Yooli Farmers Cheese Review

Fro-yo girl here. Yooli Foods launched their line of cultured farmer’s cheese products in 2016. I only spotted Yooli’s farmers cheese cups recently, probably because they’re placed near cottage cheese and that’s not an area that I usually look. Farmer’s cheese (or farmer cheese) is similar to cottage cheese. It’s made by pressing the moisture from cottage cheese. The end result is drier and firmer. I’ve had farmer’s cheese before but never the sweetened kind. My inclination would be to use it in savory applications.

I found Yooli at Super King Altadena. They had three flavors: Vanilla, Honey & Lemon Zest, and Strawberry. The cup design and size are reminiscent of yogurt. One cup is 5 oz. Super King was selling Yooli for $1.79, regular price. Yooli farmer’s cheese is low lactose, gluten free, and probiotic.

* Vanilla: While it’s drier and firmer than cottage cheese, it was still moist, with small curds. It was sweet but quite tangy. I found the sweetness somewhat strange but it went well with tart blueberries. It was also filling. The flavor is mild and dominated by tanginess. I could taste the vanilla though. One serving is 150 calories, 2g fat, 13g sugars, and 19g protein.

* Honey & Lemon Zest: This had a slightly bitter flavor that I didn’t like as much. But the honey and lemon zest flavors aren’t super strong.

Ingredients (Vanilla): Skim milk, cream, water, calcium chloride, organic cane sugar, vanilla extract, vitamin D3, live and active cultures (acidophilus, Bifidobacterium).

Sweet farmer’s cheese is something I’d have to get used to. I used to like cottage cheese, but I added savory things to it. I did like the farmer's cheese as a spread that I put on my waffle though. 

Yooli is positioned as an alternative to yogurt. I didn’t dislike Yooli but I didn’t like it as much as yogurt. It does have a lot of protein though, if that’s what you’re into. I wish they had a plain variety, but then again, I could just buy farmer’s cheese at that point (though farmer’s cheese doesn’t usually come in single serve cups).

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

4 out of 5 stars.

* SUPER KING: 2260 Lincoln Ave., Altadena, CA 91001

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.

Loacker Raspberry Yoghurt Chocolate Bar Review

Fro-yo girl here. I knew that Loacker made tasty wafer cookies but I didn’t realize that they also made chocolate bars with their famous, light, crispy wters inside. I spotted Loacker Raspberry Yoghurt milk chocolate bars at Grocery Outlet for $1.49 each. The bar is 55g and imported from Italy. It’s milk chocolate with a raspberry yoghurt cream and wafer.

One bar is 300 calories, 18g fat, 30g total carbohydrates, 24g sugars, and 5g protein. Loacker’s bar is thinner than Ritter Sport. There were six sections of the chocolate bar.

* Raspberry Yoghurt bar: The milk chocolate was soft and rich. It seemed to melt the moment I touched it. Inside the bar, there’s a thin layer of raspberry yoghurt cream on top of a thin wafer. The chocolate was very creamy and the flavor of it overpowered everything else. However, I could taste some of the raspberry, which had a mild tang. The wafer added a bit of crunch. I couldn’t taste yogurt. 

Ingredients: Sugar, cocoa mass, whole milk powder, coconut oil, skimmed milk powder, glucose syrup, wheat flour, whey powder (milk), skimmed milk yoghurt powder 2%, dextrose, soy flour, barley malt extract, raspberry powder 0.5%, emulsifier soy lecithins, raising agents (sodium hydrogen carbonate, disodium diphosphate) salt, reduced-fat cocoa, hazelnuts, Bourbon vanilla pods, spices.

Available flavors: Milk Crème, Dark Crème, Chocolate Crème, Napolitaner, White Crème, and Raspberry Yoghurt

Cost Plus also carries Loacker chocolate bars.

4 out of 5 stars.

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

* GROCERY OUTLET: 1322 E Huntington Dr, Duarte, CA 91010

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.

Tiki Tiki Frozen Yogurt Takes Over the Green Apple Yogurt Space in El Monte, CA

Fro-yo girl here. Somehow it took me a long time to realize that Green Apple Yogurt in El Monte, CA had closed in late 2017. In December 2017, they closed for “remodeling” and they never reopened. They were never active on social media and their Yelp listing hadn’t been updated. Tiki Tiki Frozen Yogurt and Ice Cream took over the Green Apple Yogurt space in April 2019. I missed the soft opening and the grand opening.

