Tis the Season: Menchie's Holiday Spoons Have Arrived

Fro-yo girl here. The newest Menchie's limited edition collectible froyo spoons have been ariving at Menchie's locations. The 2014 Menchie's holiday spoons are red and feature Menchie possibly sitting in a froyo cup that's wrapped with a big bow. The ribbon says "Unwrap the yumm!" The hole on top will make these easy to hang on a Christmas tree (they're definitely going on my tree).

They also have limited edition holiday green cups.

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.

New Winter Yogurtland Flavor: Caramel Macadamia Froyo

Fro-yo girl here. Yogurtland’s winter promotion, Walking in a Winter Yogurtland, introduced a new flavor today: Caramel Macadamia. It's described as "A decadent, delicious holiday treat. Real macadamia nuts are dark roasted for a deep flavor, adding both a hint of salt and a back note of caramel."

From the description it sounds like macadamia nuts are the prominent flavor. I found that the caramel flavor was more noticeable and the back note tasted nutty. The texture was rich, smooth and creamy. It seemed pretty sweet to me but I'm not a caramel fan unless the caramel is muted by other flavors.

Recommended toppings: Speculoos cookies, almonds, white chocolate chips, toffee bits, Cap'N Crunch

Next up: Cinnamon banana bread & Eggnog on December 1.

Remember the Yogurtland gift card promotions. From Nov. 10 – Dec. 23, you’ll get a $5 gift card for every $20 in gift cards that you buy. From November 10 – November 30, customers who purchase $7 of froyo will receive a 5-ounce free card.

Also, look for the new Yogurtland froyo cup ornaments ($2.99 each), available while supplies last.

#WinterYogurtland

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.

Tis the Season: Yogurtland Ornaments Have Arrived

Fro-yo girl here. The holidays are here and so are Yogurtland ornaments! Ispotted these at the Yogurtland in Burbank. They’re made out of ceramic.

These are the first Yogurtland Christmas ornaments. What Yogurtland fan wouldn’t love to have a cup of Yogurtland on his/her Christmas tree? Get yours for $2.99.

I’m hoping to add lots of froyo ornaments to my Christmas tree.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* YOGURTLAND: 304 N San Fernando Blvd., Burbank, CA 91502

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.

Lower Your Operational Costs with IFYA's Discounts for Frozen Yogurt Shops

Fro-yo girl here. When I founded the International Frozen Yogurt Association in 2013, one of the main goals was to help current and prospective frozen yogurt shop operators be more successful. When I spoke to frozen yogurt store operators about how the frozen yogurt association might help them, they talked about the importance of saving on operational costs.

We researched suppliers and developed partnerships with top quality suppliers who were willing to offer IFYA member discounts. We are pleased that IFYA members now enjoy savings on a wide variety of products and services. These discounts can save shops thousands of dollars a year. 

Basic IFYA membership is still free. IFYA premium members ($50/year) enjoy access to additional discounts. 

IFYA Premium Member Discounts

• Credit card processing from Green Payment Solutions (GPS): Green Payment Solutions’ new program includes a low rate guarantee and a wide range of other valuable savings, available to IFYA premium members. Green Payment Solutions has provided top quality credit card processing services to local and national merchants for more than 10 years and is recognized with A+ status by the Better Business Bureau. Contact Gene Da Lie from Green Payment Solutions at (818) 564-0577 or gened@greenpayllc.com for a no-obligation rate review of your merchant account. Learn more about Green Payment Solutions online at www.GreenPaymentSolutions.com.
• Comprehensive business compliance solutions from Payality: IFYA premium members can choose from 3 different compliance packages, all discounted more than 20% for IFYA members. The small, medium and large compliance packages come with different features and can be further customized with additional services (Extra Toppings). From Payroll, Human Resources, Employee Benefits, Worker’s Compensation Payment Administration, and Retirement Solutions, Payality’s comprehensive compliance solutions reduce their client’s costs, increase efficiency and streamline operations across the client’s business. Payality also integrates with leading workers comp carriers, including IFYA endorsed Select Marketing Insurance of California, to offer pay-as-you-go premium payments that feature no upfront deposit, premiums paid each pay period based on actual payroll, and the elimination of audit hassles. For additional information on this offer, please visit http://www.payality.com/ifya/

IFYA Member Discounts (for Basic and Premium Members)

