21 Choices Pasadena Moving Day

Fro-yo girl here. 21 Choices last day at their Old Town Pasadena location (85 W Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA) was yesterday, December 30. Today they were moving out their signs, machines, and equipment. They will reopen in early 2019 at the corner of Fair Oaks & Union at the new food hall. The old location has its windows papered over but the door was open and there was a truck and trailer parked on De Lacey filled with items from 21 Choices.

At the moment, the only froyo shop in Old Town Pasadena is Yogurtland. Yogurtland is open on New Year’s Eve from 11 AM – 6 PM and New Year’s Day from 12 PM – 10 PM. Regular hours resume on Wednesday, January 2, 2019.

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.

My Best (Nicest Looking) Swirl of 2018

Fro-yo girl here. It’s the last week of 2018 and I probably will have more froyo, but I doubt I’ll top my nicest looking swirl from earlier this year. Truth be told, my froyo swirls haven’t looked as nice as usual lately. I think it’s because I’m getting less froyo and the cups are so big, or I’m trying to get as much froyo as possible into the cup because of the flat rate pricing.

My best swirl of 2018 happened at Yogurtland Pasadena (Lake Ave.). during the summer. It was a cup of Classic Cookies & Cream froyo with crushed Oreo cookies, malt balls, and crushed Butterfingers. The toppings are neatly placed around a nice, full cup of froyo. The froyo looks smooth and creamy. Yum.

This year, I enjoyed 155 cups of froyo. Last year, I had 187 cups. In 2016, I had 197 cups. Some were free, some were unlimited, and some were shared with Mr. Froyo.

I also like to look at flavors and toppings that I selected. I found the following:

• Self-swirled (64%) of cups vs not swirled by me (36%) – exactly the same as 2017 
• Single flavor (83%) vs. more than one flavor (17%) 
• Dairy (72%) vs. non-dairy (18%) – I had more non-dairy in 2017 
• Yogurtland (35%) vs. other shops (65%). My visits to Yogurtland, Menchie’s, and Pinkberry accounted for 60% 

You can see every cup that I consumed in 2018 on Pinterest:

https://www.pinterest.com/froyogirl/2018-froyo-consumed-by-me/

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.

The Decline of Qoola Frozen Yogurt

Fro-yo girl here. It’s painful to document a froyo chain’s demise but I need to document good and bad news. It seemed like a few years ago, Qoola was growing quite a bit and becoming Western Canada’s self-serve frozen yogurt chain. They added a froyo truck, introduced new products, switched to organic Canadian froyo, and introduced new store concepts like Qoola Fresh which included healthy entrées, desserts, and sandwiches.

Qoola started with one store in Vancouver, BC in 2008. While it didn’t initially serve Canadian yogurt, it later made the switch to organic frozen yogurt from Ontario’s Mapleton’s Organic Dairy Farm. I visited the original location in Vancouver while it was still serving American froyo and wasn’t self-serve.

Now every time I try to visit their website, I get a message about a mass injection attack. This has been going on for months, so I am assuming that they aren’t paying attention to their website. I’m not able to visit the website to see their list of locations. Most of them were in British Columbia.

There are still occasional tweets, FB posts, and Instagram posts from @qoola, but these are few and far between. Their current LinkedIn profile says that they have 18 locations. I have a feeling that number hasn’t been updated in quite some time. What’s particularly alarming is how several shops didn’t even last a year.


OPEN

1. Richmond, Aberdeen Centre 
2. York Lanes, York University 
3. Garden City 
4. Guildford 
5. Robson, Vancouver 
6. Hillside Mall, Victoria 
7. Uptown, Victoria 

CLOSED

1. Cook St. Village Victoria 
2. Coquitlam Centre (grand opening in 2017, already closed) 
3. Metrotown, 2250 4700 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 4N2 
4. 2945 Jacklin Rd, Langford, BC, V9B4V5 
5. Park Royal, West Vancouver 
6. UBC 
7. North Vancouver 
8. Westshore Town Centre, Victoria 
9. Square One, Mississauga 
10. Pacific Center, Vancouver 
11. Oakridge, Vancouver 
12. Yates, Victoria 
13. Orchard Park, Kelowna 
14. Market Mall, Calgary 
15. Woodgrove, Nanaimo 
16. Greenbelt, Makati, The Philippines 

There were 4 locations in late 2011, 16 locations in December 2014 and 21 locations in 2016. They acquired two Yeti Yogurt locations in 2016 and both of those closed quickly. Twenty one might have been the peak number. Things are looking grim for froyo in the Pacific Northwest area.

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.

My Favorite Tart, Sweet & Vegan Froyo Flavors of 2018

Fro-yo girl here. It’s time for me to pick my favorite new froyo flavors of 2018. This year’s new flavors didn’t thrill me. Maybe there are so many existing flavors that it’s hard to come up with something new that’s really good? I hope that’s not the case.

Here are my favorites for 2018:

Best Tart Froyo: Green Tea Lemonade frozen yogurt from Pinkberry

Pinkberry introduced three new tart froyo flavors this year. Green Tea Lemonade was my favorite because I love green tea and lemonade. But, it was pretty similar to the old Green Tea flavor that Pinkberry had, only tangier. And I love tang! Still, it wasn’t as good as last year’s winner, Pinkberry’s Blueberry Muffin frozen yogurt with blueberry muffin topping.

