The 60 Minutos Self-service Laundry Chain Operates across Brazil

In Brazil, a laundry revolution is quietly changing the pace of life for millions of families, from time-consuming manual laundry to reliance on expensive dry cleaners, to now walking into the corner laundromat, dropping in your clothes, and grabbing a cup of coffee. Behind this is the decade of pioneering history of 60 Minutos, a brand owned by Brazilian local company Grupo HI.

The “Time Business” Born out of the Pain Point

In 2015, Isaelson Ramos, an engineer in the state of Paraiba, discovered an overlooked need: more than 30 percent of households in Brazil don’t have a washing machine. Urban renters and residents of small homes are forced to spend hours hand-washing clothes on weekends or pay for dry cleaning equivalent to 15 per cent of their daily salary.

“Laundry should not be a burden to life.” Ramos mortgaged real estate and opened the first 60 Minutos laundromat in João Pessoa, the state capital, featuring a standardized “60-minute wash and dry” service. With industrial-grade equipment and transparent pricing (an average charge of R$8 per visit, about one-third that of a traditional laundromat), the laundromat quickly attracted users from the surrounding community.

Technology and Scale

Grupo HI’s rise is not an accident:

● Accurate positioning efficiency

Optimize the design of the moving line. After the user scans the code to start the device, the countdown can be viewed in real-time through the APP, and the system automatically pushes the nearby coffee shop coupons for users to kill the waiting time.

● Asset-light expansion

The franchise commenced in 2018. With the headquarters’ unified procurement of energy-saving equipment (40% water saving), franchisees only need to provide 50 square meters of space. It could open in as little as 45 days.

● Data

Accumulated 1.5 million user consumption habits reversely guide the location of new stores. For example, in the working-class areas of São Paulo, there is a special discount period for overtime workers after 10 p.m..

Social Value: Something More Important than Making Money

“We’re not just solving a laundry problem. We’re solving a dignity problem.” Chairman João Kepler stressed. As a well-known investor in Latin America, he is driving two changes after his investment in 2021:

● Green operation

Fully switch to biodegradable detergents in 2023, reducing chemical wastewater discharge by about 180 tons per year.

● Community empowerment

Pilot “Laundry Points for Skills Training Courses” in favela stores in Rio de Janeiro, benefiting more than 2,000 low-income women.

Next Step: Latin America and Long-Termism

By 2024, Grupo HI has stores in all 26 Brazilian states, with an annual turnover expected to exceed R$53 million. But the ambitions don’t stop there:

● First stop in Mexico

Cooperate with local partners to transform idle gas stations into “laundry+convenient shopping” composite spaces.

● Subscription upgrade

Launched “Unlimited laundry package” for home users. The price is 35% lower than the single time, and the subscription account has reached 22% of the total revenue.

Conclusion

“The real competition is not peers, but changing the way people think about laundry,” Ramos said. When laundry is transformed from a chore into a “just go” basic service, perhaps this is the best commentary on business for the good.