So what’s new? Tiki Tiki added a case of ice cream and took away a few of the froyo machines. At this point, they’d better hope that their ice cream is really good because the froyo is worse than it used to be. They have eight self-serve flavors a day and toppings for 51 cents an ounce. It’s in a Mexican neighborhood, so the toppings reflect that (they have some Mexican candies). Toppings include sauces, nuts, fruit, cookie dough, jellies, marshmallows, candy, sprinkles cereal, coconut, etc. The strawberries were fresh. The yogurt tasted artificial and not fresh. I could not finish my froyo, which almost never happens.

The tiki theme is definitely cute. There are paper pineapples at each table, a totem pole, a beach scene, etc. It’s a spacious place with easy parking and free wi-fi. I think they kept Green Apple’s Wellspring soft serve machines and furniture.

They also have coffee, tea, shakes, and packaged snacks. The menu board mentioned crepes, but I’m not sure if they actually have crepes.

Tiki Tiki has a Facebook page that hasn’t been updated since they opened. They also have an Instagram account, @tikitikifrozendesserts, that hasn’t been updated since April.

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

* TIKI TIKI: 10811 Valley Mall, El Monte, CA 91731

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.

National Ice Cream Day Pictures, Ice Cream Alley Report

Fro-yo girl here. Happy National Ice Cream Day! It was a busy day. First I went to Smorgasburg LA to check out the third Annual Ice Cream Alley. I didn’t see any froyo but there were some new vendors like Evil Cooks, with dessert tacos, and Oatly. Other ice cream vendors included Wanderlust Creamery, Buddy Pops, Madame Shugah, Mc Connell’s, Afters Ice Cream, Sweet Rose Creamery, Sweet N Hollow, Blast Ice Cream, and Smoreology. Ice Cream Alley will be back every Sunday until September 1.

Oatly’s appearance was part of their Pre-Release Tour for their new vegan, nut-free, soy-free oat frozen dessert. I believe today was the debut of their truck. The product line includes 7 flavors, though today they only offered Oat, Chocolate, Strawberry, and Coffee. The menu included scoops (2 for $4), pints oat lattes, affogat-oat, and Oatly pins. I tried the Oat and Coffee flavors. The oatmilk frozen dessert was surprisingly dense, rich, and creamy. I’m not sure how they did it. The coffee flavor wasn’t super strong. I like my coffee ice cream to have bold coffee flavor. The oat flavor was surprisingly mild and didn’t taste as much like oatmeal as I expected. The flavor was clean and pleasant. The product line will launch this fall. The other flavors are Chocolate Chip, Mint Chip, and Vanilla.

Then it was time to get some froyo at Yogurtland’s National Ice Cream Day BOGO event. It was crazy busy! They still had the cute waffle cone spoons. I wanted to stock up on their Dairy-free Key Lime Pie soft serve.

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 Fourth Anniversary Weekend Recap

Fro-yo girl here. It felt like the Yoga-urt Fourth Anniversary Weekend would never get here, but it’s finally here. The anniversary celebration includes (1) a new flavor, Cherry Amaretto, (2) discounted froyo, $1 off at Glendale from 2 PM – 5 PM on July 20 and $1 off at Echo Park from 2 PM – 5 PM on July 21, (3) a compassionate fundraiser for Together Rising, a non-profit that provides emergency relief and long-term help for detained children.

I was also pleasantly surprised to Peaceful Peach, the new flavor introduced at Eat Drink Vegan. It was the first time Peaceful Peach has been offered at Yoga-urt’s shops.

Cherry Amaretto: The pretty purple color makes it the perfect Yoga-urt anniversary flavor. I could see bits of cherry throughout and I could taste the amaretto/almond liqueur. The amaretto flavor wasn’t overwhelming. The cherries tasted fresh and a little tangy. Recommended toppings: Crushed pistachios, chocolate chips

Peaceful Peach: I could see bits of peach. The peach flavor wasn’t super strong because I could really taste the cashew/almond base. It was sweet, creamy, and rich. Recommended toppings: Organic gummy bears

The anniversary celebration continues tomorrow. Go!

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.

2nd National Ice Cream Day at Yogurtland & Other National Ice Cream Day Events

Fro-yo girl here. Soft serve ice cream is a hit at Yogurtland! And they’re celebrating National Ice Cream Day for the second time on Sunday, July 21 with a special offer: BOGO free from 1 PM – 6 PM. The feature flavor is Cookies & Crème light ice cream, made with OREO wafers. I’ve already had it a couple of times. Be sure to try it before they run out. It has more cookie flavor than their yogurt version, Classic Cookies & Cream.

Ice Cream Alley will be back at Smorgsaburg LA this Sunday, with pop-up ice cream vendors. Check it out from 10 AM – 4 PM at The Row, 777 Alameda St., Los Angeles, CA. Free parking and free admission.