Best Sweet Froyo: Cold Brew Coffee from Menchie’s

I was torn between Strawberry Rose froyo from Yogurtland (love that it’s innovative and you could taste the rose) and Cold Brew Coffee from Menchie’s. After eating Strawberry Rose froyo a few times, I experienced some flavor fatigue. Menchie’s Cold Brew Coffee froyo had a stronger coffee flavor and had caffeine.

Best Vegan Froyo: Pistachio Passion from Yoga-urt

Yoga-urt in Glendale, CA has been producing the best vegan froyo flavors ever since they opened. It must be the freshness and quality of their product. They make their own vegan base with housemade cashew and almond milk. Mr. Froyo and I agreed that the best new flavor of the year was Pistachio Passion. He puts it in his top 3 flavors from Yoga-urt (the other two are Ganesha’s Sweet Greens and Peanut Butter Prana. Strawberry Serenity is #4). Pistachio Passion was introduced for World Vegan Day this November. This flavor is made with organic pistachios grown in Santa Barbara. Yoga-urt grinds the pistachios themselves and adds it to their housemade almond/cashew base. Three kinds of nuts! Unlike other pistachio froyo, it’s full of pistachio flavor and has the added texture of the ground nuts.

For a list of the new froyo flavors introduced in 2018, see: http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/news/new-froyo-flavors-introduced-in-2018/

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.

Menchie’s Mid-December 2018 Feature Flavors

Fro-yo girl here. Happy mid-December flavor change time! It’s time for the continuation of Menchie’s holiday promotion, with two feature flavors: Sea Salt Caramel Latte and Chocolate Mint made with York. Both are returning frozen yogurt flavors that were introduced last year.

Of course, I’m having a hard time finding the feature flavors in my area. Menchie’s Eagle Rock still has the November feature flavors and no December feature flavors. December is almost over! It gets tiring calling multiple locations too. Sigh. 

Menchie's in Rancho Cucamonga, CA had both feature flavors (yay!)

Sea Salt Caramel Latte frozen yogurt was first introduced this time last year. It’s lowfat and made with real sea salt and real caramel. The texture was smooth and creamy. The caramel and sea salt seemed more pronounced than I remembered but the coffee flavor was definitely strong. Recommended toppings: Heath, chocolate shell, and almonds.”

Chocolate Mint frozen yogurt made with York peppermint patties was introduced in November 2017. It’s rich, creamy and tastes like York peppermint patties. I like how mint makes it more refreshing. Recommended toppings: Andes mints, mochi, almonds, chocolate shell.”

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 Gingerbread Flavor from Yoga-urt

Fro-yo girl here. Yoga-urt has a new seasonal flavor, Gingerbread. I had a cone full today – so good! I really noticed the warm, complex molasses flavor, and then the blend of gingerbread spices – definitely ginger was part of the spice mix. I could see the spices. The yogurt was thick, rich, and creamy. It wasn’t too sweet.

It’s all the things you’d expect from Yoga-urt – organic, gluten free, soy free, kosher, all natural, hand-crafted, probiotic, vegan, plant-based.

Recommended toppings: Turmeric granola, chocolate chips. It’s also particularly wonderful with a crunchy housemade, gluten free cone.

The holiday offer is still in effect: buy $25 in gift cards and get a free mini froyo. We already picked up our gift card.

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.

More Froyo Shop Closures: Pinkberry Santana Row, Yoppi Yogurt (California St.) San Francisco, Cuppa San Francisco

Fro-yo girl here. We’re a few days away from winter, when most of the froyo news is not positive. Thanks to Tracy T., I learned about the December closure of Pinkberry Santana Row and the closure of Yoppi Yogurt on California St. in San Francisco, CA. I also found out that Cuppa (formerly Rockit Swirl) in Glen Park, San Francisco, CA closed this month.

Pinkberry Santana Row (368 Santana Row, Suite 1020, San Jose, CA 95128) turned 10 this month and promptly closed. They signed a 10-year lease and the lease was up. Santana Row refused to extend the lease. I remember attending the grand opening event in January 22, 2009, with Yelp friend, Ann L. They set up a tent outside and had a VIP list. I’m sure that I still have the t-shirt they gave me that night.

Yoppi Yogurt at 101 California St. in San Francisco, CA was one of several Yoppi locations that opened in the FiDi area in 2010. I thought Yoppi had cute signs but was never a fan of their frozen yogurt. I remember going to the California St. location with Genevieve Y. in 2010. The froyo was very icy at that time. I don’t think I ever went back. At that time, I was a regular at Tuttimelon and I would have gone to YoCup more often if it were convenient.

Cuppa (2810 Diamond St., San Francisco, CA) opened in March 2017. Before it was Cuppa, there was a froyo shop called Rockit Swirl in the same location and before RockitSwirl, it was Eggettes. Eggettes first introduced frozen yogurt at the Glen Park location in 2009. Cuppa served “bubble tea, froyo, smoothies, snacks and more.” When I visited, it didn’t seem that different from Rockit Swirl, though they refreshed the interior.

In a few years, most of the new boba places are going to close.

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.

Painful Froyo Shop Closures of 2018

Fro-yo girl here. It's a fact of life that many frozen yogurt shops close every year. Some closures are much more painful than others. This is my chance to remember some of my favorite shops that closed in 2018.

* Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt, Irvine, CA: I've never been a big fan of Golden Spoon, but the owners of this location were so nice and they were doing everything right. The shop was spotless, the employees friendly, and the yogurt servings were generous.

* Pinkberry Original Farmers Market, Los Angeles, CA: This location near the movie studios and Hollywood was the site of many celebrity froyo sightings.

* Pinkberry, The Americana at Brand, Glendale, CA: This was the best Pinkberry location in San Fernando and San Gabriel Valley. The owner really cared about froyo quality. They used to have Pinkberry test flavors from time to time. I went there for the 10th Anniversary Pinkberry event. I think they must have lost their lease? They just turned 10 this year. A boring medical practice took over the location.

* Pinkberry, Santana Row, San Jose, CA: This was the first Pinkberry in the Bay Area. It turned 10, which meant the lease was up, and they closed down. I remember going to the grand opening party at night, with Yelper Ann L. According to the owner, Santana Row refused to extend the lease. 

* Yogurtland Palo Alto, CA: It's true that this Yogurtland was never the same after the ownership change, but I still have fond memories of Yogurtland Palo Alto.

* Yummy Yogurt (Rolling Hills Estates): I never made it there (I've never been to Rolling Hills Estates), but Yummy Yogurt had a 34 year run. The outpouring of love before it closed reached my ears.

While it's sad to hear that Penguin's Frozen Yogurt in La Canada Flintridge, CA and Yogurt Stop in Menlo Park, CA closed this year, after 30 and 31 years in business, respectively, I didn't enjoy my frozen yogurt at either place.

Farewell, old friends. You are missed.

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.

California Froyo Shop Openings and Closings in 2018

Fro-yo girl here. There are plenty of frozen yogurt shops but there are also many non-traditional places to get frozen yogurt, including restaurants, convenience stores, vending machines, cafeterias, hospitals, etc. The shops that I track are ones that primarily serve frozen yogurt. This would include frozen yogurt trucks and vending machines, but exclude restaurants that have one frozen yogurt machine and convenience stores.

As always, it's much easier to track openings since shops usually have a social media presence and Yelp listing. However, many shops close quietly, without making any announcement. Fortunately, Yelpers are pretty good about reporting closings.

Here’s my attempt to track froyo shop openings and closings in California this year.

Froyo Shop Openings:

1. Besties Cool Treats, San Diego 
2. Blitzer’s, Menifee 
3. Bongo Froyo, Mammoth Lakes 
4. Cocomo Froyo, Smorgasburg, Los Angeles 
5. Cool Creations, Northridge (formerly Cups) 
6. Corner Yogurt, Half Moon Bay 
7. Cup O’Tea, Menlo Park 
8. Crazy For Yogurt, Gold River 
9. Easy Breezy Frozen Yogurt West Portal, San Francisco 
10. Exquisito, Anaheim 
11. Floatisimo, La Jolla
12. Forever Yogurt/Bee & Tea, San Jose 
13. Froyo Café, Tujunga 
14. Golden Spoon, Glendora, November 
15. Golden Spoon Café, Mission Viejo 
16. Go Greek Yogurt, Glendale Galleria, Glendale 
17. Go Greek Yogurt, Thousand Oaks 
18. Jolynn Yogurt, Hemet 
19. Kiwiblast, Bakersfield 
20. Loving Cup NoPa, Divisadero, San Francisco 
21. Menchie’s, Bakersfield 
22. Menchie’s, El Centro 
23. Menchie’s Mission Hills, Los Angeles 
24. Menchie’s Sacramento, Delta Shores 
25. Menchie’s, Mission Viejo 
26. Menchie’s Port Hueneme 
27. Menchie’s, Van Nuys 
28. Peachwave, Calabasas 
29. Snowy Frozen Yogurt & Snow Ice, Petaluma 
30. Sweet Joy Desserts, Santa Ana
31. UC Yogurt, San Diego 
32. Yes Yogurt, Morgan Hill 
33. Yog-art, Grantville, San Diego 
34. Yogurt N’ Things, Valencia 
35. Yogurtland, Bakersfield 
36. Yogurtland, Belmont Shore, Long Beach 
37. Yogurtland Century City, Los Angeles (remodeled) 
38. Yogurtland, Hanford
39. Yogurtland, Irvine (Barranca) 
40. Yogurtland, 7th St. Long Beach 
41. Yogurtland, Rancho Mission Viejo 
42. Yogurtland, Rialto 
43. Yummy Spoon, Chula Vista 

Froyo Shop Closings:

