The BeActive Life Group has announced the consolidation of Rush SA and Be.UP Parks, uniting two of South Africa’s leading Family Entertainment Centre (FEC) brands under a unified management structure, while maintaining each brand’s unique identity and customer experience. Together, the Group now operates six parks across Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. An additional three parks are in the pipeline and the Group is actively seeking further acquisitions.
Driving commercial strength
This strategic integration streamlines the business and will deliver greater economies of scale by unlocking shared services across HR, IT as well as sales and marketing to reduce operating expenses, while enhancing efficiency. The outcome is an agile revenue model, improved resilience and the ability to reinvest savings into innovation and customer service excellence.
‘By aligning our operations under one Group, we are building a stronger, more efficient platform for sustainable growth,’ says Paul Snyman, Corporate Director. ‘This positions us to capture a greater share of this rapidly growing family entertainment market, while maintaining the financial discipline required for long-term investor confidence.’
Growth in the play sector
According to a report by Exactitude Consultancy, the global FEC market is forecast to grow from $15 billion in 2024 to $27 billion by 2032, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.1%. This is driven by increasing demand for active, safe, engaging screen-free entertainment options for families, children, teenagers, young adults and corporate groups. BeActive Life Group is positioned to capture this growth trajectory, with strong brand recognition, diversified customer offerings and operational scalability.
Better efficiencies
While the integration enhances cost efficiencies, both Rush and Be.UP remain committed to delivering high-touch, multi-activity, generational experiences. Shared best practices across the group ensure consistent service quality and improved operational agility. Importantly, no jobs have been lost in the process and the Group continues to focus on job creation, youth empowerment, staff upskilling, empowerment and community upliftment.
‘This unlocks the opportunity to deliver even stronger guest experiences while optimising operations,’ Snyman. ‘At the same time, our investment in people, training and communities ensures long-term value creation across all our stakeholder groups.’
Expansion pipeline
The Group has established strong partnerships with leading shopping centres, positioning itself as a preferred tenant for high-traffic destinations. With three additional parks being finalised in malls across South Africa, it’s on track to expand its footprint and capture new market segments.
Social investment
The Group remains committed to CSI through partnerships with organisations such as School of Hard Knocks, KhayeGym and Restoring Hope. These programmes support sport, wellness, youth development and community upliftment, aligning commercial success with social impact.
The business of play
Indoor play parks are more than entertainment. Worldwide, they are recognised as providing engaging environments for recreation and social interaction in an increasingly digital world. Providing safe, stimulating, multisensory, immersive experiences, across all ages. There is a growing consumer demand for entertainment that also offers value-added services such as restaurants, wi-fi, party facilities and team-building experiences.
Each brand in the Group offers a hybrid of activities and play options: Everything from indoor playgrounds to trampolines, a giant maze, interactive football, dodge ball, slides, balance beams, bicycle pump tracks, ball pits, climbing walls, zip lines, aerial obstacle courses, tumbler tracks and even a dedicated section for the under 4s.
Looking ahead
‘As we see a shift in consumer behaviour, with an increased emphasis on families looking for high-quality recreational venues, the integration of Rush and Be.UP strengthens our market leadership and creates a scalable foundation for future expansion,’ says Carl Singleton, Revenue Director. ‘We are focused on delivering sustainable growth, strong financial returns and expansion that will define the future of the FEC sector in South Africa.’