• Workers’ Comp Insurance in California: IFYA is pleased to partner with California’s workers’ comp experts, Select Marketing Insurance Services, to offer special group rates to California frozen yogurt shop owners who are IFYA members. SMI’s special group rates are significantly lower than rates small frozen yogurt shops can get on their own. They are known for offering frozen yogurt shops the best combination of price, stability and coverage with A+ rated Preferred Employers Group (PEG). Please contact Steve Feemster, Association Advisor at SMI, at (888) 656-5678 or via email at stevef@smi-insure.com to get started or visit www.smi-insure.com for additional information.
• Special holiday promotion on gift cards: GiftRocker provides best in class gifting and marketing tools for extraordinary shopkeepers including Cups Frozen Yogurt and Pitango Gelato. GiftRocker is offering a FROYO November Offer (use the promo code FROYONOVO) for IFYA members signing up before December 1st. With the FROYONOVO promotion, your first 5 gift cards are free in November and December. After that, you will enjoy the industry’s most Fair & Flexible pricing plan: no monthly subscription and your unit cost decreases as your volume increases. Sign up today!
• Limited time offer on digital signage solution: Oalla, an innovative new venture based on a technology developed by a Stanford University student has a wide library of apps that allow digital signs to showcase curated content from Instagram, Facebook and Yelp, let customers vote for their favorite frozen yogurt flavor, offer customers games to play, etc.
  Try Oalla risk free and at a special low price. This special offer is limited to the first 100 people that sign up. Visit http://try.oalla.com/ifya to sign up for this special deal.

Discounts on Products

• 15% off your first Nanci’s Frozen Yogurt purchase when you mention IFYA and your IFYA username (new Nanci’s customers only)
• Free shipping on all Spaceman USA equipment when you mention IFYA and your IFYA username
• 15% off Jefe toppings dispensers. To redeem, mention IFYA and your IFYA username when you call Forte Supply at (720) 328-1431
• 20% off your FrozenDessertSupplies.com order (discount can only be used once) when you mention IFYA and your IFYA username
• 10% off your first GoDivide order of frozen yogurt cup dividers when you mention IFYA and your IFYA username

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.

Future Fro-yo Shop Picture: Yogurtland Camarillo

Fro-yo girl here. Camarillo Premium Outlet shoppers are about to a Yogurtland. The new location is in a new section of the Promenade (across the parking lot from the original buildings). It will join PizzaRev, Chipotle, Pick Up Stix and Smashburger.

It’s a smaller Yogurtland location with just 6 machines (12 flavors a day).

* YOGURTLAND CAMARILLO: 660 E Ventura Blvd., Camarillo, CA

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.

New Menchie's Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll Froyo & Holiday Sneak Peek

Fro-yo girl here. I finally tried Menchie’s flavor of the month: Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll, featuring Cinnabon Makara cinnamon blended with their signature cream cheese frosting. Menchie’s also offers two new toppings to complement their new flavor:

* Cinnabon morsels: Cookie dough bites mixed with yogurt chips and cinnamon

* Sweet cream cheese icing

While I do enjoy cinnamon, I don’t eat cinnamon rolls with icing because they’re far too sweet. I can’t imagine liking sweet cream cheese icing. Even the Cinnabon morsels sounded too sweet. I do miss the cinnamon streusel topping. As for the Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll froyo, it was, as I imagined, far too sweet. Also the cinnamon flavor was super strong, overpoweringly so. Try it if you love very sweet froyo and cinnamon.

Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll froyo is available this month or while supplies last.

While I was at Menchie’s I spotted the new Christmas design cups. They arrived early and they’re going to be joined to holiday Menchie’s spoons in December!

Menchie’s also has a gift card promotion: Buy a $25 gift card and get a $5 bonus card.

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.

Free Ad-Supported Frozen Yogurt Cups & Dividers are Coming Soon

Fro-yo girl here. Froyo shops, think about how much you could save every month if you could stop paying for frozen yogurt cups. The first batch of ad supported FREE frozen yogurt cups and dividers are coming soon from CarryOutSupplies.com.

How It Works

While ad supported cups and dividers are new to frozen yogurt, they certainly aren’t new to food establishments. Most of you have seen coffee sleeve advertising for years. Coffeehouses often receive the ad-supported coffee sleeves for free. Major companies like Microsoft (for Windows Mobile 6), Yahoo, Southwest, Chevron and CBS have utilized coffee sleeve advertising. Free ad supported frozen yogurt cups work the same way.

CarryOutSupplies.com is building its network of frozen yogurt shops that are interested in ad-supported frozen yogurt cups and dividers. Sign up today.

