Ahead of the ATN Innovation Summit 2025, McKinsey & Company is calling attention to the trend of accelerating consolidation in fitness and wellness – and what it might mean for the future of the industry
Global consulting firm McKinsey & Company is bullish on the future of fitness and wellness, citing “clear and plentiful” tailwinds including rising consumer demand. However, the firm also believes the industry is at a “turning point” that will fundamentally change how the sector looks and feels in the years to come.
In a newly penned letter released Monday, McKinsey partner Eric Falardeau and senior partner Jeff Rudnicki call attention to the trend of accelerating consolidation in the fitness and wellness industry, while offering strategies executives can employ to come out on top in this new era.
“The fitness and wellness industry is growing faster than most of its peers thanks to clear and plentiful tailwinds … Yet the industry finds itself at a turning point,” Falardeau and Rudnicki write. “Consolidation in fitness and wellness has been gaining considerable speed in recent years, and this trajectory appears set to continue.”
In their letter, the McKinsey partners offer “three imperatives” for fitness and wellness executives looking to survive – and thrive – in the era of consolidation. Those imperatives include a differentiated value proposition, enhanced capabilities for greater competitive resilience, and a strategic focus on M&A and partnerships
Falardeau and Rudnicki believe executives must act with “urgency” or they “risk being left behind” amid fundamental changes to the structure of the fitness and wellness industry.
On Tuesday, Falardeau and Rudnicki take the stage at Athletech News’ ATN Innovation Summit 2025 for a panel discussion titled, “The Implications & Opportunities of Accelerating Consolidation in Fitness & Wellness.”
Joined by ATN founder and CEO Edward Hertzman and L Catterton managing partner Marc Magliacano, the McKinsey partners will break down the implications and opportunities of accelerating consolidation in fitness and wellness, drawing parallels to analogous sectors that have gone through similar transformations in recent years.
To download the full McKinsey & Company article, “A turning point amid tailwinds for fitness and wellness,” click here.
