Oui by Yoplait French Style Yogurt Review

Fro-yo girl here. General Mills recently introduced a new yogurt line, called Oui by Yoplait. Oui by Yoplait represents a new category of yogurt in the US. It’s inspired by traditional pot-set French style yogurt which involves pouring the ingredients into small pots and letting the contents of each glass pot to set and culture for eight hours. The standard process for US yogurt making involves culturing ingredients in large batches and then filling individual cups.

Oui by Yoplait is part of the trend towards simple food made with just a few ingredients. The Plain variety is made with milk and yogurt cultures; that's all. It’s non-GMO with no artificial preservatives, no artificial flavors and no artificial colors. It also is on trend by using whole milk. The line has eight flavors: Strawberry, Blueberry, Black Cherry, Vanilla, Coconut, Lemon, Peach and Plain. The fruit is on the bottom but the product isn’t meant to be stirred before eating. Warning: I stirred one of the yogurts I had and it lost the lovely, smooth texture.

I spotted Oui by Yoplait at Walmart, with a retail price of $1.34. The glass jars with the foil seals are adorable. They look like something you’d find at a farmers’ market in Europe with the flavor written in cursive by hand. The foil seals are illustrated with the flavor of the yogurt and there’s a cute saying on the bottom of the foil. So cute.

* Vanilla: It’s not like Greek yogurt but has a firm, smooth, thick, custardy texture. It’s smoother than most yogurt that I’ve tried. The flavor was subtle – the vanilla was not overpowering. It tasted like a milk custard with a hint of vanilla. It was lightly sweet but not tart, with a mild tang. I liked the subtle mildness.

One serving is 5 oz (smaller than average), 170 calories, 8g total fat, 16g total carbohydrates, 15g sugars and 5g protein.

Ingredients: Pasteurized grade A milk, cane sugar, yogurt cultures (L. bulgaricus, S. thermophilus), vanilla extract.

* Black Cherry: The ombre pink color is so pretty. The cherry preserve on the bottom wasn’t too sweet and it has chunks of cherry. The yogurt was mild and smooth.

Ingredients: Pasteurized grade A milk, cane sugar, cherries, pectin, blueberry and carrot juice, yogurt cultures (L. bulgaricus, S. thermophilus), natural flavor.

General Mills is hoping that French style yogurt will be the new Greek yogurt and revive its declining yogurt sales. It’s been years since I liked a Yoplait product and I was pleasantly surprised by Oui by Yoplait. I think the simplicity of the ingredients (no thickeners were used) and the pot set method made a difference that’s worth tasting and eating. I’m inspired to try all the Oui flavors.

4 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.

Pinkberry Introduces New Black Raspberry Frozen Yogurt

Fro-yo girl here. I’m encouraged to see more new flavors from Pinkberry lately. The newest is Black Raspberry frozen yogurt, which combines blackberries and raspberries, two tart fruits that I really like. Pinkberry recommends pairing Black Raspberry frozen yogurt with blackberries and raspberries.

* Black Raspberry frozen yogurt: I was very pleasantly surprised by how tart this flavor was. It might be the tartest Pinkberry flavor yet! I could taste the blackberries and the raspberries. The texture was light and on the icier side. If you see Meyer Lemon frozen yogurt, try pairing it with Black Raspberry. Lemon complements berries. Recommended toppings: Berries, almonds and chocolate crisps.

I didn’t see the cold brew fruit teas at my Pinkberry.

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

Here’s the official press release:

Pinkberry Announces Black Raspberry Frozen Yogurt as New Limited Time Flavor

Cold Brew Fruit Teas Also Available as a Summertime Promotion

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., July 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Pinkberry® (www.Pinkberry.com) has hand-picked Black Raspberry to be its newest limited time flavor. The tart fruit flavor is available now through Sept. 7, 2017.

Black Raspberry Frozen Yogurt is also featured as a combination called Exotic Raspberry, which comes topped with fresh blackberries and raspberries for a mouthwatering treat.

"Black Raspberry is a fantastic fruit flavor that's an ideal treat during the peak of summer," said Melissa Hubbell, director of marketing for Pinkberry. "We've swirled together the sweet flavors of blackberries and raspberries to create a smooth and refreshing fruit taste that customers are going to go wild over."

Promotional Flavor (Available July 28 – Sept. 7, 2017):

Black Raspberry Frozen Yogurt

Promotional Combination (Available July 28 – Sept. 7, 2017):

Exotic Raspberry – Black Raspberry Frozen Yogurt topped with fresh Blackberries and Raspberries

In addition to the new Black Raspberry flavor, Pinkberry is continuing to offer the delicious line of Cold Brew Fruit Teas for a limited time only. The teas come in two refreshing flavors, Strawberry Hibiscus and Tropical Mango, which can be shaken with fresh, hand cut fruit and flavored Bursting Boba™ to make it a one of a kind Pinkberry beverage.

Promotional Beverage (Available June 16 – Sept. 7, 2017):

Cold Brew Fruit Teas

Strawberry Hibiscus with Strawberry Bursting Boba™, Fresh Strawberries and Blueberries

Tropical Mango with Mango Bursting Boba™, Fresh Strawberries and Mango

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.

The IFYA Turns Four

The International Frozen Yogurt Association was launched on July 29, 2013. Today, it celebrates its fourth anniversary. I wanted to share the IFYA's anniversary message. It's an important one for froyo fans and those in the frozen yogurt industry.