Other National Ice Cream Day Offers:

• 16 Handles: Loyalty members get the first 3 oz free on July 21, 2019, from open - 5 PM
• Kiwi Spoon (Rocky Hill, CT): Get your first 3 oz free on July 21, minimum $5 purchase
• Nekter: BOGO free on Skoop, the vegan frozen sensation, get the offer on the Nekter app – it’s good all day on July 21. Try one of their four new flavors.
• Pressed Juicery: $2 Freezes (size 1 with up to three toppings) on July 21
• Wanderlust Creamery: Two scoops for the price of one on July 21, all day
• Woody’s Yogurt Place (Mill Valley, CA): Celebrate with 10% off your purchase on Saturday, July 20
• Yoga-urt (Glendale & Echo Park (Los Angeles), CA): Celebrate Yoga-urt’s fourth anniversary this weekend with a new flavor, $1 off on Saturday, July 20, from 2 PM – 5 PM at the Glendale store, and $1 off at the Echo Park store on Sunday, July 21, from 2 PM – 5 PM. One dollar of every transaction this weekend will go to Together Rising, a nonprofit that provides emergency relief and long-term help to detained children.

National Ice Cream Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of July.

National Today ran an interesting survey about ice cream, including favorite flavors, favorite brands, and ice cream eating behaviors.

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 at Trader Joe’s: Strawberry Greek Frozen Yogurt Parfait Bars Review

Fro-yo girl here. It’s been awhile since TJ’s introduced a new frozen yogurt product. Prior to the new Strawberry Greek Frozen Yogurt Parfait Bars, they had Frozen Vanilla Greek Yogurt way back in 2012. In 2009, they introduced Nonfat Plain Frozen Yogurt. The strawberry froyo bars are their first yogurt popsicles. What took so long?

Trader Joe’s product developer wanted to created the “ultimate breakfast popsicle” using creamy yogurt, crunchy granola, and summer fruits. TJ’s parfait bars are made with Greek yogurt, strawberry puree, strawberry pieces, and Just the Clusters Vanilla Almond granola. One box contains 4 bars and is priced at $2.99. According to Trader Joe’s, the bars will only be available this summer.

* Strawberry Greek frozen yogurt parfait bar: Delicious – these seem like the kind of bars you’d make at home. They’re full size, tangy, and creamy. I like that they taste like yogurt because many frozen yogurt bars on the market do not. They taste simple and natural, with lots of strawberry flavor. The chewy granola bits are found throughout the bar.

One bar is 100 calories, 2g total fat, 18g total carbs, 14g sugars and 3g protein.

Ingredients: Greek yogurt (cultured pasteurized skim milk, yogurt concentrate (cultured whey, nonfat dry milk, yogurt cultures), dextrose, milk protein concentrate, mono- and diglycerides, guar gum, maltodextrin, strawberry puree, diced strawberries, oat clusters (rolled oats, sugar, expelled pressed canolaoil, rice flour, almonds, cornstarch, honey, natural flavor, salt, barley malt syrup), sliced strawberries (strawberries, sugar), natural flavor, vegetable juice (color), citric acid (acidifier).

Get these if you love the taste of yogurt and strawberries! I plan to get more and have them for breakfast.

4.5 out of 5 stars.

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

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Shakeaway's Last US Location Closes

Fro-yo girl here. Shakeaway is a global milkshake chain that started in the UK in 1999 and now has franchisees in more than 60 countries. It’s the “largest milkshake bar company in the world.” Shakeaway offers milkshakes, smoothies, frozen yogurt, and lowfat crispy fries. With over 180 ingredients, customers can create a different milkshake with every visit.

They first opened locations in the US in 2014. The locations were in La Jolla, CA (2014), San Diego, CA (2014), Cumming, GA (2014), Huntington Beach, CA (2015) and Norcross, GA (2015). Huntington Beach was the last one open in the US and it closed some time last year. I tried going there in 2017, only to find out that frozen yogurt machine wasn’t working. And I went another time in 2016, but they were closed. I think it was a Monday and I assumed that they would be open, so it was partly my fault. Now that the Huntington Beach location is closed, I will probably never try their frozen yogurt. Even if I came across a Shakeaway location in another country, it doesn’t sound worth trying.

Their frozen yogurt is described as ice cream like. They folded the ingredients into the yogurt. One person who tried their frozen yogurt wrote the following, “The "Sandy" my wife got was yogurt with blueberries, roasted hazelnuts and real maple syrup. It seemed that the yogurt was made with curdled milk and the blueberries were frozen.” Ugh.

