Media OutReach
Carbyne Fitness and IFPA Singapore Publish Study Revealing the Gender Gap Between Personal Training and Home Gyms
The findings, based on Carbyne Fitness’ customer data and an online database of personal training enquiries compiled by IFPA Singapore’s personal trainers, point to two fundamentally different approaches to exercise motivation and engagement between men and women.
A Tale of Two Fitness Journeys
The data suggests that men overwhelmingly prefer self-directed fitness, buying equipment such as adjustable dumbbells, benches, and racks for home use. Women, on the other hand, are more inclined toward guided training experiences led by certified professionals.
According to Brian Chang, founder of Carbyne Fitness and IFPA Singapore, this split reveals not just gender preferences, but deeper social and psychological factors shaping how Singaporeans exercise.
“Men often see fitness as something they should be able to handle on their own, like asking for help somehow means they’re not strong enough,” said Chang. “That’s why many men would rather train themselves than work with a coach. Ladies, on the other hand, are usually more open to learning and getting guidance. They see working with a coach not as weakness, but as a smart way to improve safely and effectively.”
The Male Home Gym Boom
The pandemic sparked a surge in home gym investments, and Carbyne Fitness has been at the forefront of this trend. Its adjustable dumbbells and adjustable kettlebells have become popular among working professionals looking to save time and train efficiently at home.
Carbyne Fitness’ customer data revealed that four in five customers are male. “The home gym trend among men is here to stay,” Chang explained. “They appreciate the convenience, privacy, and long-term savings. For many, it’s not just fitness equipment, it’s a personal investment in staying strong and independent as they age.”
However, with about 58% of Carbyne Fitness customers living in HDB flats, 26% in condominiums, and 16% in landed properties, many still hold the misconception that home workouts, especially in smaller HDB or condo spaces, aren’t practical or effective. Landed property owners make up less than 5% of Singapore’s dwellings, yet account for 16% of Carbyne Fitness’ customers.
| Dwelling Type | National Share (SingStat) | Carbyne Customer Share | Index (Representation) |
| HDB (Public Housing) | 72.0% | 58.5% | 0.81 (Under-indexed) |
| Condominiums | 23.3% | 25.6% | 1.10 (Over-indexed) |
| Landed Properties | 4.7% | 15.9% | 3.38 (Heavily Over-indexed) |
“One of the most common reasons people give for not buying home gym equipment is that they ‘don’t have the space,'” said Chang. “But in reality, a proper home setup doesn’t need much room; a good pair of adjustable dumbbells and a bench can fit comfortably within just one square meter if you choose the right equipment.”
Why Women Seek Trainers
In contrast, IFPA Singapore’s training enquiries show that a majority of personal training clients are female. Of the 392 Singapore-based individuals who sought personal training, 63% were women, even though men still represent the majority of gym members nationwide.
| Category | Male % | Female % | Dominant Characteristic |
| Home Gym Buyers (Carbyne) | 80% | 20% | High Autonomy |
| PT Seekers (IFPA) | 37% | 63% | Guidance Seeking |
| Population (DOS 2025) | 49.3% | 50.7% | Balanced |
“This reflects a growing confidence among women to take charge of their fitness journey,” said Chang. “But it also shows that women tend to prioritize safety and proper form. They are more willing to invest in expert guidance rather than risk injury from unguided workouts.”
Many female clients, Chang adds, have goals that extend beyond appearance: postnatal recovery, strength for caregiving, or functional fitness for daily life.
“It’s not just about aesthetics anymore,” he said. “Women are recognizing that strength training builds long-term resilience, both physically and mentally.”
Implications for Singapore’s Fitness Industry
The gender divide uncovered by Carbyne Fitness and IFPA Singapore also points to structural gaps in how Singapore’s fitness ecosystem is organized, particularly the limited avenues for personal trainers to operate independently.
