Tracking frozen yogurt, with a focus on California. For more frozen yogurt coverage, check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association (IFYA) at internationalfrozenyogurt.com
Fro-yo girl here. Simply Splendid Bakery is a Hong Kong style bakery in Alhambra, CA. I was a fan of their yogurt buns when I found them in 2023. On a recent visit, I spotted matcha yogurt buns.
The matcha yogurt bun ($3.25) was huge and green. The bun was soft, chewy, and not very sweet. It was green but the matcha flavor was quite faint. It’s filled with a cream that has a slight tang. Must be the yogurt filling. I liked the bun but it did need more matcha flavor and/or more yogurt flavor.
You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.
* SIMPLY SPLENDID BAKERY: 1273 E Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91801
Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.
Fro-yo girl here. Newport Beach in Orange County includes Corona Del Mar, Newport Coast, and Balboa Island. It’s known for Balboa Pier, Corona Del Mar State Beach, the harbor, and sandy beaches. It is the home of 82,637 residents and is also a popular tourist destination. The median household income is $149,471 per year and the median age is 46.7 years. And yes, they enjoy froyo there.
There are currently five places to get froyo and two aren’t technically froyo shops. I found ten closed froyo shops and one closed froyo truck.
Golden Spoon, 21109 Newport Coast Dr, Newport Beach, CA 92657, is a counter-serve branch that opened in 2023, taking over the Menchie’s location
Golden Spoon, 2445 East Coast Hwy, Corona Del Mar, not sure when it first opened, probably before 2008.
Nick the Greek, 1320 Bison Ave, opened at The Bluff in 2020. The Greek fast-casual chain offers Greek froyo for dessert.
Tutti Frutti, 302 Marine Ave, is the only froyo shop in Balboa Island. It’s self-serve and first opened in 2008.
Closed Froyo Shops
CDM Yogurt, 3333 East Coast Hwy, Corona Del Mar was a self-serve froyo shop that opened in 2008-2020. The ownership changed in 2017.
CDM Yogurt also had a froyo truck in 2013. I’m not sure when it closed.
Cefiore, 3305 Newport Blvd Ste B, was open from 2007 – 2010. It was counter-serve and part of a chain started by Todai. It was similar to Pinkberry.
Fannie’s, 1644 San Miguel Dr was an old school froyo shop that closed a long time ago
Go Greek Yogurt, 3109 Newport Blvd, offered self-serve Greek froyo and Greek yogurt in Corona Del Mar. This branch opened and closed in 2016.
Icicles, 545 Eastbluff Dr #2545, was a self-serve shop that opened in 2010 in Corona Del Mar and closed in 2016
Menchie’s, 21109 Newport Coast Dr, was open at Newport Coast Shopping Center from 2013- 2023.
Pinkberry, 941 Newport Center Dr, opened at Newport Fashion Island in April 2008 and closed in 2019. It was the 50th Pinkberry branch when it opened.
Red Mango, 7972 East Coast Hwy, opened in 2008. It was counter-serve, and I don’t think it lasted for long.
TCBY, 20341 SW Birch St Ste 310. I’m not sure when it opened and closed but probably a long time ago.
Tutti Frutti, 2233 W Balboa Blvd, Ste 101, opened in 2010 and may have closed in 2014.
Did I miss any froyo shops in Newport Beach? Let me know.
You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.
Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.
Fro-yo girl here. I’ve been waiting over a year for Kinrose Creamery to introduce their frozen yogurt/yogurt ice cream and it finally happened. You see, when I first visited the shop on opening day, January 3, 2024, I asked if they were going to create a frozen yogurt flavor. They said they were working on it…but I wasn’t sure if they were just being polite?
Kinrose specializes in Persian/Egyptian ice cream. Persians love yogurt, so it seemed like a natural fit. The new flavor is called Labna Honeycomb and it is described as “a beloved creamy and tart strained yogurt often enjoyed with honey.” They made their own honeycomb to fold into the yogurt ice cream. The scoop of Labna was topped with more honeycomb and black nigella seeds (black cumin) for more flavor and texture.
Everything they make is made from scratch with love. The Labna Honeycomb was no exception. It was rich, dense, and creamy. It did have some mild tang. It’s not very tart but is very rich. The bits of honeycomb folded in are tiny but they added flavor and texture.
I love how their ice cream comes with paired toppings that add texture and flavor. And the ice cream always looks pretty. A single scoop is $7.50 and totally worth it.
You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.
* KINROSE CREAMERY, 140 Mills Pl, Pasadena, CA 91105
Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.
Fro-yo girl here. There’s a new frozen yogurt show happening this Thursday, March 20, at the Electro Freeze showroom in Sacramento, CA.