The IFYA Anniversary Message

State of Froyo Today

According to a recent report by Technavio, the frozen yogurt industry had a value of $2.39 billion in 2016, with a projected value in 2021 of $3.96 billion. IBIS World estimates that the growth rate of the frozen yogurt industry from 2011-2016 was 11.6%. According to Technavio, the “frozen yogurt market in the US is expected to grow at a CAGR of almost 11% from 2017-2021.”

The US market for frozen yogurt has slowed and many shops have closed or been acquired. During the consolidation period, surviving frozen yogurt businesses need to build their brands, offer something different and stay open to innovation. The IFYA helps frozen yogurt store owners keep track of trends and best practices, as well as offer discounts for a wide range of goods and services, and access to industry experts.

New Project, The National Frozen Yogurt Survey

The IFYA is currently working on an ambitious new project, to better understand the state of frozen yogurt in the US today. To do this, we’ll need to hear from both frozen yogurt consumers and frozen yogurt shop operators.

For shops, we’d like to learn what their main concerns are, their costs, key operational practices, satisfaction with suppliers, etc. For consumers, we’d like to learn how brand loyal they are, how they would rate the largest froyo chains, what drives them to go to a froyo shop, what might increase their visit frequency, etc.

We’re looking for project partners. Partners could provide the prizes for frozen yogurt consumers or shop operators and/or help distribute the survey, in exchange for more of the survey results data and analysis. If you think you might be interested, please contact us at info@internationalfrozenyogurt.com

If all goes well, this could be an annual survey. The results will be useful for froyo shops and suppliers. The more responses we get, the better and more reliable our results will be.

Our Association is 1,800 Members Strong

Last July we had 1,400 members in 104 countries. Since then, we've grown to 1,800 members strong. This July, we have over 1,800 members in 108 countries. While most of our members are in the US, we clearly have an international presence. There are IFYA members in Albania, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, and Myanmar, and of course many other countries.

IFYA members include frozen yogurt store operators and employees (42%), prospective frozen yogurt store operators (23%), frozen yogurt fans (14%), frozen yogurt industry suppliers (9%), and other (12%).

We’ve reached several big milestones in social media, including over 2,500 followers on Twitter, over 1,100 followers on Pinterest, over 1,600 followers on Instagram (almost 1,000 new followers in the last year) and nearly 700 Facebo0k fans.

Offering Greater Membership Value

Our members can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars on essentials for their frozen yogurt shops. IFYA members continued to enjoy exclusive member discounts on frozen yogurt mix, frozen yogurt machines, toppings dispensers, cup dividers, payment processing, insurance and HR/payroll services.

FrozenSolutions.com and Aurel LLC offered limited time IFYA member discounts on cups, spoons and soft serve machines. Both Preferred Connect Insurance Center and FrozenDesssertSupplies.com increased the discount offered to our members.

New Website Features

We launched the new website design at the end of last year and reorganized the article library. These changes were undertaken to make it easier to find what you’re looking for on our website.

Corporate Sponsors

In addition to our advisory board and frozen yogurt industry experts, we're thrilled to enjoy the support of our corporate sponsors. A huge thank you to our sponsors for helping us as we strive to promote the quality and success of the frozen yogurt industry:

• FrozenDessertSupplies.com
• Dannon YoCream

Please support our corporate sponsors and our advertisers when you're looking for frozen yogurt supplies.

Contest

We continued our tradition of having an anniversary contest with the Far-Out Froyo Flavors contest. Frozen yogurt fans were invited to share their most creative, appealing froyo flavor ideas for a chance to win a sweet prize package.

The winning flavor, White Peach Oolong Tea froyo, was submitted by @xtracetracex on Instagram.


Warmest Regards,



Susan Linton

President, International Frozen Yogurt Association

Loving Cup to Open in the Marina (San Francisco, CA)

Fro-yo girl here. The old Pacific Puffs location on Union Street is the home of the fourth location of Loving Cup, the SF based rice pudding and hand churned froyo specialist. Each cup of froyo is hand churned to order with the customer’s choice of mix ins to create a truly custom flavor. The froyo comes out thick, rich and indulgent – though it’s still lowfat. They have non-dairy options too.

The doors open at noon on Saturday, July 29 and swirls are just $1 between 2 – 3 PM.

* LOVING CUP: 2201 Union St., San Francisco, CA 94123

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.

Loop Neighborhood Coming to Union City, CA (Bringing More Froyo?)

Fro-yo girl here. I first wrote about Loop Neighborhood in May 2015. At the time, it had about a dozen locations in Northern California. The first location opened in June 2013. Loop seeks to be a new kind of convenience store, with a nicer café, water for your pets, healthier food, a soup bar, coffee and a frozen yogurt stand, featuring self-serve froyo and toppings.

Loop currently has 23 locations in Northern California and a new one is being built at the corner of Decoto Rd. and Alvarado-Niles Blvd. in Union City, CA. There was a Shell Gas station at that corner before but it’s been demolished.

I assume that the new location will have froyo.

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

* LOOP NEIGHBORHOOD: 32187 Alvarado Niles Rd., Union City, CA 94587

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.

Unlimited Cup Lessons, Part Two

Fro-yo girl here. For Yogurtland Real Reward members, the ultimate reward for eating froyo is the coveted “Unlimited Cup.” To earn the Unlimited Cup the standard way, you need to (1) be a Real Rewards member and (2) collect 520 points within a year of the day you first joined Real Rewards (or the anniversary of the day you first joined).