Most commercial gyms and public facilities, including ActiveSG gyms, do not permit outside personal trainers to conduct sessions within their premises. Trainers who are not employed directly by these gyms are often barred from coaching clients on-site, regardless of their certification or insurance coverage.
This restriction limits both consumer choice and career opportunities within the industry. For clients, especially women who prefer guided training but may not want to commit to an expensive gym membership, the policy creates a barrier to accessing affordable, flexible coaching. For freelance trainers, it restricts their ability to build a sustainable practice or serve niche communities such as seniors, postnatal women, or first-time exercisers.
“Many independent trainers tell us their biggest challenge isn’t finding clients; it’s finding space,” said Chang. “There’s a clear demand for affordable, accessible training environments, but the system hasn’t caught up yet.”
As a result, more trainers have turned to parks, void decks, or private studios, and a growing number of clients are exploring home-based personal training, sometimes with only a pair of resistance bands. This shift reflects broader lifestyle preferences: Singaporeans want convenience, privacy, and trust, not just a gym membership.
The study suggests that expanding access to personal training across shared and public fitness spaces could help Singapore move toward a more inclusive, community-driven fitness culture, one that empowers both male and female participants to train safely, confidently, and sustainably at every stage of life.
Volunteering for the Silver Generation
Both Carbyne Fitness and IFPA Singapore are working to build a more inclusive fitness culture through the Silver Strength volunteer program, which runs weekly strength sessions for seniors using resistance bands, adjustable dumbbells, and other small equipment at Active Ageing Centers across Singapore.
The initiative, funded by the National Youth Council, empowers older adults to stay strong, mobile, and independent, while giving volunteers the chance to make a direct impact in their communities.
“Silver Strength is more than fitness. It is about bridging intergenerational gaps and helping seniors live confidently and age with strength,” said Chang.
To sign up as a volunteer, visit getcertifiedpt.com/silver-strength.
About the Study
The gender distribution insights were derived from:
- Carbyne Fitness customer data, representing over 1,000 unique customer interactions across Singapore between January 2024 and September 2025.
- IFPA Singapore’s independent observation of 392 prospective client profiles compiled between October 2025 and December 2025.
While the sample sizes differ, both data sets converge on a clear narrative: Singapore’s home gym market is predominantly male, while personal training demand is female-driven.
The full research can be accessed on https://carbyne.sg/blogs/articles/revealing-the-gender-gap-between-personal-training-and-home-gyms.
Hashtag: #CarbyneFitness
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Carbyne Fitness
Carbyne Fitness is a Singapore-based fitness equipment company focused on delivering space-efficient, performance-driven home gym solutions for modern lifestyles. Best known for its space-saving gym equipment such as adjustable dumbbells and foldable treadmills, Carbyne helps professionals, families, and seniors train effectively at home without compromising on quality or safety.
Learn more at: https://carbyne.sg
About IFPA Singapore
IFPA Singapore, operated by Get Certified PT, is the official Singapore operator of the International Fitness Professionals Association (IFPA), delivering internationally accredited personal training education and professional development. IFPA Singapore focuses on producing industry-ready practitioners through competency-based, real-world training.
Learn more at: https://getcertifiedpt.com
Media OutReach
Valle Venia presents: LPS feat. Natalia Sarsgard: J’ai dû m’arrêter
With emotional depth, singer Natalia Sarsgard describes the path to finding oneself again, to gathering one’s thoughts, to remaining silent, to withdrawing—in order to reflect in the silence, in the comfort, and in the seclusion, to feel and reconnect with ourselves and others.
Through her multifaceted voice, Natalia Sarsgard’s interpretation of the song conveys how strength and courage can arise from deep vulnerability. Without even realizing it, one is accompanied by the confidence that what was thought to be lost can be found again.
