Press & News

Weight Watchers International, Inc., the largest weight-management company in the world, recently combined its famous nutrition and diet programs with a remote fitness component. The company acquired Wello, an app that provides exercisers with online workouts and live classes.
“I’m impressed with Wello’s talent, their technology, and their platform to deliver personalized services,” Dan Crow, Weight Watchers chief technology officer, said in a statement. “We look forward to combining our technology and innovation capabilities to better meet the needs of today’s consumer.”
Eric Willin, COO, of EZFacility, a fitness facility management software developer, noted the growing presence of digital services in the fitness industry. “Every day, we’re seeing more and more businesses take advantage of technology to enhance exercise, increase options available to consumers, and expand their own offerings. Gyms, health clubs, and fitness centres have been at the forefront of this trend; it’s interesting to see a company like Weight Watchers taking part.”
Wello works much like the ride-sharing services that connect drivers with passengers, such as Lyft and Uber. In this case, the app makes use of browsers and webcams to connect trainers with people looking to get fit. Such digital systems offer the ability to scale quickly, providing a particular advantage to companies that use technology to provide health-management functions.
Weight Watchers is a Fortune 500 company that reported revenues of $1.72 billion for 2013.