One (paid) ounce is equal to one point. The free froyo you earn along the way doesn’t earn you any points. If you buy gift cards, the points go to the person using the gift card at the time he/she is paying for the yogurt.

With the free froyo rewards every 36 points, you will consume more than 520 ounces to get to your Unlimited Cup. Assuming you are a Platinum Real Rewards member, you’ll have earned 14 four ounce rewards along the way, or 56 oz. and a free 16 oz birthday cup. This translates to a minimum of 592 ounces of froyo (unless you didn’t redeem your rewards) or 11.38 oz/week. That’s a lot of froyo if you’re only buying froyo for yourself. 

Once you earn the Unlimited Cup, you have a month to redeem it. You can redeem it at any Yogurtland store whenever you want. Whatever fits in the 16 ounce cup is yours, free.

You shouldn’t just go in unprepared though. Here are some tips.

Tips for Building Your Unlimited Cup

1. Check the available flavors to make sure that the location you plan to visit has a flavor (or flavors) that you like. Use the Real Rewards Flavor Finder app to determine the available froyo flavors or call the location.

2. Choose a day/time that isn’t busy (generally going when Yogurtland first opens should work), so people don’t get in your way. Bring a tray to make it easier to carry your froyo and catch toppings overflow. I can’t imagine eating that much froyo (60 oz or more) at once, so you should be prepared to take some home. If you don’t live close to a Yogurtland or it’s a hot day, bring a cooler filled with ice. Don’t carry a big purse because you’ll need both hands. Bring a friend or loved one, if you can. He/she can help with piling on the toppings.

3. Once you’re at the shop, check the available flavors and toppings and decide what you want before you start. Pick froyo flavors that will complement each other. Forget using a cup divider. Keep in mind that some toppings freeze better than others (e.g., fresh fruit, gummy bears, popping boba and mochi don’t freeze well). Candy bars, cookies, and nuts still taste good when frozen. Nuts are probably the best because they don’t get soggy but they aren’t heavy. Big cookies are a good choice if you want to have a heavier cup. The chocolate wafer rolls taste amazing frozen (better than at room temperature) because the chocolate center hardens. Frozen cookies all seem to taste great. The wafer rolls stayed crispy. The yogurt pretzels stay the same when frozen.

4. Be sure to start with the 16 oz cup (if you start with the larger cup, you may have to transfer what’s in it to the 16 oz cup) that the reward specifies.

5. You’re ready to start building your cup. Build a base of about 1 inch on the bottom – pack it solid with smaller toppings – cookies and nuts. Use a spoon to mash together and make a smooth, even surface. It will be difficult to add smaller toppings on top. If you don't care about small toppings, you can skip this step.

6. Add froyo. Try swirling to fill the cup (usually I start from the edges and then fill in the center). Once you’ve gotten close to the rim, stop and tap the bottom of the cup hard against the table. This will fill in any air pockets. Add more froyo till you reach the rim. Stop.

7. Add a ring of wafer roll cookies. Make sure the cookies are firmly placed in the froyo. Place them in right next to each other at a slight outward angle (not straight up and down). This will form a wider base for your froyo. I forgot my own advice and my cookies were straight up and down. I definitely think this made it difficult to make wider swirls.

8. Swirl around the outside edges…then start building your froyo towers. Don’t move the cup too much, a gentle back and forth motion will work. Do this till you reach the maximum height. Towards the end you can place the cup on the shelf below and move it a little that way. The multiple towers add stability to the overall structure and allow you to avoid the hole in the middle that can’t be avoided with a single swirl.

9. Add additional toppings if desired. Cookies will be faster and easier to add to your swirls. Try building cookie walls as your creation gets taller. Work quickly of course.

10. Redeem your reward.

11. Take plenty of pictures.

12. Grab a few cups to transfer your froyo to so that you can take it home if you didn’t bring your own container or your container isn’t large enough. Ask for lids.

The goal is to get to at least 50 ounces. In this video, a man builds a 6 lb cup (96 oz) of froyo, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v5ejCr6OKw

A few people have built cups that over over 200 ounces. I’ve seen photographic evidence. My creation was 70.2 ounces after deducting the weight of the cup. The cup would have cost $33.70 without the reward. I was able to build a bigger cup than my first unlimited cup creation, which was over 60 ounces.

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.

Yoga-urt 2nd Anniversary Celebration, New Flavor, New Contest, Specials

Fro-yo girl here. Mr. Froyo and I are huge fans of Yoga-urt, which turns two this weekend. What a treasure this shop is! It continues to provide the highest quality vegan, probiotic, organic, kosher soft serve and the most interesting flavors. It’s the only froyo/soft serve shop Mr. Froyo will go to and the only business where he’s a regular. I recommend Yoga-urt to everyone that asks for froyo recommendations.

We went back for the Anniversary Weekend (July 22-23, 2017). We were eager to try the new flavor, Purple Power. Purple Power was inspired by the color purple. It is made with cherries, raspberries, blackberries, pomegranate, spinach, beets, coconut milk, cashews, basil and more. The flavor has no added sugar!

Mr. Froyo and I both really liked Purple Power. It was rich, thick and dense. The flavor was so complex and interesting. The berries and basil stood out to me though I could detect some spinach and coconut. The fresh basil adds such a wonderful fresh flavor. Berries make it tart but not very tart. It’s not as sweet as Ganesha’s Sweet Greens but it is a balance of sweet and tart. Ganesha’s is lighter and more refreshing.