Youtube: https://youtu.be/CINjhTHtmno
J’ai Du M’arreter – LPS, https://open.spotify.com/intl-de/album/6BvbJ0VAAvMwciCD7q7BC8
https://shop.valle-venia.de/products/different-ways
https://www.amazon.de/Different-Ways-feat-Various-Artist/dp/B0CMJVQV2M
https://valle-venia.de/30S/JaiDuMarreter.mp4
www.valle-venia.com
Hashtag: #ValleVenia
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Media OutReach
YesAsia Holdings Achieves Record-Breaking Revenue and Net Profit in 2025
Final Dividend Increases by 33.3% to HK10 Cents per Share
Dual Engines, Global Reach: B2C-B2B Synergy Drives Market Expansion
Results Highlights
- Revenue hit a new high of US$501.54 million, representing a strong YoY growth of 45.0%
- Gross profit rose by 40.9% to US$148.50 million; operating profit increased by 28.2% to US$31.90 million
- Net profit grew by 21.5% to US$23.14 million
- The Board has proposed a final dividend of HK10 cents per share, up 33.3% year-on-year
- Business-to-consumer (B2C) platform YesStyle recorded revenue of US$347.48 million, up 30.8%, accounting for 69.3% of the Group’s total revenue
- Revenue of business-to-business (B2B) platform AsianBeautyWholesale (ABW) surged by 91.7% to US$148.89 million, accounting for 29.7% of the Group’s total revenue
- Non-core markets (excluding the US, UK, Canada, Australia) accounted for over 60% of the Group’s total revenue for the first time, with Latin America and the Middle East achieving remarkable growth
- The Group strengthened its global logistics network to improve economies of scale, opened a second AMR warehouse in Hong Kong and a new warehouse in South Korea, reducing freight costs as a percentage of revenue to 18.7%
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 March 2026 – YesAsia Holdings Limited (“YesAsia Holdings”, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”) (02209.HK), a leading e-commerce platform operator recognized for its expertise in curating Asian beauty and lifestyle products, announced today its annual results for the year ended 31 December 2025 (the “Year”).
The Group’s revenue rose by 45.0% to US$501.54 million, boosted by the global K-Beauty momentum and the scaled expansion of its B2B platform, which accounted for nearly 30% of the Group’s revenue. Gross profit increased by 40.9% to US$148.50 million, and gross profit margin remained relatively stable at 29.6%. Operating profit also grew by 28.2% to US$31.90 million. Net profit for the Year climbed 21.5% to US$23.14 million, with a net profit margin of 4.6%. Basic earnings per share was US5.62 cents (2024: US4.74 cents).
As at 31 December 2025, the Group maintained a solid financial position with bank and cash balances amounting to US$15.94 million. In the view of YesAsia Holdings’ solid operating performance, healthy cash reserves and future capital requirements, the Board has proposed a final cash dividend of HK10 cents per share (2024: HK7.5 cents per share).
Market diversification pays off as non-core markets lead global growth
Building on stable revenue from its core markets (the US, UK, Canada, and Australia), the Group accelerated its expansion into mainland Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and other emerging markets. In 2025, non-core markets accounted for over half of the Group’s total revenue, significantly outpacing core markets in growth and becoming the primary catalyst of its business across the globe. Among these regions, Latin America and the Middle East recorded the strongest upward trend, with growth of 224.4% and 75.5% respectively, while Europe and Associated Countries remained the Group’s largest regional market.
Social media marketing and influencer engagement remain core drivers of YesStyle‘s growth strategy. During 2025, the number of YesStyle influencers increased to over 502,000, representing a year-on-year growth rate of approximately 24.6%. Revenue generated from influencer referrals reached approximately US$104.8 million, up approximately 43.0% year‑on‑year, and accounted for approximately 30% of YesStyle‘s total revenue, highlighting the continued strengthening of the YesStyle influencer ecosystem.