1. Bella Frozen Yogurt, Los Angeles 
2. Berrysweet, Buena Park 
3. Big Kahuna Frozen Yogurt, Reedley 
4. Big Spoon, Folsom 
5. Bougie's Frozen Yogurt, Perris 
6. Cherries N Berries, Paramount
7. Cherry on Top, Upland 
8. Chillbox, Sacramento 
9. Cindy's Frozen Yogurt, Fresno 
10. Cool Creations, Northridge (formerly Cups) 
11. Cuppa, San Francisco
12. Cups Frozen Yogurt, Irvine 
13. Cups Frozen Yogurt, Northridge (name changed to Cool Creations) 
14. Dolce Frozen Yogurt, Cambria
15. Easy Breezy, Castro, San Francisco  
16. Eddie’s Frozen Yogurt, Palm Springs
17. Fiji Yogurt Linda Vista, San Diego
18. Fiji Yogurt Friars Rd, San Diego 
19. Fit Fro, Yorba Linda
20. Fro Yo Delite, Hollister 
21. Froyo Cafe, Tujunga
22. Frozen D'lite, Corona 
23. Fruity Tart Natural Frozen Yogurt, Moreno Valley
24. Frugo's, Beaumont 
25. Golden Spoon, Irvine 
26. Golden Spoon, Lakewood 
27. Honey Treat Yogurt, Roseville
28. Jolynn Yogurt, Hemet
29. Menchie’s, Culver City 
30. Menchie's, Rancho Santa Margarita
31. Milk Plus Sugar, Santa Ana
32. Mrs. Fields/TCBY, Rancho Cucamonga 
33. N Gelato, Azusa 
34. Penguin’s Frozen Yogurt, La Canada Flintridge
35. Pinkberry, Azusa 
36. Pinkberry Original Farmers Market, Los Angeles 
37. Pinkberry, Playa Vista 
38. Pinkberry, Santa Barbara
39. Pinkberry, Santana Row, San Jose
40. Pinkberry, The Americana at Brand, Glendale 
41. Planet Yogurt, Daly City 
42. Rave Organics, Newbury Park
43. Red Mango, Livermore 
44. Sweettooth Yogurt & Boba, Whittier
45. Star Frozen Yogurt, Covina
46. TCBY, Exeter 
47. Teaberry Frozen Yogurt Café, San Luis Obispo 
48. The Pink Mango, Tujunga 
49. The Yogurt Shop, Loomis 
50. Things-N-Yogurt, Valencia 
51. Tutti Frutti, Menlo Park 
52. Tutti Frutti, Walnut Creek 
53. Tutti Frutti, Newark
54. Tutti Frutti, La Crescenta
55. Uptown Frozen Yogurt, Whittier
56. Yogurt & Love, Los Gatos 
57. Yogurt & Yummies, Escondido
58. Yogurt At Its Best, Palm Springs
59. Yogurt Monkey, Gold River 
60. Yogurt Shop, Danville
61. Yogurt Stop, Menlo Park
62. Yogurt Zone, Woodland Hills
63. Yogurtland, Long Beach Belmont Shore 
64. Yogurtland, Palo Alto 
65. Yogurtland, Woodland Hills
66. Yogurtland, Northridge
67. Yogurtland, Santa Cruz
68. Yogurtown, Pinole
69. Yoppi Yogurt, California St., San Francisco
70. Yum Yum Yogurt, Clovis 
71. Yummy Yogurt, Rolling Hills Estates 

It's been pretty typical to find about equal numbers of froyo shop openings and closings, with the exception of last year when there were many more closings than openings. The number of openings and closings are down this year. The majority of openings occurred in Southern California. The closures were more evenly distributed throughout the state. Since closures tend not to be publicized, I'm sure that I'm missing some closures. 

Interestingly, seven Menchie's locations and seven Yogurtland locations opened this year in California. Peachwave opened its first location in California. CUPS no longer has any locations in California and Pinkberry continued to close locations, with five closures. I was surprised that five Yogurtland locations closed. Chillbox, the chain from Greece, no longer has any locations in California.

Another factor in the closings is the age of the shop. As shops turn 10, many are losing their lease. This was the reason cited for several closures, including Yogurtland Palo Alto and Pinkberry Santana Row. Pinkberry at the Americana turned 10 this year. 

When existing frozen yogurt stores change ownership but not names, I don’t consider this to be an opening or a closing. It's too hard to track ownership changes, since they often are not announced, but if I hear of an ownership change, I do make a note of it.

Froyo Shops Under New Ownership:

• Golden Spoon, Carlsbad 
• Golden Spoon, La Costa 
• Hoppy’s Froyo, Fortuna 
• Menchie’s South Pasadena (same owner as Menchie’s Glendale) 
• Menchie’s Winepress (Fresno, CA) 
• Something Sweet Frozen Yogurt, Lake Isabella 
• Yogurt 101, Solana Beach 
• Yogurtland, 19755 Colima Rd, Rowland Heights 

Then there's Fruity Tart Froyo in Moreno Valley, which is now called Sweet Beast Dessert Cafe. It's unclear whether ownership has changed.

I've also tried to track new businesses that aren't primarily frozen yogurt shops, but serve frozen yogurt.

Not a Froyo Shop but Has Opened and Serves Froyo:

• Freshii, Los Angeles
• Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt, Laguna Niguel
• Loop Neighborhood, Mountain View
• Loop Neighborhood Market, Norco
• Loop Neighborhod Market, Silver Creek/San Jose
• Loop Neighborhood Market, Union City
• Nick the Greek, Stevens Creek, San Jose
• Pita Barn Express, Victorville
• Pita GR, Downey
• Popbar, Riverside
• Rave Organics Café
• The Argentum Project, San Francisco

Not New, Not a Froyo Shop But Started Serving Froyo

• Nick the Greek, Almaden, San Jose
• Nick the Greek, Downtown, San Jose
• Nick the Greek, Sunnyvale
• Nick the Greek, Willow Glen, San Jose
• Nick the Greek, Santa Teresa, San Jose
• Nick the Greek, King Rd, San Jose
• Nick the Greek, Redwood City

Another hard to track category is the future froyo shops. Menchie's makes it easy because they list future shops on their website, but otherwise, I have to look for mentions on social media. Next year, there should be a lot of Reis & Irvy robot froyo installations. 