During the anniversary weekend they offered a $1 discount from 2-5 PM on soft serve and smoothies. They also have an Yoga-urt Turns Two Instagram photo contest that combines yoga and froyo, the two things that inspired the business.

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

* YOGA-URT, 1407 ½ W Kenneth Rd., Glendale, CA 91201

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.

RockIt Swirl Transforms into Cuppa, the Update

Fro-yo girl here. Back in 2011, Eggettes in Glen Park (San Francisco, CA) remodeled and rebranded, becoming Rockit Swirl. I covered the story at the time: http://froyogirl.blogspot.com/2011/07/rock-it-swirl-takes-over-eggettes-in.html

Eggettes first introduced frozen yogurt at the Glen Park location in 2009: http://froyogirl.blogspot.com/2009/05/fro-yo-meet-eggettes-eggettes-meet-fro.html

The owners have remodeled and rebranded again. Rockit Swirl is now called Cuppa. Cuppa serves “bubble tea, froyo, smoothies, snacks and more.” I missed the grand opening in March but I did check out the shop recently.

Cuppa represents a somewhat fresh start, though the frozen yogurt machines have remained and the menu isn’t that different from the previous incarnation. Some of the Rock It Swirl signs are still present too. The interior has been painted and it does feel cleaner (and cleanliness was an issue before). It looks more mature.

Rockit Swirl became a grimy hangout for high school and middle school kids. More families are going to Cuppa now (but I also visited during the summer, so I'm sure fewer school kids were out looking for a place to go afterschool).

The froyo is still self-serve. They had 6 flavors at the time. The toppings bar is what they had before: syrups, candy, fruit, popping boba, nuts, sprinkles, granola, chocolate chips, coconut, jellies and mochi. It’s 65 cents an ounce.

The customer service was friendly but when I asked for a sample cup, she only gave me one. One sample cup isn’t helpful, especially since I didn’t like what I sampled.

Froyo flavors of the day:

• Cable car chocolate
• French vanilla
• Strawberry: sweet, creamy, like ice cream, not yogurt 
• Original tart: the best flavor that I sampled, it had a refreshing edge and clean finish without being watered down, it didn’t taste lemony but had a bit of sourness and tang
• Almond milk, vanilla: dairy free, no probiotics, the texture was icier which I don’t mind but the flavor was very sweet and pretty chalky, plus it was bland
• Mango sorbet

For snacks, they have spam musubi, potstickers, chicken bites, etc. The best thing they ever offered here was the egg waffles. And those haven’t been offered for years. It feels like the place has improved a little but not a lot. The changes are more cosmetic on the froyo side though they did add almond milk soft serve (a premium offering). I doubt I would return unless they brought back the eggettes but that seems unlikely. Eggettes have become popular again though, so they should offer them.

Glen Park is a lovely neighborhood. It deserves a higher quality froyo spot.

$5 credit card minimum.

3 out of 5 stars

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

* CUPPA: 2810 Diamond St., San Francisco, CA 94131

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.

IFYA Launches the Menchie’s Num Noms Photo Contest

Fro-yo girl here. The International Frozen Yogurt Association (IFYA) announced the launch of a new contest, the Menchie’s Num Noms photo contest. In this Instagram photo contest, IFYA is looking for the cutest photo that features Menchie’s.

PRIZE

* Menchie’s Num Noms Starter Pack (retail value, $9.99)

This is a limited edition starter pack and it’s scented. The Sweet Friends Limited Edition starter pack is available exclusively at Toys"R"Us stores nationwide and online for $9.99.

HOW TO ENTER

1. Follow the International Frozen Yogurt Association (@intlfroyoassn) on Instagram and post your Menchie’s photo on Instagram with the tag #menchiesnumnomscontest. The photo must be posted using a public IG profile.

2. The photo must be posted with the tag, #menchiesnumnomscontest, during the contest entry period: 7/19/2017– midnight PST on 7/27/2017.

3. The winner will be announced on Instagram on 7/30.

The prize will be mailed to US addresses only. Entrants should be at least 13 years old.

To find your closest Menchies, see here: http://www.menchies.com/locations.php

This contest is not sponsored, administered or associated with Instagram, Inc. By entering, entrants confirm that they are at least 13 years of age, release Instagram of responsibility and agree to Instagram’s terms of use.

For the complete contest rules, visit http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/official-rules-menchies-num-noms-photo-contest/

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

Menchie’s Num Noms Starter Pack Now on Sale at Toys R Us

Fro-yo girl here. Menchie’s Sweet Friends Num Noms Starter Pack is now available exclusively at Toys”R”Us. I’m looking at mine now. It comes with:

• Barry (strawberry scented)
• Menchie (vanilla scented) - the only one that looks like froyo
• Mellow (marshmallow scented
• Chip Gloss-up (chocolate scented) - lip gloss
• Mini Menchie’s cup
• Mini Menchie’s spoon that says Num Noms on it

Chip fits into the Menchie’s cup and he can be combined with Barry, Menchie or Mellow to create a froyo mix. The packaging is cute because it has Menchie's friends before the Num Noms transformation.

This is a limited edition starter pack. The Menchie’s Sweet Friends Limited Edition starter pack is available exclusively at Toys"R"Us stores nationwide and online for $9.99.

