Ares Management and JPMorgan Chase & Co are among a group of lenders providing approximately $800m in private credit financing to support Apollo Global Management’s investment in Canadian fitness operator GoodLife Group, according to a report by Bloomberg citing unnamed people familiar with the transaction.
The financing package includes a $675m first-lien term loan and a $125m revolving credit facility. Other participants in the deal include Antares Capital, with the group acting as lenders to help fund Apollo’s minority stake in the business.
Neither Ares, JPMorgan nor Apollo reportedly commented on the transaction, while GoodLife and Antares did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The deal highlights continued appetite among private credit providers for exposure to the health and wellness sector, which has seen increased investor interest in recent years as consumer demand for in-person fitness services has rebounded following the pandemic period.
Private credit participation in the fitness industry has grown alongside broader consolidation trends, with lenders financing established franchise operators as well as platform expansions across North America.
GoodLife Fitness is one of Canada’s largest gym operators, with more than 400 locations and around 1.5 million members nationwide. The company was founded in 1979 by David Patchell-Evans and continues to be led operationally by its existing management team, with chairman Patchell-Evans and chief executive Jeff van Haeren remaining in place following Apollo’s minority investment.
Apollo said in earlier communications that its investment is intended to support GoodLife’s expansion strategy.
