The weight loss market is a billion dollar industry. In fact, it’s $72.6 billion and is forecasted to increase to $75 billion this year. If you’re looking to be a part of this recession resistent industry, Curves / Jenny Craig have been major players serving this market for decades.

Curves and Jenny Craig are two separate weight loss centers. Curves is more of a gym while Jenny Craig is a weight loss program. The two operate separately but come together to help their clients lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle under the dual branded Curves / Jenny Craig center.

How much does it cost to open Curves / Jenny Craig? For Curves / Jenny Craig centers, the liquid capital to franchise with them starts at $50,000 and a minimum net worth of $150,000 is required. The estimated initial investment range is $150,000 – $155,000 with a franchise fee of $90,000.

In this franchise review, I evaluate the business model of Curves / Jenny Craig. I break down the advantages and challenges and whether or not they could be the right franchise. Take this 7-minute franchise quiz to find out if this is the right opportunity. 

Financial Requirements and Fees

These are the financial requirements to open a dual branded Curves / Jenny Craig center. But you can also franchise these centers separately. There is not much information on what the other expenses are for the dual branded center. But should you decide to open a Curves or Jenny Craig separately, note that the estimated investment for a Curves center is $45,595 to $75,295 while a Jenny Craig is $182,100 – $433,000.

In addition, both businesses offer a veteran discount. Though Jenny Craig has not disclosed their actual discount offer, Curves on the other hand offers to waive their $499 training fee for any veteran. Financing for both businesses is not available.

Curves and Jenny Craig are two separate weight loss businesses which explains why the startup cost varies between the two opportunities. Also, do note that this data is not official since Curves / Jenny Craig will only disclose their exact franchise financial information when you inquire with them directly. These numbers may not be updated at the time of this writing.

Average Sales / Revenue per Year

There is no known official data for the dual branded center and Curves’ revenue but for Jenny Craig, Zippia reports that the weight loss program has annual revenue of $483 million.

Curves / Jenny Craig Franchise Facts

Curves for Women started in 1992 in Harlingen, Texas by Gary and Diane Heavin. The Heavin’s believed there were barriers preventing women from access and maintaining a basic fitness. These challenges included: time restraints due to caring for family / children, the high-expense of gym memberships, and the intimidation of joining a gym where everyone else is already in shape. Many women felt a sense of self-consciousness and others didn’t want to work out around men. So the Heavin’s opened Curves for Women by tackling and adjusting these barriers.

By 1995, Curves franchised their gyms and by 2002, they were able to have 3,000 franchises in the United States and internationally with over a million members. Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500 list ranked Curves for Women as the 3rd fastest-growing franchise in 2002.

Jenny Craig on the other hand opened her weight loss center in 1983 with her husband Sid Craig. Jenny Craig was struggling to lose weight after her second child that she decided to take action and create a weight loss program that was sustainable and worked for moms. Her weight loss program includes nutritious and well-proportioned food for clients. For almost 40 years, Jenny Craig helped millions of people lose weight through healthy eating and exercise.

In 2015, it was reported that Curves and Jenny Craig would come together to offer weight loss programs that involved eating healthy meals and incorporate exercise activities as well. Jenny Craig’s menu plan is personalized while Curves offered 30-minute full-body workout with cardio, strength training, and stretching for every fitness level. Interested customers can enroll in the program together or separately by visiting Curves/ Jenny Craig centers.

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As of the moment there is no franchise information as to how you can open a dual branded Curves / Jenny Craig center. But to franchise just Curves, you’ll have to complete the form here that will get you to download their Discovery Packet. As for Jenny Craig, you’ll have to contact them by calling 1-800-536-6922 or complete the contact form here.

Curves is a verified member of the Franchise Registry and the US Small Business Administration and is owned by Koshidaka Holdings Co Ltd. while Jenny Craig is owned by H.I.G. Capital.

How Much Does Curves / Jenny Craig Make in Profit?

There is no updated information on how much Curves / Jenny Craig centers make in profit. According to this interview with the CEO in 2018, Jenny Craig brought in an annual revenue of $400 million. That’s not very inspiring since that means the typical location would gross well under $1 million in revenue annually. The average profit margin of fitness clubs is between 15% – 20% of total revenue according to experts.