Be sure to stop by your local Menchies and see the “Smell So Delicious” makeover that offers two exclusive Num Noms-themed limited-edition frozen yogurt cups.

And stay tuned for an announcement later this week of a new IFYA Menchie’s Num Noms contest.

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

Here's the official press release about the Menchie's Num Noms partnership:

MGA ENTERTAINMENT TEAMS UP WITH MENCHIE’S FROZEN YOGURT FOR NATIONWIDE NUM NOMS THEMED PROMOTION BASED ON POPULAR MENCHIE’S CHARACTERS

“Menchie’s Sweet Friends™” Limited Edition Starter Pack Available Now Only at Toys“R”Us®

Van Nuys, CA (July 2017) – Summer is getting a little sweeter as the world’s leading private toy company, MGA Entertainment, Inc. (“MGAE”), and Menchie’s, the nation’s largest self-serve frozen yogurt franchise, partner for a nationwide promotion available only at Toys“R”Us®. Num NomsTM, the hottest collectible with more than 400 characters and 50 smell variations, are launching an exclusive Menchie’s “starter pack” featuring the Menchie’s Sweet Friends including Menchie, Barry, Chip and Mellow.

“We are excited to see our Menchie’s Sweet Friends transformed into collectible, scented Num Noms characters that are sure to make people smile,” said Amit Kleinberger, Menchie’s CEO. “

“Menchie’s stores are colorful, fun and friendly, bringing a smile to every guest in much the same way that Num Noms creates a truly unique and engaging experience for its fans,” added MGAE’s Head of Global Licensing, Juli Boylan. “We’re excited to offer everyone a special way to celebrate summertime with delicious Menchie’s yogurt and a new exclusive Num Noms toy.”

In addition to the launch of the Sweet Friends Limited Edition Starter Pack, approximately 420 Menchie’s stores throughout the United States will get a “Smell so delicious” makeover and offer two exclusive Num Noms-themed limited-edition frozen yogurt cups.

Num Noms, which first launched in the U.S. in December 2015, has continuously delighted millions of children with each new series release. With the newest edition to the franchise being Num Noms Lights, more characters and combinations will be coming to market in summer 2017.

The Sweet Friends Limited Edition starter pack is available exclusively at Toys"R"Us stores nationwide and online beginning July 2017 for $9.99.

To find a Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt location near you, please visit Menchies.com

About Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt

Menchie's creates lasting memories by providing an unparalleled guest experience with a mission to make every guest smile. Menchie's is a world-leader of ensuring best-in-class products and is the ambassador of frozen yogurt quality worldwide. With 550 stores, the franchise has locations open in the United States, Canada, China, Japan, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, India, and more. Menchie's expects to celebrate 600 stores in 2017. Guaranteeing happiness in every cup, the brand offers guests premium rotating yogurt flavors and delicious toppings for unlimited combinations in every bite. The proprietary collection is made from the milk of "smiley" California cows, which have not been treated with artificial growth hormones (rBST). Menchie's frozen yogurt contains live and active cultures and has received the Live and Active Culture (LAC) seal indicating its endorsement by the National Yogurt Association. For more information, please visit www.menchies.com. Like Menchie’s on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/MyMenchies or follow on Twitter and Instagram at www.Twitter.com/MyMenchies andhttps://www.Instagram.com/MyMenchies/.

About Num Noms

A cup full of cuteness and a spoonful of surprise make Num Noms so special. Targeted at girls ages 5–9, the food-themed, scented and super-cute collectibles can be mixed and matched to create flavor fusions. With the ability to mix, match and stack to create super special recipes with more than 400 characters and 50+ scents, kids love to display, trade and collect them all. Each Num and Nom character is full of surprises!

To learn more information about Num Noms, go to http://www.NumNoms.com or to the official Num Noms YouTube, Instagram,Facebook or Twitter pages.

About MGA Entertainment 

MGA Entertainment, a consumer entertainment products company headquartered in Van Nuys, California, manufactures innovative lines of proprietary and licensed products including toys and games, dolls, consumer electronics, home décor, stationery and sporting goods. The MGA family includes award-winning brands such as Little Tikes®, Lalaloopsy™, Project Mc2 ™, Bratz®, Num Noms™, Gel-a-Peel™, and Zapf Creation®. Visit us at www.mgae.com.

# # #

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New Yogurtland Flavor, Picnic Favorite Apricot Mango Tart

Fro-yo girl here. Yogurtand’s Joy promotion continues with the introduction of a new hand-crafted flavor today, Picnic Favorite Apricot Mango Tart. It’s described as follows, “A Guest favorite, Alphonso Mango Tart, gets a fun makeover for summer. Sweet and lightly tart apricots with juicy mango make a tart treat we’re sure our Guests will love!” The flavor is nonfat.

* Picnic Favorite Apricot Mango Tart: I could definitely taste the Alphonso Mango, which is sweet and juicy. The apricot flavor is there too – it makes the flavor tangier and more interesting. It's a heavier tart flavor. The flavor coated my tongue and it didn't leave a clean finish. It was filmier. I would keep it simple to enjoy the flavor of the fruit. There’s no need for toppings, though some fresh mango would be nice and maybe some Nilla wafers.

Who remembers Yogurtland’s Apricot Tart flavor? It was first introduced in 2011 during the 12 Days of Yuletide Yumminess promotion. I remember seeing it again in 2013.