Meanwhile,YesStyle bolstered its localization efforts to capture opportunities in non-English-speaking markets. In July 2025, it launched a Polish-language website, expanding its language offerings to nine. Combined with social-media-driven marketing, regional campaigns via a robust network of influencers, and AI-powered solutions, the Group extended K-Beauty’s reach to a broader audience worldwide. This momentum is further amplified by the opening of Yesful Land in Seoul, South Korea, a physical hub where influencers and the K-Beauty community can converge and create authentic content, bridging digital engagement with real-world experience.
B2C-B2B synergy fuels performance with ABW business scaling rapidly
YesAsia Holdings is an authorized distributor for over 475 K-Beauty brands, serving both B2C and B2B channels. The dual-growth-engine strategy continued to bear fruit in 2025, fortifying the Group’s overall market influence and ongoing advancement.
Notably, ABW maintained its vigorous growth trajectory in 2025, with the newly launched ABW Offline business generating almost US$50 million in revenue in its debut year, underscoring the strong international retail demand for K-Beauty products. During the Year, ABW established distribution networks for 56 leading retailers across 26 markets, spanning North America, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia. Prominent partners include Target, Costco, Primark, Douglas, Sally Beauty, Watsons, and Nykaa. These collaborations have enabled the Group and its K-Beauty brand partners to reach millions of consumers through established offline retail networks, effectively tapping into a market segment that remains significantly larger than its online counterpart.
Mr. Joshua Lau, Founder, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, said: “Looking ahead, we are confident that K-Beauty’s global development impetus will only gather steam as it has transitioned from a niche category into a mainstream retail staple. To capture the opportunities that arise, we will deepen engagement in non-core markets through targeted and localized digital initiatives. At the same time, we are accelerating our B2B business by connecting K-Beauty brands with international retailers, and leveraging our logistics network and AI-driven capabilities. With dual growth engines in B2C and B2B, advanced technology, and a dedicated team, YesAsia Holdings is well-positioned to soar to new heights and deliver long-term value to shareholders and stakeholders.”
Hashtag: #YesAsiaHoldings
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About YesAsia Holdings Limited (02209.HK)
Established in 1997, YesAsia Holdings is a leading e-commerce platform operator recognized for its expertise in identifying and procuring quality Asian beauty, fashion, lifestyle and entertainment products. Headquartered in Hong Kong, the Group deliver products promptly and efficiently to a global audience through its strong ties with over 400 leading Asian beauty brand and supplier partners. The Group operates three major platforms: YesStyle, an e-commerce B2C platform for serving the increasingly popular Asian beauty, fashion and lifestyle products, particularly Korean beauty products; AsianBeautyWholesale, a B2B platform for Asian beauty products; and YesAsia, an e-commerce retail platform for entertainment products. YesAsia Holdings is a constituent of the MSCI Hong Kong Micro Cap Index.
For more information, please visit the Group’s official website: https://www.yesasiaholdings.com/
Media OutReach
Best Mart 360 Announces 2025 Annual Results
Recorded Continuous Growth in Revenue, Proposed a final dividend of HK9.0 cents per share
Highlights:
- Revenue increased by 2.2% to approximately HK$2,867.7 million.
- Gross profit increased by 0.7% to approximately HK$1,035.1 million.
- Profit attributable to owners of the Company recorded approximately HK$219.7 million.
- As at 31 December 2025, the Group operated a total of 183 chain retail stores (2024: 176), including 178 retail stores in Hong Kong and 5 retail stores in Macau.
- Basic earnings per share was approximately HK22.0 cents. The Board recommended the payment of final dividend of HK9.0 cents per share.
Financial Highlights:
|
HK$’000 |
Year ended
31 Dec 2025 |
Year ended
31 Dec 2024 (Restated) |
Change |
| Revenue | 2,867,695 | 2,805,146 | +2.2% |
| Gross profit | 1,035,074 | 1,027,997 | +0.7% |
| Gross profit margin | 36.1% | 36.6% | -0.5 p.p. |
| Profit attributable to owners of
the Company |
219,730 |
245,901 |
-10.6% |
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 March 2026 – Best Mart 360 Holdings Limited (“Best Mart 360” or the “Company”, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”; stock code: 2360.HK), a leisure food retailer in Hong Kong, announced its results for the year ended 31 December 2025. During the year, the revenue recorded by the Group amounted to approximately HK$2,867,695,000 (2024: HK$2,805,146,000), representing an increase of approximately 2.2%.