Read Daniel B.'s review of Shakeaway on Yelp 

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.

626 Night Market 2019 Food Trends Report

Fro-yo girl here. I’ve been going to 626 Night Market at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia every year since 2015, looking for emerging Asian food trends. Sometimes, 626 Night Market is the first place to offer Asian street foods. It was the first place I had a Korean hot dog/corn dog and taiyaki sundae. Over the years, I’ve noticed that the market has become more diverse both in terms of vendors and attendees. It’s also become less cutting edge and trendy in some ways, but it’s still very popular. Smorgasburg is trendier but less Asian, of course.

It’s fun to see people out with their friends and family, stuffing their faces, playing games, dancing, and having a good time. The food tends to be overpriced and not that good, but I think of it more as an experience. It’s hilarious to see adults holding giant baby bottles.

I did not see yogurt in any form this year, not even yogurt drinks. I do realize that yogurt is no longer trend – though they could offer plant-based yogurt to be more on-trend. It seems like the 626 Night Market offerings favor indulgent comfort food, not healthy. I did see acai bowls, sorbet, ice cream, churros, and waffles (Hong Kong, liege, taiyaki). Does anyone eat acai bowls at night??

This year I noticed a few trends:

Filipino food: There were so many Filipino vendors this year.

Cheetos everything: Flamin’ Hot Cheetos appeared as more than a coating for corn on the cob and corn in a cup. You could get it on fries, flavoring taco shells, and inside burritos.

Nashville hot chicken: Everyone knows how crazy popular Howlin’ Rays is. Dave's Hot Chicken also has been blessed with long lines. 626 Night Market featured multiple hot chicken vendors.

Boba merchandise: You could win or buy boba plushies. Vendors also had Air Pod cases that looked like boba drinks and boba drink stickers, cell phone cases, t-shirts, and art.

One thing I’d love to see is Indian street food. There wasn’t one Indian vendor. Maybe there aren’t enough Indians in the area. It’s also not trendy, though it should be. There wasn’t much Vietnamese food either, but the Vietnamese have their own night market in Westminster (Orange County). It’s mostly Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Mexican food.

I’ve gone on different days and times. While others advise you to get there early, it’s usually too hot to do so. I prefer going late Sunday night after sunset. The lines are shorter and they’ve rarely run out of food by then. 626 Night Market returns two more weekends this year: August 9 - 11 and August 30 – September 1.

Free parking. Admission is $5.

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 IFYA Summer Froyo Photo Contest for Froyo Fans, Win Free Froyo

Fro-yo girl here. Calling all froyo fans! The International Frozen Yogurt Association (IFYA) has just launched a new photo contest and the prize is free frozen yogurt from Yoga-urt, the newest Swirl of Honor member. Yoga-urt earned three swirls from the IFYA, the most swirls possible, based on frozen yogurt quality, store cleanliness, superior customer service, and environmentally friendly business practices. 

One lucky winner will receive a delivery of 4 pints of Yoga-urt’s organic, plant-based, kosher, gluten-free, soy-free, probiotic frozen yogurt. Yoga-urt, with locations in Glendale, CA and Echo Park, Los Angeles, CA.

Here’s how to enter:

1. Follow the International Frozen Yogurt Association (@intlfroyoassn) and post your summer-inspired original froyo photo on Instagram with the tags #summerfroyo and #froyoassociation. The original photo must be posted using a public IG profile.
2. The photo must be posted during the contest entry period: 7/10/2019– midnight PST on 7/20/2019
3. The winner will be announced on Instagram on 7/27/2019.

Alternative method of entry: Send your summer-inspired froyo photo to info@internationalfrozenyogurt.com by midnight PST on July 20, 2019.

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

PRIZE

* 4 pints of Yoga-urt vegan, organic frozen yogurt (winner can choose flavors)

For the complete contest rules, visit http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/ifyas-summer-froyo-2019-photo-contest/

Good luck!

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

About the International Frozen Yogurt Association

The International Frozen Yogurt Association (IFYA) serves as an unbiased source of support and information for current and prospective frozen yogurt store operators. The Association promotes the highest standards to elevate the quality of frozen yogurt stores through the Swirl of Honor™ program. IFYA represents frozen yogurt shops, suppliers, and consumers across the world. Visit the IFYA website, http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/, for additional information.

About Yoga-urt

Yoga-urt’s delicious handcrafted, ‘fresh from scratch’ fare is made with organic, natural, non-dairy ingredients, and contains no artificial flavors, sweeteners or preservatives.

