were bothered by the practices of the major chains, with their dark environments and loud music. We decided to do something different,” says Gabriel.
It is in this context that a thesis emerges that differs from the models that were in place in the country. The intention was precisely to compete on an avenue far removed from those laid out by the main networks.
Simple Gym didn't want to be in the low-cost category, like BlueFit and SmartFit, nor in the premium segment, like Bodytech.
The average ticket price at Simple Gym ranges from R$450 to R$500, a value that should be maintained in the São Paulo locations. Furthermore, the gyms have a different atmosphere, with more basic colors and fewer distractions besides the equipment.
Along with its geographic expansion, Simple Gym has refined its own governance. So much so that only now has the company decided to institute the position of CEO, a post currently held by Gustavo.
But what made Simple Gym a sought-after gym by Gen Z? According to Gabriel, it's the gym's "community" concept, which provides space for video recordings and opportunities for posts with high viral potential. "Our goal is to encourage people to share their journey."
In fact, all the gyms have tripods available precisely so that customers can make videos. This movement has resulted in the chain having an organic reach of four million people per month on social media.
Another change is in the very concept of well-being, with a broader journey beyond standard equipment. The company has several pillars, which fit into a kind of circuit, to be covered during the week of training.
The weight training area is open every day. One of the pillars offers bioimpedance analysis. The others are dedicated to Pilates, one with specific classes at a different temperature than the rest of the room for greater calorie burning. The last pillar is recovery, which includes infrared saunas, bathtubs, light masks, and other equipment.
In addition to the four gyms in São Paulo, the chain will also expand in Rio de Janeiro. Currently with four locations (Gávea, Botafogo, Ipanema, and Barra da Tijuca), the company plans to reach Niterói later this year, bringing its total to nine gyms.
With over 85,000 gym memberships per month and around 5,000 clients, Simple Gym plans to close the year with revenues between R$40 million and R$50 million, compared to R$12 million last year.