During the Financial Year under Review, gross profit was approximately HK$1,035,074,000 (2024: HK$1,027,997,000), representing an increase of 0.7%. The Group’s gross profit margin for the year was approximately 36.1%, compared to approximately 36.6% in 2024. This contraction in margin was primarily attributable to the strategic implementation of enhanced promotional campaigns designed to navigate the ongoing trend of consumption downgrading and intensified market competition.
Profit attributable to owners of the Company for the year was approximately HK$219,730,000 (2024 (Restated): approximately HK$245,901,000), primarily due to a slight reduction in average revenue per store and a contraction in gross profit margin, which collectively impacted overall profitability. The net profit margin (before interest and tax) moderated to approximately 9.8%, down from approximately 11.2% for the year ended 31 December 2024 (Restated).
For the Financial Year under Review, basic earnings per share was approximately HK22.0 cents. The Board recommended the payment of final dividend of HK9.0 cents per share.
BUSINESS REVIEW
Strategy Adjustment & Opened 10New Retail Stores
As at 31 December 2025, the Group operated a total of 183 chain retail stores, including 178 chain retail stores (31 December 2024: 170 stores) in Hong Kong and 5 chain retail stores (31 December 2024: 6 stores) in Macau respectively. During the Financial Year under Review, the Group opened 10 new retail stores and closed 3 stores upon expiration of their respective lease terms in alignment with the Group’s strategy adjustment.
The ratio of rental expense (cash basis) to sales revenue of retail stores for the year ended 31 December 2025 was approximately 9.6%, which was similar to that of approximately 9.6% for the year ended 31 December 2024.
Introduced Popular Brands & Launched on Grocery Delivery Platform
Hong Kong residents’ growing propensity to spend in Mainland China, coupled with inbound visitors’ preference for in-depth experiences, more rational and prudent consumption patterns, as well as the intensified competition in the local market from Mainland China e-commerce players leveraging economies of scale, the Hong Kong retail market is undergoing a structural long-term transformation, with the industry’s competitive landscape and consumption behaviour being reshaped.
In response to the challenging business environment, the Group adopted a series of timely and targeted measures to navigate these difficulties. These included optimizing product mix and strengthening the offering of basic foodstuffs covering cereals, noodles, canned food, milk, chilled and frozen food, daily necessities as well as basic groceries. The Group also introduced popular Mainland brands as well as imported a wide range of specialty food from around the world to meet the needs and expectations of local consumers and visiting tourists. To further strengthen its business, the Group launched on the Foodpanda grocery delivery platform during 2025 to expand its online sales channels, and rolled out a variety of promotional initiatives including shopping vouchers. These initiatives collectively contributed to the Group’s sales growth during the Financial Year under Review.
The Group procured quality products from overseas suppliers as well as brand owners or importers in Hong Kong. For the year ended 31 December 2025, the Group offered a total of approximately 3,425 stock keeping units (“SKU”) of products (for the year ended 31 December 2024: approximately 3,653 SKU) from suppliers principally from (but not limited to) Japan, Mainland China, Europe, Vietnam, Korea, the United States and other Asia-Pacific countries.
The Group sourced the most popular and trendy food products from various regions, striving to provide customers with diverse, multi-brand, and multi-category global product choices.
As at 31 December 2025, the total amount of inventories of the Group amounted to approximately HK$316,841,000 (31 December 2024: approximately HK$339,513,000), representing a decrease of approximately 6.7% year-on-year. The decrease in the Group’s total inventories was mainly attributable to optimised inventory management and the timing shift of the Lunar New Year holiday from January to February.