Advantages of a Curves / Jenny Craig Franchise

Franchising a Curves / Jenny Craig center can bring about several advantages. Here are a few you can expect.

Joint Weight Loss Program

As mentioned above, Curves / Jenny Craig is a dual branded weight loss center that offers the best of both worlds which are exercise activities for you coupled with a personalized meal plan to help you live a healthy lifestyle. Not a lot of programs or centers have these two services and if you franchise a Curves / Jenny Craig, you’re making weight loss easier and more accessible to the people near your location.

Major Key Player

A 2022 research report by the Global Health and Fitness Club Market cited Curves International as a major key player. Another research showed that Jenny Craig is also forecasted as a major player in the Women Weight Management market. Both businesses look to be doing well as key players in the weight loss industry and if you are to franchise with them, you can also be a part of these companies’ growth.

Challenges of a Curves / Jenny Craig Franchise

Even a long running business franchise like Curves / Jenny Craig will have some challenges. Here are a few of them.

History of Decline

Though Jenny Craig seems to be maintaining their business, but the same cannot be said to Curves. The weight loss and fitness center have seen a significant decline in the number of units over the past decade. For instance, Curves used to have more than a thousand locations. But now they’re down to less than 200 locations. They also used to be known as “The World’s Largest Fitness Center Franchise” by Guinness World Records in 2000. Though the record isn’t updated anymore, the title is not longer held by Curves.

So if you franchise with Curves / Jenny Craig, this history of decline may taint your weight loss center’s reputation.

Competition

Both Curves and Jenny Craig face tough competition in the United States. Curves as a fitness center go up against giants such as Anytime Fitness and Gold’s Gym. Meanwhile, Jenny Craig also face popular weight loss programs like Weight Watchers. In fact, Sports Illustrated picked Weight Watchers as the Best Overall Weight Loss Program for Women while Jenny Craig was chosen as Best Meal Delivery.

If you franchise Curves / Jenny Craig, know that you’re going up against several weight loss centers so you might have to study your demographic and location before committing to franchising.

Lack of Franchise Information

There is not much information available online on how to franchise Curves / Jenny Craig centers. These dual branded centers are not mentioned in Curves’ website and Jenny Craig’s website either. Some Curves / Jenny Craig centers have also reportedly closed while leaving one open. So if you’re planning to franchise a Curves / Jenny Craig, you’ll have to inquire directly since there has been a lack of information since 2019.

Is the Curves / Jenny Craig Franchise Right For You?

Opening a weight loss and fitness center seems like a good time at the moment especially when the weight loss market is on the rise. But while the industry continues to grow, the Curves franchise opportunity continues to decline. Maybe the offer no longer resonates with the modern women the same way it did in the 90s? There’s been a lot more competition including at-home options like Peloton that have come to market in the 1990s. The differentiators that made Curves so successful in the past aren’t as big of a problem for women any longer.

However, one must also study everything there is that a franchise has to offer. And with Curves / Jenny Craig, I don’t see any strong catalyst for a performance turnaround. You can still talk to them and inquire personally for their financials and look into their Franchise Disclosure Document to better understand the business. But until then, I cannot give my recommendation to invest in a Curves / Jenny Craig. You need to do your own homework and find out if this is the right investment for you.

What is an alternative Curves / Jenny Craig franchise?

One weight loss and fitness center that you can franchise is Anytime Fitness. They’ve made a name for being a gym that’s accessible anywhere in the world and operates 24/7 at that. They offer personal training as well. Anytime Fitness has 5,000 locations in the United States and internationally.

To franchise Anytime Fitness, expect the investment to range from $381,575 to $783,897 with a franchise fee of $42,500.

If you are passionate about weight loss and helping other people get into a healthy shape, then weight loss businesses are for you. Just be sure to read through the Franchise Disclosure Document thoroughly before making any final decisions. Better yet, get a legal advisor to help you understand all the necessary details so you know what you’re getting into before you sign your name on a contract.

I hope this guide in franchising Curves / Jenny Craig was able to help you understand more about the weight-loss industry and this business.