By attending the show, you’ll be able to try the new flavors from SR Food Group and learn how to make your own unique flavors with frozen yogurt toppings and ingredients you can find at your local grocery store.
SR Food Group is a well-known manufacturer of premium soft serve mix, spanning from the creamiest frozen yogurt to the velvety richness of gelato and the delectable world of non-dairy delights. The non-dairy mixes are made with almond milk, coconut milk, and cashew milk.
Show Details
Date and Time: March 20, 10 AM – 3 PM. Flavor demos at 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM.
Location: Electro Freeze of Norcal, 4330 Pinell St, Sacramento, CA 95838
Show Special: Raffle for 10 free cases of soft serve
New Flavors: Vanilla oat milk, acai soft serve, custard, and more
You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.
Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.
Fro-yo girl here. Spring’s new Pinkberry froyo flavor is Blueberry Lavender. The official recommended combination is Blueberry Lavender froyo with fresh blueberries and lemon wafer cookies. There is also a new blueberry lavender smoothie.
Blueberry Lavender froyo: The froyo was smooth and light with a refreshing tang. I couldn’t taste the lavender though. It’s been a long time since I’ve had Pinkberry’s blueberry flavor. I’ve always liked that flavor. Blueberry Lavender seemed tarter than the blueberry that I remember and it does taste like real yogurt. Recommended toppings: fresh blueberries, mochi, Belgian butter waffle cookie, dark chocolate crisps. I didn’t see the lemon wafer cookies during my visit, so I can't recommend them. Blueberry Lavender is available for a limited time at participating stores nationwide. It will be around till May 29.
Yogurtland had a blueberry lavender light ice cream back in 2019.
Pinkberry recently turned twenty quietly. I wonder if they have anything planned?
You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl. Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.
Fro-yo girl here. Menchie’s has two featured flavors this month and the new Two Thumbs Up Kiwi spoon.
Orange Cream Bar froyo is a new flavor that’s described as a blend of “vibrant citrus with smooth, creamy vanilla.” The froyo is gluten-free, and contains no artificial colors, artificial flavors, or high fructose corn syrup. The texture was extra rich, thick, and creamy. The cream flavor was strong, and the orange flavor quite muted. I was expecting more orange flavor. It was pleasant and rich. Recommended toppings: strawberries, Sour Patch Kids.
It’s hard to believe that Menchie’s hasn’t had orange creamsicle before? The previous Menchie’s orange flavors were Freshly Squeezed Orange Sorbet, Orange Pineapple Sorbet, Blood Orange Sorbet, and Carrot Orange Boost Sorbet.
Cotton Candy froyo is back. I didn’t think that I would like the flavor because I don’t like cotton candy. Cotton candy tastes just like sugar. Cotton Candy froyo is better than cotton candy because the yogurt mutes the cloying sweetness of cotton candy. And this flavor is nonfat, gluten-free, and contains no artificial colors or flavors and no high fructose corn syrup. Recommended toppings: Sprinkles, Circus Animal Cookies, white chocolate chips
These flavors are available at participating locations for a limited time, while supplies last.
You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.
Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.
Fro-yo girl here. Functional gummies are enjoying increased popularity in the US and also in Taiwan. I recently found Q-gurt functional yogurt gummies at the new iTaiwan Foods store in Temple City, CA. The gummies are sold in 63g bags with 18 individually wrapped gummies per bag. The gummy is a small cube and contains live and active cultures, as well as collagen. One bag was $4.
According to the importer, iTaiwan Foods, “Fruity peach yogurt gummies with added probiotics. A tasty and health-conscious snack for all ages. Light and fluffy with a chewy texture, providing a dual sensation. Enhanced with collagen, the addition of white peach ensures a snack that not only delights the taste buds but also contributes to your skincare and beauty.” Q-gurt is a product of Taiwan’s Bifido Foods.
Peach and yogurt gummies: Soft, chewy but gelatinous, the texture was like a marshmallow-gummy hybrid. The juicy white peach flavor was surprisingly strong. It is sweet like a candy and pretty in appearance (white and pink). It’s made with peach juice concentrate.
Tangerine and yogurt gummies: these gummies had more of a powdery taste, like a drink mix, even though it is made with orange juice concentrate. The cube was orange and white.
One gummy is 10 calories, 0g fat, 0g cholesterol, 2g total carbs, 2g total sugars and 0g protein.
Since it’s functional, I assume that you’re not supposed to eat a couple at once? Anyway, the peach and yogurt ones are much better than the tangerine and yogurt ones. Neither tastes like yogurt.
You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.
* ITAIWAN FOODS, 5781 Rosemead Blvd, Temple City, CA
Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.