During the Financial Year under Review, the Group continued to actively develop private label products that on one hand allowed the Group to capture pricing advantages and exercise a higher level of quality control over its products and on the other hand further uplift its brand awareness and strengthen customers’ loyalty. For the Financial Year under Review, sales derived from private label products were approximately HK$520,821,000 (for the year ended 31 December 2024: approximately HK$477,222,000), accounted for approximately 18.2% of the Group’s revenue for the Financial Year under Review (for the year ended 31 December 2024: approximately 17.0%).
Expanded Customer Base & Enhanced Loyalty
To further deepen customer stickiness and broaden customers coverage, the Group used big data analysis and reformulated its marketing strategy to launch a new three-tier membership scheme and a second-generation mobile app in mid-June 2020. The new membership scheme helps to elevate brand positioning and market recognition, and the membership rewards have been fully optimised and enhanced, with more member benefits such as stamp reward for multiple-item purchase, special offers for selected products and access to the latest market information. During the Financial Year under Review, the number of the Group’s members increased from approximately 2,280,418 as at 31 December 2024 to approximately 2,395,862 as at 31 December 2025, representing an increase of approximately 5.1%.
The Group launched various marketing and promotional activities during the Financial Year under Review including the “Best Price” promotional campaign, which provided customers with a series of special offers for selected quality products from time to time to enhance customer loyalty. Meanwhile, the Group continued to advertise through television, newspapers, social media platforms and other media, which successfully attracted new customers encouraged repeat purchases and significantly enhanced market awareness of the Group.
PROSPECTS
Looking ahead, uncertainties in Sino-US relations, geopolitical risks and other factors will introduce further variables to economic recovery, and economic growth in Hong Kong and globally is expected to remain under pressure. The Board anticipates that the retail sector in Hong Kong will remain challenging in the near term. Nevertheless, the Group will continue to operate in a cautiously optimistic manner, closely monitor the development of various adverse factors that may impact the Group’s performance, and timely implement necessary and appropriate measures through refined operations and management to adapt to the ever-changing market environment.
The Group will continue to prioritize the Hong Kong market as its core focus, optimize its product mix and enhance the development of its private label products, with a wider range of staple foods and necessities to better meet consumer demand and enhance the Group’s competitiveness in the retail market.
To maintain sound operational efficiency, the Group will timely review the regional distribution of its brand stores, implement a moderate expansion policy and flexible leasing strategies, and actively pursue suitable opportunities to expand the retail network for its core retail brand “Best Mart 360º” and global gourmet brand “FoodVille” in Hong Kong and Macau, targeting a net increase of 10 retail stores annually under its dual-brand model, catering to the diverse needs of different customer segments for quality food products.
Mr. Hui Chi Kwan, Chief Executive Officer of the Group, said, “Faced with an increasingly complex operating environment, the Group will maintain a prudent and pragmatic approach in its operations and continue to work closely with its employees, customers and other stakeholders, striving to improve business performance and deliver stable returns to shareholders.”
Hashtag: #BestMart360 #優品360 #AnnualResults #業績 #全年業績
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Best Mart 360 Holdings Limited
Best Mart 360 Holdings Limited operates chain retail stores under the brand “Best Mart 360˚”, offering wide selection of imported and pre-packaged leisure foods and other grocery products principally from overseas. It is the Group’s business objective to offer “Best Quality” and “Best Price” products to customers through continuous efforts on global procurement with a mission to provide comfortable shopping environment and pleasurable shopping experience to customers. As at 31 December 2025, the Group operated a total of 183 chain retail stores, spanning all of the 18 districts in Hong Kong and strategic locations with heavy pedestrian flow in Macau. Among the chain retail stores, the global gourmet brand “FoodVille” launched in September 2021 is also included, targeting the medium-to-high-end-market.
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