Picnic Favorite Apricot Mango Tart is the last of the JOY flavors. It’s a limited time flavor, so get to Yogurtland before they run out. Stay tuned for the next Yogurtland promotion – Hope.

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 Tejon Ranch Has Closed

Fro-yo girl here. It’s been awhile since I’ve driven past Tejon Ranch on the I-5. In February 2012, Yogurtland opened at Tejon Ranch. I visited the location in 2013 and was pleased to see the giant Yogurtland spoon door handles. I remember some of the fruit wasn’t fresh during my visit. A few years later, the Yogurtland symbol appeared on the big Tejon Ranch roadside sign.

I noticed the sign had disappeared and sure enough, the Yogurtland location has closed. The last Instagram post was in September 2016.

It was the only froyo shop in town and a pleasant stop on during a long drive.

* YOGURTLAND: 5602 Dennis McCarthy Dr, Lebec, CA 93243

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.

Reminder: IFYA is Looking for Far Out Froyo Flavors in a New Contest

Fro-yo girl here. There's still time to share your far out froyo flavor ideas with the International Frozen Yogurt Association (IFYA).

THE PRIZE

The Grand Prize Winner will receive a Sweet Gift Bag that includes the following (contents are pictured above):

• Froyo tote bag
• Miniso pink cat nap pillow with pockets 
• Miniso black coin purse with key ring
• Miniso grey hardcover notebook
• Miniso mini lips frying pan
• Daiso pink popsicle pencil case
• Livework pen & pencil set
• Sugarfina Bear-y Smoothie bears, small cube, 3 oz
• Pressed Juicery & Sugarfina Green Juice gummy bears, limited edition, half size, 7.6 oz 

The prize pack will be mailed to a US address.

HOW TO ENTER

Flavor ideas are being accepted on Instagram (follow IG: @intlfroyoassn, repost the IFYA's IG contest post with the tag #faroutfroyoflavors and your flavor idea), from now until midnight, July 18, 2017 or by emailing the frozen yogurt flavor idea with the subject line, Far-Out Froyo Flavor Contest, to info@internationalfrozenyogurt.com. If submitting your idea on Instagram, your IG profile needs to be public. 

This contest is open to US residents (over 13 years old please). Participants can enter multiple frozen yogurt flavor ideas.

Each entry will be judged for originality, appeal and practicality. One winner will be announced on July 29, 2017.

RULES

For the complete contest rules, visit http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/official-rules-far-froyo-flavor-contest/

Good luck!

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.

N Gelato Opens in Azusa

Fro-yo girl here. If you’re wondering whether N Gelato has frozen yogurt, of course it does. It has much more than gelato. N Gelato has customizable liquid nitrogen frozen desserts where you choose the base and the mix ins. The dessert is then blended together. Or, you can get soft serve froyo, gelato, and sorbet with or without mix-ins. You can also add toppings like cereal, candy, fruit, sauces, nuts, cookies and cheesecake bites.

N Gelato opened in late April, across the street from Azusa Pacific University and very close to Yogurtland. They took over the old Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt space. Tutti Frutti had different froyo machines and furniture, so N Gelato actually remodeled the place and bought their own Stoelting yogurt machines.

I haven’t tried it yet because I was full from lunch and I thought it was just a gelato place.

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

* N GELATO: 992 E Alosta Ave., Azusa, CA 91702

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.

Central Coast Froyo: Yogurt Creations Has Closed in San Luis Obispo

Fro-yo girl here. San Luis Obispo, one of the largest cities on the Central Coast, has been a hotbed of froyo shop activity. Years before cities like Santa Maria had froyo, SLO had multiple frozen yogurt shops like Bali’s, Country Culture and Froggie’s. Bali’s had self-serve froyo years before anyone else in the area.

As froyo took off, other shops opened, like Yogurt Creations (the first of the newer self-serve froyo shops), Dlish, Teaberry, Snofari and Yogurtland. Many of these shops were very close to each other. Older shops closed, including Bali’s in 2015.

Yogurt Creations opened in downtown SLO in 2008. I visited a few months after it opened. I noticed that they only had one tart flavor at the time. Yogurt Creations became the dominant player in the area, with locations in Arroyo Grande, Paso Robles, Lompoc, Santa Maria, Atascadero and at Cal Poly. I was able to try Bali's before it closed and I preferred Bali's to Yogurt Creations.

The Yogurt Creations location in downtown SLO recently closed. It was a great location but also very close to Teaberry and Yogurtland. There is considerably less froyo in downtown SLO now but more froyo in the Central Coast area.

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

* YOGURT CREATIONS: 1075 Court St., Ste. 130, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

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 Far Out Froyo Flavor Instagram Contest for Froyo Fans

Fro-yo girl here. The International Frozen Yogurt Association (IFYA) just announced a new contest, the Far-Out Froyo Flavors contest. Frozen yogurt fans are invited to share their most creative and appealing frozen yogurt flavor ideas.

Flavor ideas are being accepted on Instagram (follow IG: @intlfroyoassn), #faroutfroyoflavors, from now until midnight, July 18, 2017 or by emailing the frozen yogurt flavor idea with the subject line, Far-Out Froyo Flavor Contest, to info@internationalfrozenyogurt.com. 

This contest is open to US residents (over 13 years old please). Participants can enter multiple frozen yogurt flavor ideas.

Each entry will be judged for originality, appeal and practicality. One winner will be announced on July 29, 2017.