Yoga-urt offers over 25 nut-based handcrafted rotating flavors of organic, dairy-free, gluten-free, non-soy soft serve, including Chocolate Bliss, Salted Caramel Zen and Peanut Butter Prana, a toppings bar with mostly organic and non-dairy options, house made pie slices and ice cream sandwiches, plus seven handcrafted smoothies including healthy green and paleo options, coffee from LA’s popular sustainable purveyor Groundwork, and tea from The Art of Tea. In keeping with Yoga-urt’s higher consciousness vibe, all of Yoga-urt’s serveware is biodegradable.

Polkatots Cupcakes Brings Pinkberry Back to Pasadena???

Fro-yo girl here. I remember the sad day when Pinkberry closed the Old Town Pasadena location – it happened the last week of July 2015. Four years ago...The Pasadena location was my regular Pinkberry location and it closed without any warning. While I was sad, there were plenty of other Pinkberry locations that I could go to back then. Things are much different in 2019; both the La Canada and Glendale Pinkberry locations have closed. Getting to Pinkberry has become even more inconvenient.

Last year, I started seeing ads for the Pinkberry foodservice program, which allows a wide variety of businesses and organizations to serve Pinkberry. There are no franchise fees, licensing fees, or royalties.

I was recently surprised to see the Pinkberry sign at Polkatots Cupcakes in Pasadena. I went inside and saw two Taylor machines. It seemed like they offered four frozen yogurt flavors at a time. There were three sizes – small, medium and large. Toppings were extra. It wasn't self-serve. However, I was told that they were sold out of all four flavors. Hmm. 

I asked when they'd get more yogurt and they said next week. Then I called again and they were still out. That was a few weeks ago. I called a few more times. They always say that they’ve run out of yogurt. But I don’t see how that can be true since they also told me they’d call me when the new shipment arrived. That was over two months ago. They still have the Pinkberry sign on the door. Very strange. I’ve pretty much given up hope at this point. The information that they’ve given me is definitely false. Talk about giving someone false hope!

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

* POLKATOTS CUPCAKES: 720 N Lake Ave., Ste 3, Pasadena, CA 91104

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 Flavor at Menchie’s: Milk Chocolate ‘n’ Almonds & OREO Menchie’s Sweepstakes

Fro-yo girl here. The third new Menchie’s flavor for July is Milk Chocolate ‘n’ Almonds frozen yogurt made with Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bar. The flavor wasn’t available on my previous visit to Menchie’s South Pasadena, though they had two of the three new flavors and that’s better than most Menchie’s locations near me. I have to try all the new flavors, even the chocolate ones (I don’t like chocolate frozen yogurt).

* Milk Chocolate ‘n’ Almonds froyo: It’s free of artificial flavors and colors. Hershey’s milk chocolate bars are all-natural? Good to know. I liked this flavor because it was mild and didn’t taste too much like cocoa powder. The almond flavor was very subtle. The texture was smooth and creamy. Recommended toppings: Hershey’s Milk Chocolate pieces, M&Ms, chocolate shell, Special Dark. Anything chocolate!

There’s also a new OREO Menchie’s summer sweepstakes. The prize is $1,000. To enter, create your froyo mix with OREO cookie pieces, post a pic of your mix, tag @MyMenchies, @OREO and #OREOMenchiesSweepstakes by July 31, 2019. 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.

Pressed Juicery’s New Freeze Flavor, Pineapple

Fro-yo girl here. With all the excitement over Pressed Juicery’s new toppings and sundaes, I overlooked something important; there’s a new Freeze flavor, Pineapple. Pineapple Freeze is made with water, maple syrup, pineapple, mango, dates, and almonds. I tried it and it was sweeter than I expected. Pineapple is usually pretty tangy. It was good, but I think it would be better if it had some tang. Recommended toppings: Peach gummy bears, coconut, strawberries.

Pressed Juicery has a special membership perk this month: one FREE size 1 Freeze with three toppings with any purchase, so it’s the perfect time to get a Freeze and try the new toppings and sundaes.

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 Journey From Yogurtland Pasadena (Lake) Regular to Former Customer

Fro-yo girl here. By all measures, I was a loyal Yogurtland Pasadena (Lake) customer. I went at least once a week, knew most of the employees, knew the owner, earned Platinum membership every year, etc. Once I went out of town for a week and they noticed my absence. I was named Customer of the Month in 2016. Yes, I went to other Yogurtland locations, but I preferred Yogurtland Lake. I explained why I loved it when I selected it as the best Yogurtland in the area back in 2016.

But as they say, all good things must come to an end. Yogurtland Lake’s ownership changed in December 2018. It didn’t take long for me to notice the difference. It seemed like all the old employees left. Prices went way up. Now Yogurtland locations in Pasadena are 15 cents/oz or more higher than other Yogurtland locations in the area.