Ad-supported 16 oz. frozen yogurt cups and cup dividers are free for frozen yogurt shops that sign up for the program. The cost of the cups and dividers are paid for by the placement of ads on the cups. These ads will be family friendly and tasteful. And because these cups will be attractive, it will help elevate the image of your frozen yogurt store while saving your shop thousands of dollars a month.

The ad supported cups and dividers will be high quality food safe paper stock, the same cups and dividers that CarryOutSupplies.com sells to thousands of frozen yogurt stores.

About CarryOutSupplies.com's Yogurt Cups

CarryOutSupplies.com’s frozen yogurt cups begin with high quality USA food grade double poly paper. Both the exterior and interior of the cup are coated with poly film to ensure the cup's structure will not be compromised by frozen treats. The cups are manufactured according to our strict quality control guidelines to produce a sturdy cup that is perfect for the delicious frozen dessert. Designs are printed using food grade soy inks.

Sign up today!

About CarryOutSupplies.com

Since the beginning of the frozen yogurt revolution and boom several years ago, CarryOutSupplies.com has been there every step of the way with our clients. To make the dreams of our clients possible, we established the low minimum order quantity for custom print that shattered industry standards. By shifting the paradigm we enabled businesses of all sizes to harness the powers of their brand and build the foundation they need to grow into franchises. We have seen many clients start from one single store to dozens and hundreds of locations around the world. We have grown with them to become the leading disposable product supplier for the frozen yogurt industry. Nonetheless, we are never content with the status quo, we are constantly seeking for ways to better serve our clients. We are still the pioneers that make the impossible a reality for business owners.

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.

Yogurtland “Froyo Work of Art” Scholarship for CCSF & SFSU Students

Fro-yo girl here. CCSF and SFSU students – are you artsy? Do you love Yogurtland? Submit your froyo work of art to Yogurtland’s San Francisco store. Three artists will receive froyo scholarships (prizes $150, $250 and $500) and have their art displayed at the Yogurtland San Francisco store. 

Submissions must be received by November 24, 2014.

For rules and regulations, see http://yogurtlandsb.com/scholarship/

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.

Walking in a Winter Yogurtland Returns with 8 Festive Flavors & Gift Card Promotions

Fro-yo girl here. Yogurtland’s winter promotion, Walking in a Winter Yogurtland, kicks off today with two flavors, the new Cookie Butter and fan favorite, Cranberry Raspberry Tart. Cookie Butter froyo is made with real Belgium speculoos cookies, cinnamon, nutmeg and baker’s sugar. It’s as good as it sounds. I liked how it wasn’t super sweet and the warm spices (mostly cinnamon) were noticeable but not overpowering. The texture was smooth, dense and creamy. Cranberry Raspberry Tart is made with Ocean Spray juice and it’s really quite tart with an intense flavor of cranberries. I think my favorite #WinterYogurtland flavors are going to be Cookie Butter and Cranberry Raspberry Tart.

I also spotted two new toppings: super crunchy Speculoos cookies and pumpkin bread. The pumpkin bread was dense and moist. Definitely get Speculoos cookies with your Cookie Butter froyo. I also recommend toffee bits. There are new cup designs too, but my Yogurtland didn't have them yet.

The holiday flavor schedule:

* November 10: Cookie butter & Cranberry raspberry tart

* November 17: White chocolate peppermint

* November 24: Caramel macadamia

* December 1: Cinnamon banana bread & Eggnog

* December 8: Sticky toffee pudding

* December 15: Fudge brownie

There are two gift card promotions. From Nov. 10 – Dec. 23, you’ll get a $5 gift card for every $20 in gift cards that you buy. There are two new loadable gift card designs: one with a strawberry and one with a teddy bear. The $5 gift card features a new design with wrapped gifts.

From November 10 – November 30, customers who purchase $7 of froyo will receive a 5-ounce free card.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Here's the official Yogurtland press release:

Yogurtland’s Holiday Flavors Offer a Wonderland of Taste and Delight; Inspired by the Flavor Craze, Yogurtland Introduces New Cookie Butter Frozen Yogurt

Today Yogurtland kicks off its annual holiday flavor promotion with eight hand-crafted, custom flavors and two toppings, including new Cookie Butter frozen yogurt that offers a low-fat, delicious option for fans obsessed with the creamy spread. Yogurtland also introduces a holiday gift card bonus promotion.