Future Places That Will Serve Froyo:

• Menchie’s, Arleta
• Menchie’s, Hanford
• Menchie’s, Pinole
• Menchie’s Upland
• Menchie’s Citrus Heights
• Nick the Greek, Morgan Hill
• Peachwave, Los Angeles (downtown)
• Souvla, Chestnut St., Marina, San Francisco 
• Yagoot, Hollywood
• Yoga-urt, Echo Park, Los Angeles (Spring 2019)
• YogoFarm, Los Angeles
• Yogurtland, La Habra

I noticed a few places were listed as closed for remodeling.

Closed for Remodeling (or Temporarily Closed):

• 21 Choices, Claremont (Foothill)
• Boxcar Eats, Sacramento
• Tutti Frutti, La Crescenta

The 21 Choices has been closed for remodeling for a long time. Will it ever reopen? 21 Choices in Pasadena will be moving to a new location in Old Town, close to the current one, in 2019.

Since I always wind up finding out about new openings and closings after publishing my post, I’ll keep updating this post. Did I miss any openings or closings? 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.

Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt in Newark, CA Has Closed

Fro-yo girl here. I’m not sure how Tutti Frutti Newark stayed open as long as it did, but it has finally closed. The doors and windows are covered with paper, so one can’t see inside. The signs indicate that Uji Time, the taiyaki ice cream shop, will be moving in. 

Tutti Frutti opened in 2009. Over the years they added drinks to the menu. I went in a few times, but was never that fond of it.

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

* TUTTI FRUTTI: 6193 Jarvis Ave., Newark, CA 94560

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.

Tutti Frutti Menlo Park’s Replacement, Cup O’ Tea

Fro-yo girl here. I didn’t get a chance to try Cup O’Tea in Menlo Park, CA, the frist time I saw it. I recently visited for the first time.

The interior looks the same as before, when it was still Tutti Frutti. They had 6 self serve froyo flavors a day. Most of the flavor signs seemed to be Dannon YoCream signs, but they also had a few Tutti Frutti flavor signs. Toppings included fruit (it did not look fresh), jellies, boba, cereal, candy, coconut, cookies, nuts, cookie dough, etc. I didn’t see a price posted, but the employee thought it was 59 cents an ounce.

The drink menu includes milk tea, snowy, slushy and hot drinks. They also added garlic noodles.

They still had Tutti Frutti cups. I asked about sample cups and received one.

The mochi that I chose was hard and dried out. The other toppings looked old. Half of the toppings bar was empty! Sad.

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

* CUP O’TEA: 888 Willow Rd., Menlo Park, CA 94025

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’s New Flavor: Citrus C Sorbet

Fro-yo girl here. Well, it’s been awhile since Yogurtland introduced a new flavor. The last new flavor was Butterfinger frozen custard. During 2014’s Flavor Quest, Yogurtland introduced Orange Citrus sorbet, described as “A flavor as bright as the Sunshine state itself, this flavor combines real Mandarin oranges, tangerines and clementines for a light, refreshing vitamin C-packed way to beat the heat.”

It looks like Citrus C sorbet is a similar, but new flavor. It’s described as “Made with REAL Tangerines and Oranges, this tangy, sweet sorbet is sure to be a crowd pleaser! The perfect flavor balance of candied tangerine and a fresh orange finish makes for a refreshingly sweet treat!” So, Citrus C doesn’t have clementines and while it has tangerine, it’s candied tangerine.

It’s been a long time since I’ve had Orange Citrus sorbet, but I think it was much better than Citrus C sorbet. Citrus C didn’t taste like fresh squeezed orange/clementine juice, although it's made with real oranges and tangerines. There was no tang. It was sweet like an orange flavored drink (Sunny Delight). Recommended toppings: raspberries, popping boba.

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.

White Moustache Whey Tonic & Labneh Review

Fro-yo girl here. One of the byproducts of strained yogurt is whey. Greek yogurt manufacturers have been paying people to take their whey. White Moustache makes small batch yogurt by hand and they found a creative way to use whey – probiotic tonics and pops (frozen popsicles). I spotted their whey tonics at Eataly in Los Angeles. They had two flavors, pineapple and passionfruit. One 16 oz bottle was $4.80. That makes it cheaper than cold pressed juice and comparable to kombucha. The heavy glass bottle was very nice. It reminded me of cold pressed juice.

White Moustache whey tonics come in the following flavors: plain, ginger, honey lime, passion fruit and pineapple flavor.

* Passion fruit whey tonic: It was light, tangy, and not too sweet. I couldn’t taste yogurt but I could taste the passion fruit. The tonic was lighter than pure juice. Mr. Froyo liked how it was refreshing and balanced. It was sour but not overwhelmingly so.

Ingredients: Yogurt whey, passion fruit juice, pear juice. The whey has live and active cultures. They’re supposed to help with digestion.

One serving (8 oz) is 90 calories, 20 g of sugar, 0 g fat.

