{
  "id": 13084313,
  "title": "O pai trouxe a Reebok. O filho quer ganhar o Brasil",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/o-pai-trouxe-a-reebok-o-filho-quer-ganhar-o-brasil",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-09T09:50:15.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Brazil Journal",
    "slug": "brazil-journal",
    "url": "https://braziljournal.com/o-pai-trouxe-a-reebok-o-filho-quer-ganhar-o-brasil/"
  },
  "original_language": "pt",
  "account": "José Marfará, a fitness influencer in Brazil comparable to Jane Fonda's impact in the US during the 1980s, has been instrumental in importing the American gym concept to Brazil. Founding Runner, one of the first upscale gyms in São Paulo over four decades ago, Marfará now aims to expand Reebok's gym vertical. His son, Raffael Marfará, leads this expansion project. Raffael, previously involved in healthtech startup Axenya, initially planned to launch a high-end gym brand but shifted focus to expanding Reebok. José Marfará's fitness journey began in his teenage years when he moved to the US at 18, initially aiming to become a pilot. After falling in love with fitness during an aerobics class, he returned to Brazil and opened his first gym, Runner dos Jardins. A brief appearance on Fantástico's show helped him fill his aerobics classes. Due to the lack of trained instructors in Brazil, José taught the classes himself. As demand grew, he decided to leave the stage and focus on entrepreneurship, expanding Runner and eventually selling his stake to the other partners. In 2000, during a European trip, José visited a Reebok project in Madrid, opening the door to a long-lasting partnership with the brand. Now, he holds a 20-year contract to develop Reebok in Brazil. Reebok Sports Club operates two locations in São Paulo, with plans to expand nationwide. However, a large gym is costly and complex for scaling. Raffael proposes a boutique gym called Reebok Gym, priced between R$ 400 and R$ 550 per month, catering to a premium market. The market potential for Reebok Gym is estimated at 147,000 customers, capturing 1% of Brazil's 14.7 million gym users. The expansion will be done through licensing, not franchising, with minor stakes and veto rights for the Marfará family. In the first phase, ten Reebok Gyms will open across different regions, targeting both urban and rural markets.",
  "summary": "José Marfará está para o fitness brasileiro como Jane Fonda para o mercado americano na década de 1980. Enquanto a estrela de Hollywood ajudou a popularizar o VHS da Japan Victor Company (JVC) com suas fitas de treinamento aeróbico em casa, no Brasil Marfará foi um dos responsáveis por importar o conceito das academias americanas […] The post O pai trouxe a Reebok. O filho quer ganhar o Brasil…",
  "key_points": [
    "José Marfará, fitness influencer, imported American gym concept to Brazil.",
    "Raffael Marfará leads Reebok gym expansion project.",
    "Reebok Gym boutique concept targets premium market in Brazil."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}