Welltodo Today: Smart Gym Equipment, Under Armour & Athleisure, Hybrid Drinks

Today’s key global wellness news articles from around the world, impacting the industry and influencing the business of wellness.

Kickboxing gym operator 9Round opens 500th site, aims for 1,000 locations

Kickboxing-themed gym operator 9Round has opened its 500th location in Orlando, Florida, US. The franchise-based business has expanded rapidly since its launch nine years ago and now has a presence in 11 countries and 40 US states.

A healthy fast-food joint that got panned by a New York Times food critic is crushing it

The biggest restaurant story of the year has arguably been New York Times critic Pete Wells’ withering review of Locol, a fast-food concept that brings high-quality, affordable food into urban neighborhoods. Wells awarded zero stars to the restaurant, calling the chili bland, the burger dry, and the chicken, well, “the best thing to do with it is pretend it doesn’t exist.”

Brands See Flavor, Marketing Opportunities in Hybrid Drinks – BevNET.com

Call it an Arnold Palmer moment. Chris Hopkins, a former category manager at Dr Pepper Snapple Group, is on his sailboat in the Caribbean, catching a gentle sea breeze and sustaining himself with plenty of cold brew coffee and kombucha. In a moment of inspiration, he decides to splash coffee into his kombucha and give it a swirl.

What Under Armour’s CEO Had to Say About “Athleisure” — The Motley Fool

Athleisure. Yes, it’s a thing. Wearing your workout gear in places outside the gym is such a growing trend that even ((Vogue magazine has written athleisure fashion guidelines for their readers. Kevin Plank, CEO of sports apparel company Under Armour NYSE:UA) NYSE:UAA) talked at length in the most recent earnings call about the company’s efforts in the athleisure market, or what Plank calls “sports lifestyle.”

SoulCycle Just Rolled Out a New Bike and It’s One Smooth Ride

As a veteran SoulCycler, it takes a lot to disrupt my ride. I’ve had my water bottle fall, dropped my weights, hit my sternum on the handlebars when I was really feeling a pushup, had my shoe pop out during a sprint, sat next to Jake Gyllenhaal when he was in an especially hot beard phase.

Smart gym equipment market set for rapid growth

The global connected gym equipment market is set to grow at an annual rate of 45 per cent between 2017 and 2021.