Kombucha has a more distinctive taste than yogurt whey and has much less sugar.

I actually tried and reviewed a yogurt whey drink called Drinkwell Softers in 2013: https://froyogirl.blogspot.com/2013/10/drinkwell-softers-review.html

White Moustache also makes whole milk labneh which is strained yogurt. It comes in three flavors: Plain, Shankleesh, and Kurdish. An 8 oz tub is $9.80. 

Shankleesh labneh has aleppo pepper and za'atar, the spice blend that typically has sesame seeds, thyme, sumac, and salt. It's really good - thick, creamy, a little spicy, tangy, and zesty. And it's divine with crisp Persian cucumbers. But is it that much better than the Golden Plate labneh that's imported from Cyprus and just $150 for 17.6 oz.? I don't think so.

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.

Menchie’s December Feature Flavors: Eggnog Cheesecake & Frozen Hot Cocoa

Fro-yo girl here. It’s that time of the month when Menchie’s launches its feature flavors. Or at least, it’s supposed to be that time of the month. I called around and my local Menchie’s didn’t have the new flavors until over a week after they were supposed to have the flavors. I don’t live that far from Menchie’s HQ, so this constant delay in stocking the latest flavors is very frustrating. So is the lack of a flavor finder feature on the Menchie’s website. Why get people excited over new flavors if the shops don’t even have them?

The two *NEW* feature flavors scheduled to come out on December 1, 2018 were:

* Frozen Hot Cocoa frozen yogurt made with Swiss Miss: At first, I thought this was the same flavor as the previous flavor called Swiss Miss Classic Hot Chocolate which was introduced in 2015, but the flavor name is different. Are hot chocolate and hot cocoa the same? Apparently not. Hot chocolate should be made with chocolate, whereas hot cocoa is made with cocoa powder. It tasted just like the hot cocoa I used to drink long ago, so it was too sweet. But it was also rich and creamy. Frozen Hot Cocoa froyo is a lowfat frozen yogurt made with no artificial flavors and no high fructose corn syrup. Recommended toppings: Marshmallows, Cool Whip, and chocolate chips.

* Eggnog Cheesecake frozen yogurt: This is a brand new flavor. In the past, they brought back Holiday Eggnog froyo a few times for the holidays. Cheesecake is always a popular froyo flavor, so combining it with eggnog sounds appealing. This flavor didn’t have a strong eggnog note – it tasted like slightly tangy, slightly cheesy vanilla. Not bad. Recommended toppings: Nilla Wafers, almonds, cheesecake.

On December 16, the new feature flavors will be released: Sea Salt Caramel Latte, Chocolate Mint made with York Peppermint Patties. I think both are returning flavors.

The holiday gift card promotion continues. Get a $5 bonus card when you buy $25 worth of Menchie’s gift cards. I already bought mine. Menchie’s is also raffling off boxes of Swiss Miss hot cocoa.

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.

Yasso’s New Peppermint Crunch and Sugar Cookie Frozen Yogurt Review

Fro-yo girl here. Wow, I didn’t have to wait quite as long to try Yasso’s new seasonal flavors, Peppermint Crunch and Sugar Cookie frozen Greek yogurt. The flavors are available in pints and bars. The Target I went to only had the bars though. They were on sale for $3 a box. The regular price is $4.79. A box comes with four individually wrapped bars. One bar is 3.5 fl oz.

The design of the boxes is so festive, eye-catching, and cute. Santa and Mrs. Claus are about to indulge in a Yasso bar.

Peppermint Crunch: This is a peppermint flavored frozen Greek yogurt with crushed candy canes, chocolate cookie pieces, and white chocolate-flavored chips. This was the winner. It reminded me of Yasso’s Mint Championship flavor. Their peppermint products, including this one, are always so refreshing and natural tastng. You can’t go wrong with mint combined with chocolate. The texture was very pleasing too – light, creamy, with crunchy, tiny chocolate cookie bits. It wasn’t too sweet. One bar is 120 calories, with 2g fat, 15g sugars, and 5g protein. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Sugar Cookie: The sugar cookie frozen Greek yogurt has colorful green and red sprinkles and small chunks of delicious sugar cookie dough. I didn’t see many sprinkles. The bar was creamy and light. The cookie dough bits were grainy and sweet. The bars were sweeter than the Peppermint Crunch ones. The yogurt smelled just like a sugar cookie vanilla candle. Since I wasn’t a fan of the cookie chunks, I wouldn’t get this flavor again. 3 out of 5 stars.

Ingredients (Peppermint Crunch): Nonfat Milk, Greek Yogurt (Nonfat Milk, Yogurt Cultures), Sugar, Crushed Candy Cane (Rice Syrup, Cane Sugar, Coconut Oil, Peppermint Oil, Beet Juice Concentrate, Soy Lecithin), White Chocolate Flavored Chip (Confectioner Sugar, Coconut Oil, Nonfat Dry Milk Powder, Whole Milk Powder, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavors) , Milk Protein Concentrate, Maltodextrin, Cream, Crushed Chocolate Cookies (Unbleached Unenriched Wheat Flour, Sugar, Palm and Palm Kernel Oil, Cocoa Processed with Alkali, Chocolate Liquor, Salt, Sodium Bicarbonate, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavor), Locust Bean Gum, Guar Gum, Natural Flavor

Yasso is carried at Target. For a list of retailers that carry Yasso, check out Yasso’s location finder: https://yasso.com/find-a-store/

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.