The Grand Prize Winner will receive a Sweet Gift Bag that includes the following (contents are pictured above):

• Froyo tote bag
• Miniso pink cat nap pillow with pockets 
• Miniso black coin purse with key ring
• Miniso grey hardcover notebook
• Miniso mini lips frying pan
• Daiso pink popsicle pencil case
• Livework pen & pencil set
• Sugarfina Bear-y Smoothie bears, small cube, 3 oz
• Pressed Juicery & Sugarfina Green Juice gummy bears, limited edition, half size, 7.6 oz 

The candies would make great froyo toppings. The Green Juice gummy bears have been a huge hit since they were introduced. They sell out all the time.

For the complete contest rules, visit http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/official-rules-far-froyo-flavor-contest/

Good luck!

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.

CrèmeBee Closes in Alhambra, CA

Fro-yo girl here. Back in August 2015, I wrote a post about an innovative new froyo shop, CrèmeBee in Alhambra, CA. CrèmeBee has just closed its doors. 

When they first opened, they offered organic froyo parfaits with honeycomb, made to order cotton candy, housemade marshmallows, etc. There was just one flavor of froyo (plain/milk). The parfaits were cute.

A few months later, it seemed like they stopped serving froyo because all their posts mentioned ice cream (the early posts mentioned froyo), though they still had one flavor. They also changed the sign on the door from organic milk frozen yogurt to sweet milk soft serve. I could never figure out the hours; it was usually closed when I drove by and no hours were posted. Anyway, since they didn’t have froyo, I didn’t have a reason to go back.

Before they closed, they briefly offered 24K gold leaf covered soft serve. They were trendy to the end.

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

* CREMEBEE, 137 W Main St., 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.

Menchie’s in Ventura, Asleep at the Wheel, Shout Out for Menchie’s Eagle Rock

Fro-yo girl here. What’s going on with Menchie’s Victoria Plaza in Ventura, CA? First, they didn’t get the Num Noms makeover in early July. Second, they also didn’t have the posters for the new flavors on display.

I tried to find out more information on their FB page. The page used to exist but it’s been removed. What??? Their IG account was last updated in March 2015. They don’t have a social media presence. I know that they still open their doors and serve froyo, but I’m not seeing much effort. The ownership changed and the new owner doesn’t seem to be promoting the business.

Speaking of making an effort, I did want to commend the new Menchie’s in Eagle Rock (Los Angeles, CA). It first opened in May 2017 and have been active on FB, @mymenchieseaglerock, and Instagram, @menchieseaglerock. They even post flavor updates on both, something many Menchie’s locations don’t do. I also see that they’ve been at numerous community events and they’ll be at Concerts in the Park all summer long. They had the new flavors and the Num Noms makeover. Keep it up! I know I’ve been going there more often because of the flavor updates.

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

* MENCHIE’S VICTORIA PLAZA: 5944 Telegraph Rd., Ventura, CA 93003

* MENCHIE’S EAGLE ROCK: 4929 Eagle Rock Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90041

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.

Menchie’s and Yogurtland at Local Summer Events in Los Angeles and Pasadena

Fro-yo girl here. Froyo will be present at numerous events this summer, so be on the look out. Menchie’s Eagle Rock (Los Angeles, CA) will be at the Concerts in the Park on Sunday evenings from 6 PM – 8:30 PM at 1100 Eagle Vista Dr. They’re selling mini cups of froyo.

Concerts in the Park:

July 16: Soul Sacrifice, Santana tribute band

July 30: Dean Colley, a tribute to Neil Diamond

August 6: A tribute to Frankie Valli & Jersey Boys

August 13: Sgt. Peppers, Beatles tribute band

August 20: Ronny & the Classics, classic rock

August 27: Jack Lanntz Big Band, swing music

http://www.eaglerockchamberofcommerce.com/

Yogurtland Old Town Pasadena sponsored the Bob Baker Marionettes performance on June 29th. There are lots of free concerts from now until September 3. The concerts are held at Levitt Pavilion in Memorial Park. The Thursday concerts are part of the Kids Concert Series.

Yogurtland will be at the following concerts:

July 6: Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, 7 PM

July 7: Tommy: A Bluegrass Opry, 8 PM

July 13: Rhythm Child, 7 PM

July 15: Mariachi Divas, 8 PM

July 20: Steve Songs, 7 PM

July 22: Jimmy Webb, 8 PM

July 27: The Party Animals, 7 PM

July 29: Perla Batalla, 8 PM

August 3: Justin Roberts, 7 PM

August 5: Joel Rafael, 8 PM

August 10: Lucky Diaz & the Family Jam Band, 7 PM

August 12: Dustbowl Revival, 8 PM

August 17: Lythgoe Family Productions Panto, 7 PM

August 19: Katey Sagal, 8 PM

August 26: Rocky Dawuni, 7 PM

I’m not interested in the music, but I am interested in the froyo.

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 Flavor at Yoga-urt, Mango Sunrise & Save the Date for the 2nd Anniversary

Fro-yo girl here. We just visited Yoga-urt to try the new flavor, Mango Sunrise, made with Humm Kombucha. It was introduced at Eat Drink Vegan and just started swirling at the shop.

* Mango Sunrise: The mangos used must be very ripe and sweet. The flavor tastes like ripe mangos with just a hint of kombucha that adds complexity. Like Yoga-urt’s other handcrafted flavors, it is vegan, organic, all natural, probiotic and soy free.