I can tell that things are amiss without even stepping inside. For example, they stopped keeping up with the promotional posters. They didn’t start handing out the new purple spoons on time. The new promotion started on July 1. As of July 4, they don’t have the new signs up or the spoons. In the good old days, they had their act together. Now it seems like they don’t care.

Mr. Froyo encouraged me to read other people’s reviews of Yogurtland Lake and I found an interesting review from a former employee, Alana M. I thought I would share it because it seems like it’s true. I remember her. She was really nice. My sympathies are with the former employees.

I switched my Yogurtland location on the Real Rewards app to Yogurtland Alhambra. It’s very sad to see what’s happened to what used to be a wonderful location. I go out of my way to avoid Yogurtland Pasadena now. It’s gone from best to worst!

This is a cautionary tale. New owners can take over and improve things or they can make things much worse.

* YOGURTLAND: 415 S Lake Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101

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 July Feature Flavors & A New Sweepstakes

Fro-yo girl here. It’s time for Menchie’s new batch of featured flavors. There are three new feature flavors. First, Menchie’s partnered with HI-CHEW for HI-CHEW Dragon Fruit frozen yogurt, inspired by HI-CHEW’s Dragon Fruit candy. The nonfat flavor contains no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, and no high fructose corn syrup. I’ve been a fan of HI-CHEW by Morinaga for many years. I like the firm chewiness of the candy. It’s similar to Starburst but with more interesting, better flavors. The imported Japanese HI-CHEW candy tastes better than the ones made in the US though. The imported ones even look better (more uniform shape). Sigh.

HI-CHEW Dragon Fruit frozen yogurt: I went to Menchie’s South Pasadena to try the new flavors and their yogurt has been consistently icier than other Menchie’s locations lately. The flavor was candy-like but nice and dragon-fruity. It wasn’t tangy. But the texture was so icy that it did not seem like frozen yogurt. It was like sorbet. I’ll have to try it again at a different location. Recommended toppings: popping boba, gummy candies, kiwi.

Menchie’s Chocolate Hazelnut dairy-free soft serve made with cashew milk: This had a cleaner, lighter aftertaste than their Nutella dairy-based frozen yogurt. It’s lowfat and made with no artificial flavors or colors. The hazelnut flavor was very pronounced. It was creamy and thick. Recommended toppings: chocolate shell, almonds, Heath, OREO.

The third new flavor is Milk Chocolate ‘n’ Almonds made with Hershey’s Chocolate frozen yogurt. Menchie’s South Pasadena did not have this flavor yet. I’ll have to try it later.

I picked up a sample of Dragon Fruit HI-CHEW, which was accompanied by a $1 coupon and coupon code for 10% off your order from www.HI-CHEW.com.

I also noticed signs for another Menchie’s contest, this time with OREO. The prize is $1,000. To enter, make your Menchie’s mix with OREO cookie pieces, post a pic of your mix and tag @MyMenchies, @OREO, and #OREOMenchiesSweeptakes. Enter by July 31, 2019. Good luck!

Here’s the official Menchie’s press release: 

A Mouthwatering Collaboration from HI-CHEW™ and Menchie's Frozen Yogurt

Introducing the must-have treat for July, HI-CHEW™ Dragon Fruit Frozen Yogurt

Jun 27, 2019, 10:00 ET

IRVINE, Calif., June 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- HI-CHEW™, the immensely fruity, intensely chewy candy, and Menchie's Frozen Yogurt, North America's largest self-serve frozen yogurt franchise, have teamed up to announce this summer's go-to new sweet treat: HI-CHEW™ Dragon Fruit Frozen Yogurt. As the vibrant fruit has grown in popularity, the limited-edition HI-CHEW Dragon Fruit frozen yogurt flavor arrives at the perfect time, offering a burst of refreshing fruit flavor with a sweet tartness in every spoonful. The Menchie's HI-CHEW Dragon Fruit frozen yogurt flavor will be available at Menchie's stores nationwide throughout the month of July.

As rising temperatures make their seasonal debut and a cold pick-me-up is essential, this exciting mashup is the ideal treat to enjoy all month long. Inspired by HI-CHEW's™ new Dragon Fruit candy, the team at Menchie's worked closely with HI-CHEW's flavor experts to develop a delicious frozen yogurt that brings the candy's burst of fruit juices to life. The mouthwatering new flavor highlights the rich pink color of the real tropical fruit, combined with the creamy, cooling delight frozen yogurt naturally delivers. This nonfat flavor contains no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, and no high fructose corn syrup.