Yasso’s New Pumpkin Cheesecake Flavor Review

Fro-yo girl here. Well, I had to nearly three months again before finding the new Yasso product, Pumpkin Cheesecake. After checking multiple Target locations in Southern California for months (sometimes more than once a week!), I had given up on ever finding Yasso Pumpkin Cheesecake without traveling somewhere else. Yasso announced the new flavor on September 18. I didn’t find it until December 5.

I went to the Target at 777 E Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA last week and they didn’t have it then. I finally found Pumpkin Cheesecake pints on clearance at Target, 3121 E Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, for $2.48 (regular price, $4.99). Pumpkin season is over. At least I bought it for 50% off.

Pumpkin cheesecake frozen yogurt features graham crackers swirled into pumpkin cheesecake. I’m not a huge fan of American cheesecake because it tends to be too rich and heavy (Japanese cheesecake is a different story), but I can see how pumpkin would complement cheesecake. Pumpkin spices would make the cheesecake taste more interesting and complex.

Pumpkin Cheesecake pint: The yogurt had a slight cheesecake scent and lots of pumpkin spices. The texture was very pleasing: creamy, scoopable, and the right density. The flavor was quite tasty too – heavy on the spices, a subtle tang from the cheesecake, not overly sweet. The graham cracker “swirl” was more like huge chunks of graham cracker crumble – very tasty but not really a swirl. The yogurt did have a slightly bitter aftertaste. One serving (1/2 cup) is 150 calories, 4.5g total fat, 18g sugars, and 5g protein. Yasso Pumpkin Cheesecake contains no artificial or high intensity sweeteners.

Ingredients: Nonfat Milk, Graham Cracker Swirl [Graham Cracker Crumb (Unbleached Unenriched Wheat Flour, Whole Wheat/Graham Flour, Sugar, Palm Oil and Palm Kernel Oil, Molasses, Honey, Salt, Sodium Bicarbonate), Cottonseed Oil, Confectioner Sugar, Coconut Oil, Salt, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavor, Cinnamon], Pumpkin Cheesecake Base [Cane Sugar, Water, Pumpkin Puree, Invert Sugar, Fruit and Vegetable Juice (for color), Brown Sugar, Molasses, Nutmeg, Caramel Color, Cinnamon, Cream Cheese Powder (Pasteurized Cream Cheese Culture, Salt, Carob Bean Gum, Guar Gum, and Sodium Phosphate), Natural Flavor, Nonfat Dry Milk, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Xanthan Gum], Greek Yogurt (Nonfat Milk, Yogurt Cultures), Sugar, Cream, Milk Protein Concentrate, Maltodextrin, Dextrose, Locust Bean Gum, Guar Gum, Sunflower Lecithin, Vegetable Juice (color)

Yasso is carried at Target. For a list of retailers that carry Yasso, check out Yasso’s location finder.

https://yasso.com/find-a-store/

I’ll probably have to wait till February to try their new Peppermint Crunch and Sugar Cookie 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.

Yogurtland Palo Alto is Closing Very Soon

Fro-yo girl here. Thanks to my Palo Alto based froyo tipster, I’ve learned that Yogurtland Palo Alto has lost its lease and will close very soon – as soon as the supplies run out. It will likely close less than a week from now. So, if you have fond memories of Yogurtland Palo Alto, rush over there to say goodbye.

Once Yogurtland closes, there will be two froyo shops left in Palo Alto: Pinkberry and Fraiche. I think Kali on California Ave. still serves frozen yogurt, but it’s not a froyo shop.

Back in 2011, I posted pictures of Yogurtland Palo Alto before it opened. I enjoyed going there until the ownership changed. The old owners were more customer-focused and friendly. It’s still sad news for Palo Alto froyo fans though. The next closest Yogurtland location is in Mountain View.

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

* YOGURTLAND PALO ALTO: 494 University Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301

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.

Spaceman USA and FroCup.com’s End of the Year Soft Serve Machine Trade In Program

Do you have an older frozen yogurt machine that's no longer reliable? If your machine’s performance has degraded over the years, it’s definitely time to consider getting a replacement machine. A quality soft serve machine is essential for producing quality product. Quality product increases customer satisfaction and sales.

Spaceman USA and FroCup.com have teamed up to offer an end-of-the-year trade in program to help you start the new year with shiny new soft serve machines. The program will offer a $3,300 credit for each old soft serve machine that customers would like to trade in for new Spaceman 6250H floor Standing Soft Serve Two Flavor with Twist option Soft Serve Machines.

Benefits of New Soft Serve Machines from Spaceman USA

Spaceman USA is a manufacturer of high-quality soft serve ice cream and frozen beverage machines. Spaceman was founded by aerospace engineers in 1997. Its mission is to offer customers the highest quality soft serve and frozen beverage machines with superior customer service at a reasonable price.

Each piece of Spaceman equipment is quality inspected and distributed from their centrally located Broomfield, CO warehouse. The Spaceman factory has ISO 9001 certification, and each piece of equipment is fully commercially certified and marked with ETL labels to NSF/ANSI 6 and UL certifications.