Yoga-urt also added kombucha floats made with Humm Kombucha recently. The flavors are:

• Pomegranate Lemonade with Strawberry Serenity
• Blueberry Mint with Vanilla Harmony or Lavender Blossom
• Apple Cinnamon with Ganesha’s Sweet Greens

I don’t drink kombucha all the time but I do like it occasionally. For those of you who don’t know, kombucha is fermented tea. It’s made with cultures and usually has a sour, tangy taste, similar to vinegar. I like the Korean drinking vinegars that I've tried and I like sour drinks. It can be an acquired taste for many. It’s supposed to be good for your digestive system and boost immunity.

Be sure to save the date for Yoga-urt’s 2nd anniversary celebration, July 22 – 23. Enjoy a $1 discount from 2 – 5 PM on both days and try their new flavor. Another Instagram contest will be announced soon.

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

* YOGA-URT: 1407 ½ W Kenneth Rd., Glendale, CA 91201

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 Yogurtland Joy Flavor, Larger Than Life Mud Pie

Fro-yo girl here. Yogurtand’s Joy promotion continues with the introduction of a new hand-crafted flavor today, Larger Than Life Mud Pie frozen yogurt. Made with real coffee, chocolate cookies and cocoa, the flavor is described as follows, “This decadent yogurt layers complex flavor notes for a unique treat you won’t find anywhere else! Real cocoa, chocolate cookies, and coffee unite for a rich and well-balanced sweetness.”

While I’m not a fan of chocolate frozen yogurt, I do really enjoy the combination of chocolate and a strong coffee flavor. And I love coffee frozen yogurt and chocolate cookies.

* Larger Than Life Mud Pie: I was expecting a strong chocolate taste. To my surprise, the coffee flavor was the dominant flavor. It’s a smooth, not bitter chocolate flavor. The chocolate undertone added complexity to it. I liked Mud Pie froyo more than I expected to. The texture was rich, smooth and creamy. It’s a lowfat flavor. Recommended toppings: Whipped cream, chocolate shell, Oreos, chocolate chips, and almonds

The next new flavor in Yogurtland’s JOY promotion is also the last, Picnic Favorite Apricot Mango Tart, with an expected arrival date of July 17.

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.

4th of July Froyo

Fro-yo girl here. I haven’t had a 4th of July/Independence Day blog post since 2013. I was surprised to realize that I didn’t have a 4th of July/Independence Day froyo Pinterest board. And so, I’ve just created a July 4th/Independence Day Froyo Pinterest board. I also found Independence Day froyo specials.

Independence Day Froyo Specials:

• Cherry Bee's Ann Arbor: 25% off from 7/1 - 7/4
• Cherryberry Tulsa: Wear red, white & blue on the 4th of July and get 3 oz off a cup
• FroYo Junction Junction City: 15% off all day on the 4th
• Menchie's Eagle Rock (Los Angeles): Buy one, get one free on pre-packs while supplies last
• Menchie's Centerville: Mention Instagram post for buy one, get one 1/2 off on Monday, 7/3 from 6 PM - 8 PM
• Orange Leaf TX (Cypress, Galveston, Lufkin, Spring): 15% off 2+ items during the holiday weekend
• Orange Leaf: Half off of pop up party boxes through July 3
• Skinny Dip Ghent: 50% off after 6 PM with the phrase, "I love the USA & I love the Skinny Dip"
• Sweet Cece’s: Buy one, get one half off on July 4
• Swirl It Frozen Yogurt Gilbert: 25% off from 7/2 - 7/8
• Wild Honey: Buy one, get one free on take home froyo
• Yogurtland Compton: Show the FB post on the Yogurtland Compton FB page for the buy one, get one free special on July 4
• Yogurtland Logan: Get 3 oz free when you mention Instagram post on 7/3 and 7/4
• Yogurtology: 4 oz free on 7/4
• Zoyo Fort Wayne & Warsaw: $3 weightless kids cups all day

Some shops are closed and many have special hours on the 4th of July.

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 July Flavors at Menchie’s: Salted Caramel Pretzel, Farm Fresh Blueberry & Num Noms Makeover

Fro-yo girl here. It’s July 1st and that means that new flavors have arrived at Menchie’s. This month, there are two new flavors, Salted Caramel Pretzel and Farm Fresh Blueberry.

* Salted Caramel Pretzel frozen yogurt is made with real pretzels and caramel, with no artificial colors. It had quite a salty kick and the caramel flavor is pretty strong/intense. I couldn’t detect the pretzels though. The texture was creamy. It’s lowfat and kosher. Recommended toppings: Heath, almonds, pretzels and caramel sauce.

* Farm Fresh Blueberry frozen yogurt is made with real blueberries, no artificial flavors, no artificial colors and no high fructose corn syrup. It’s nonfat and kosher. It’s a pretty looking froyo with a smooth, creamy texture. It tasted like blueberry yogurt the kind you’d get from Yoplait or one of those brands that have more sugar. There was some tang but the sweetness really dominates. Recommended toppings: Fresh fruit for some tang.

It was exciting to see the Num Noms makeover. They had new Num Noms cups (2 limited edition designs) which aren’t scented (too bad), Num Noms door decals and a Num Noms poster. The employees wore blue Num Noms t-shirts. The Menchie’s Num Noms starter pack, available exclusively at Toys R Us, is not on the Toys R Us website yet, but it should arrive this month. You can order online and have it shipped to you or pick it up at your nearest Toys R Us.

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.