The HI-CHEW™ Dragon Fruit candy debuted earlier this year in the HI-CHEW™ Superfruit Mix, which also includes Açaí and Kiwi. The candy flavor made its way to the United States after winning HI-CHEW's 2018 East Meets West Flavor Challenge, in which consumers nationwide voted for the top Japanese flavor they would like to see available this year. Dragon Fruit has continued to be incredibly popular and beloved by HI-CHEW™ fanatics and candy fans across the country.

"We are continuously looking for creative opportunities to excite and attract new HI-CHEW™ fans, and we're intrigued by the idea of reimagining HI-CHEW's true-to-fruit flavors in an unexpected way," said Tatsuya Takamiya, Chief Marketing Officer of Morinaga America, Inc. "We're thrilled to collaborate with Menchie's to bring a refreshing new way to enjoy HI-CHEW™ Dragon Fruit. It's also exciting to see the Dragon Fruit flavor trending outside of candy and being introduced in other categories such as in beverages and snacks."

"Menchie's is committed to providing delicious, high-quality, innovative frozen yogurt flavors that make our guests smile," said Elizabeth Berry, Senior Director of Marketing at Menchie's. "There's always a new flavor to taste at our stores and we're thrilled to partner with HI-CHEW™ this summer on the new Dragon Fruit frozen yogurt flavor that we know will surprise and delight our fans."

HI-CHEW™ continues to conduct intensive research to perfect its chews for the American palate, adding new and unique options to its portfolio each year. The candy brand has grown immensely since entering the U.S. market, with business up 122% from 2017 to 2018 and year-over-year double-digit growth over the past eight years. As one billion pieces of HI-CHEW™ were eaten this past year, the growing fanfare and love for the brand's unique, fun offerings show no signs of slowing down. Similarly, Menchie's is known for delighting fans with a wide variety of flavors since 2007, making the self-serve frozen yogurt company the perfect partner to create this delectable new delight.

The new HI-CHEW™ Dragon Fruit Frozen Yogurt is available for purchase for a limited time at Menchie's locations beginning July 1st. For more information on Menchie's, including how to find a store near you, please visit www.menchies.com, or like us on Facebook, or follow @MyMenchies on Instagram and Twitter.

To learn more about HI-CHEW™ and purchase your favorite flavors, please visit us online at HI-CHEW.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram (@HICHEWUSA) and Twitter (@HICHEW).

About Morinaga America, Inc.:

Established in 2008, Morinaga America, Inc. is the official manufacturer and distributor of HI-CHEW™ in the United States. With over 185 flavors of HI-CHEW™ having debuted in Japan, Morinaga America, Inc. has introduced the United States market to the best of Japanese confectionery. Morinaga America, Inc. (marketing and sales) and Morinaga America Foods, Inc. (manufacturing) are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Morinaga & Co., Ltd., which began in 1899 as the first, modern candy maker and producer of chocolates in Japan. Morinaga America, Inc. opened in the United States in 2015.

About HI-CHEW™:

The history of Morinaga stretches back over a century when company founder Taichiro Morinaga brought his candy making skills to Japan from America in the 1800s. HI-CHEW™ has long been the best-selling soft candy in Japan and continues to see year-over-year growth throughout other parts of Asia and in the United States. In the United States, HI-CHEW™ is currently offered in the following flavors: Strawberry, Green Apple, Mango, Grape, Banana, Kiwi, Açaí and Caramel Apple. HI-CHEW™ also offers a Tropical Mix with Kiwi, Mango, and Pineapple, a Superfruit Mix with Açaí, Kiwi and Dragon Fruit and a Sweet & Sour Mix with Grapefruit, Lemon and Watermelon. HI-CHEW™ is made with real fruit juice and purees and is 100% free of gluten, cholesterol and artificial colors. HI-CHEW™ continues to expand fruity, chewy flavor offerings annually.

About Menchie's Frozen Yogurt:

Menchie's is North America's largest self-serve frozen yogurt franchise. With more than 500 stores, the franchise has locations open in the United States, Canada, Japan, China, India, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Puerto Rico. 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 "happy" 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.

1IRI Total US Multi Outlet + Conv 29 weeks 12/31/2017-7/15/2018

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/Independence Day Froyo Specials

Fro-yo girl here. National Frozen Yogurt Month (June) may be over, but July is still prime froyo consumption time and Independence Day (4th of July) is a big day for frozen yogurt. It’s easy to get in the spirit of Independence Day by creating a patriotic red, white, and blue swirl. My favorite red, white, and blue swirl is the classic plain/original tart frozen yogurt with raspberries (or strawberries), blueberries, and mochi. For those of you who need some extra incentive to get froyo, some shops have July 4th froyo specials. Some also have special hours.