New Spaceman USA soft serve machines offer the following benefits:

• Increased reliability (and peace of mind) compared to older soft serve machines
• While newer machines are less likely to need repairs, warranty coverage prevents costly repairs if repairs are necessary.
• Cost savings over the life of the machine. Spaceman parts are less expensive than the competitors
• Lower electric and cooling costs by at least 35% compared to old soft serve machines

Introducing Spaceman USA’s Year End Trade In Program

Spaceman USA and FroCup.com are introducing a new trade-in program for old soft serve machines for a limited time. The trade in offer is good until 12/31/2018.

Here’s the deal:

• You’ll receive a $3,300 credit for each of your old soft serve machines that you’d like to trade in for the Spaceman 6250H Standing Soft Serve Two Flavor with Twist option Ice Cream Machine - 208/230V. This is Spaceman’s most popular machine for frozen yogurt shops. It is a medium capacity, twin-twist, gravity feed, floor standing soft serve freezer.
• Must trade in at least two machines.
• Free shipping. Spaceman will provide the necessary shipping materials and pay for shipping of the old machines and the new machines.
• Offer good in the contiguous US only

New Spaceman machines will include:

• 1 year warranty on parts and labor
• 5 year warranty on the refrigeration system (compression, hopper, shell)
• 7 day a week technical support line
• Free unlimited remote training
• Free overnight warranty part delivery
• Fastest Average Nationwide service response

Spaceman 6250H Product Description

The Spaceman 6250H is the premium soft serve option for mid to high capacity businesses that want to offer more variety on their dessert menu. THe 6250H is a medium capacity, twin-twist, gravity feed, floor standing soft serve freezer.

• Dual controls allow the operator to independently manage settings for two different flavors, plus swirl in the middle
• Good for ice cream, frozen yogurt, gelato or sorbet, this model has convenient locking castor wheels and user-friendly digital control boards to adjust settings as needed
• The hopper agitator will stir product throughout the day, saving operator time and ensuring an even cool in the hopper
• Patented freezing technology on the 1.8qt cylinders means a super fast recovery time, producing up to 50 qts/hr, or more than 400 small servings every hour
• Spaceman’s most popular model! Digital Display, Easily Adjust Product Firmness and Hopper Temperature, Refrigerated Hoppers, Standby/Night Mode, Check Serving Count, Low Temperature Protection, Motor Overload Protection, High Current Protection, Compressor Protection, Low Level Indicator, Ships with Plug Installed, Rotating and Locking Casters, Includes Start Up Kit: Extra Tune Up Kit, Lubricant, Sanitizer Solution, Brush Kit, Manual and Cleaning Guides

What Customers Are Saying About Spaceman

“The machine is pricy but it is worthy the money. Great quality and definitely built to last. Makes some of the best soft serve ice cream.”  - Five star rating (out of five stars) from Jerry C. on 02/08/2018, Webrestaurantstore.com

“Perfect addition to the diner. All employees were very pleased as well. thank you!” - Five star rating (out of five stars) from Maria O'Connell on October 02, 2015, ckitchen.com

“Wow, I cannot say enough about your company!! We are so pleased with everything, from the start to finish thats its hard to put into words. I will start with the machines...Its amazing how quickly they make yogurt, the quality and consistency is perfect. They are easy to put together, and disassemble to clean. I've worked with Taylor machines, and trust me, these are alot easier. Brand new machines, affordable price, and quality service, it doesnt get better than that. The personal training was great, and it was fun!! Now we have the understanding to make our machines run smoothly, and effectively for years. I want you to know that your customer service catered to our every need. They responded quickly to our questions, and sent so many helpful resources. Anytime they were ready to help, and with such a gracious manner. Five stars, to your employees!! Hands down, for quality, price, and customer service you are the best!!! Happy holiday to all of you!!" - Darlene Howard, Dlish Frozen Yogurt

To get started, fill out the contact form and FroCup.com will get back to you soon.

21 Choices to Move to Another Location in Pasadena, CA

Fro-yo girl here. 21 Choices is moving soon to a new location, not far from their current location in Old Town Pasadena. The new location will be the corner of Fair Oaks and Union – in a new food hall that’s currently under construction. Expect the move to take place in early 2019.

I love the current location – it’s so central. It will be hard to see it become something else…

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.

South Lake Avenue 2018 Holidayfest Recap, Yogurtland Update

Fro-yo girl here. I’ve just returned from South Lake Avenue’s Holidayfest in Pasadena, CA. It’s kid-focused but they do have a fun scavenger hunt that people of all ages can enjoy and so many raffle prizes that you can enter if you complete the scavenger hunt. Yogurtland donated a certificate for catering for 15 people this year, which is the same prize they donated last year. Other raffle prizes included gift certificates from CAVA, Del Frisco’s Grille, Lemonade, Urban Plates, etc. I won a cup of coffee by spinning the prize wheel in front of Corner Bakery.

I also spotted roaming holiday characters (Olaf from Frozen, Frosty the Snowman), free popcorn, free cake samples from Corner Bakery, live music, Santa (available for photos) and horse and carriage rides ($10 for a ride).

Yogurtland was one of the scavenger hunt locations and they had a special promotion, 25% off froyo from 12 PM – 5 PM. I got a Yogurtland sticker that I hadn’t seen before.

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.