Irvine, CA - November 10, 2014 - Today Yogurtland kicks off its annual holiday flavor promotion with eight hand-crafted, custom flavors and two toppings, including new Cookie Butter frozen yogurt that offers a low-fat, delicious option for fans obsessed with the creamy spread and Speculoos Cookie topping.

“Real flavors passionately made with real ingredients. That’s what Yogurtland celebrates every day. These flavors capture the holiday season and offer fans a one-of-a-kind frozen yogurt experience,” said Scott Shoemaker, Chief Flavorologist® at Yogurtland.

The following six flavors will be available for two weeks while fan favorites Eggnog and Cranberry Raspberry Tart flavors will be available through Dec. 21.

Cookie Butter - Satisfy your cookie butter addiction with this heavenly rich and creamy frozen yogurt, made with real Belgian Speculoos cookies, cinnamon and nutmeg.

White Chocolate Peppermint - Made with real gourmet white chocolate and refreshing peppermint. This flavor is a winter wonderland in your mouth.

Caramel Macadamia - Real macadamia nuts are dark roasted for a deep rich flavor and combined with a hint of salt and a caramel back note, creating a rich, delicate spoonful of flavor.

Cinnamon Banana Bread – This new flavor is made with real bananas, freshly roasted pecans, a hint of cinnamon and caramelized sugar combine for the best baked flavor ever served frozen.

Sticky Toffee Pudding - A taste of English holiday tradition. Moist, sweet sponge cake, made with chopped dates and covered with rich butter toffee.

Fudge Brownie - Made with rich, smooth dark chocolate fudge and real brownie. This flavor is a chocoholic's dream in a spoon.

Eggnog - Simple, delicious and full of holiday cheer. Real nutmeg and a hint of vanilla combine for a flavor we can all toast to.

Cranberry Raspberry Tart - Raspberry and real Ocean Spray cranberries are delightfully tart yet balanced with natural sweetness.

Gift Cards and Catering Sweeten the Season
Got a froyo lover in your life or need a last minute gift? Yogurtland is introducing themed gift cards just in time for the holidays and special offers including bonus cards and coupons with purchase.

From November 10 – December 23, receive a $5 gift card with the purchase of $20 in gift cards.

From November 10 – November 30, receive a 5-ounce free card when you purchase $7 of frozen yogurt. The 5-ounce free card is redeemable from December 1 – 21.

Yogurtland also offers catering with your choice of pre-frozen cups of yogurt and toppings to go. Perfect for the office, parties, sports events or fundraisers. Details are available at http://www.yogurt-land.com.

The Yogurtland Difference
At Yogurtland Flavorologists make the difference, searching the world for the best flavors in the world, and bringing them to your cup.

The company’s team of flavorologists develops the proprietary recipes for the brand’s more than 100 different and customized flavors. Whether traditional or exotic, each flavor uses real ingredients sourced from their original locations. By controlling the entire frozen yogurt making process, Yogurtland has raised the standards for flavors and quality to new heights and much to the delight of millions of fans.

Naturally occurring calcium makes Yogurtland yogurt a healthful, refreshing treat. All of Yogurtland’s frozen yogurt flavors meet the National Yogurt Association Criteria for “live and active culture frozen yogurt” and are produced in a kosher-certified facility. Yogurtland features non- and low-fat yogurt flavors as well as non-dairy and no sugar added choices.

Presently there 300 locations across the U.S., Australia, Dubai, Guam, Mexico, and Venezuela with more than 50 additional locations scheduled to open over the next six months. For more information, visit http://www.yogurt-land.com or http://www.facebook.com/yogurtland.

# # #

#WinterYogurtland

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.

Kroger Greek Yogurt Review

Fro-yo girl here. My local Ralph’s carries Kroger brand Greek yogurt in blended and fruit on the bottom varieties. I’m not a fan of fruit on the bottom, so I picked out a few of the blended flavors to try.

* Honey: This yogurt tastes so bad that I couldn’t finish the cup. It tastes rotten and artificial. Perhaps they added too much Stevia, which tastes artificial and bitter even though it’s considered a natural leaf extract. The texture is fine: creamy, thick, smooth, but the taste is just horrendous.

* Vanilla: Tastes better than the honey variety but still has an unpleasant artificial flavor.

Kroger Greek blended yogurt comes in 5.3 oz cups and is nonfat and gluten free. One serving is 90 calories. It carries the live and active cultures seal. One cup is $1.29 (regular price). I found Kroger Greek Blended Yogurt on sale for 77 cents a cup.

1.5 out of 5 stars.

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.