Independence Day Froyo Specials:

• Cherry Berry (Farmington, UT): Get a red, white & blue froyo for 10% off on 7/4/19
• Elements Fro Yo & Juice Bar (Puyallup, WA): BOGO 50% off on July 4, 2019
• Frost (Kailua, HI): BOGO 50% July 4, 2019 for Fivestar Reward Members
• Menchie's Hancock Center (Austin, TX): $5 fill up your cup on 7/4/2019
• Menchie's Mandalay Village (Port Hueneme, CA): 20% off on July 4 with valid military ID
• Menchie's University (Encino, CA): Buy one, get one half off pre-pack yogurt through July 4, 2019
• Sweet CeCe's (Murfreesboro, TN): Receive a free cup with purchase on July 4, 2019
• sweetFrog: Loyalty members who visit their local sweetFrog July 4th through July 6th get a flat rate: $5 small, $7 medium and $9 large cups all day long! Valid at participating locations.
• Tutti Frutti (River Ridge, LA): $5 fill up cups on 7/4/2019 from 12 PM - 6 PM
• Yogurt Breeze (Lake Nona, FL): 10% off during 4th of July week
• Yogurt Mill (Central CA): BOGO all day, 15% of proceeds will be donated to the Modesto PD Memorial Fund and California Fire Foundation. Catch Yogurt Mill in the 4th of July parade in Modesto and Turlock.
• Yogurtland (Alhambra, CA): $6 unlimited cup on 7/4 & 7/5/2019
• YoJay's (Forest Park, GA): 25% off on July 4, 2019

Be sure to also check out the July 4th/Independence Day Froyo Pinterest board.

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 Introduces Waffle Cones, New Flavors, and a New Spoon!

Fro-yo girl here. Happy July! There’s a lot going on in froyo right now. First up, let’s talk about the new offerings at Yogurtland. There are two new flavors, Dairy Free Key Lime Pie made with coconut milk and Cookies & Crème light ice cream. Cookies & Crème certainly sounds familiar but the previous Yogurtland version wasn’t a light ice cream; it was a soft serve ice cream made with OREO introduced in January 2018.

Dairy-free Key Lime Pie: I wasn’t sure about how much I’d like this flavor…and I liked it quite a bit. The coconut flavor is there but not overpowering. The key lime is sweet and not tangy (I like tangier flavors), but that’s what I expected. It’s rich and creamy. It’s also probiotic and vitamin C fortified. According to Yogurtland, “this flavor is inspired by the true classic key lime pie dessert. We paired real key lime with graham cracker crumbs and transformed them into a sweet and creamy flavor delivering the full flavor of a key lime pie, while being completely dairy free.” Recommended toppings: Graham crackers, Nilla wafers, mango, and gummy bears

Cookies & Crème Light Ice Cream: This ice cream is made with OREO wafers. It has more cream and more cookie flavor than the Yogurtland froyo version, Classic Cookies & Cream. It’s also richer and has more calories compared to froyo. Yogurtland describes it as “It’s the classic real Oreo® dunked in milk, but even more delicious.” Recommended toppings: Chocolate shell, whipped cream, toffee bits, almonds

Purple Waffle Cone Spoon: The purple spoon is the first NEW Yogurtland spoon of 2019. The waffle cone design is one of the cutest spoons they’ve come out with not involving a Sanrio or Tokidoki character.

Waffle cones: I’ve already tried the waffle cones at Yogurtland since they were being tested at a few locations. I like waffle cones but they’re hardly innovative. They were testing newer cone styles like taiyaki, bubble waffle, and cereal cones. Flavored or black activated charcol cones would be nice. I also didn’t see a waffle iron or smell freshly made cones. The cones are weighed with a special cone holder. The cone holder is 5.8 ounces. Make sure they deduct 5.8 oz from the total weight.

I also spotted posters for National Ice Cream Month. On July 21, National Ice Cream Day, Yogurtland has a special buy one, get one free deal from 1 PM – 6 PM. Some of the new signs mention a new summer flavor, Pomegranate Lime Twister sorbet, to be released on August 5.

Here’s the official Yogurtland press release:

Have a Waffle Lot of Fun With Yogurtland

-- Just in Time for National Ice Cream Month, Yogurtland is Expanding its Menu Offerings with Delicious New Waffle Cones --

June 26, 2019 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Just when we thought that there wasn’t a way to improve upon the experience of the creamy, one-of-a-kind delicious flavors from Yogurtland, the company went and introduced waffle cones to the menu and our taste buds are blown away. Beginning July 1st, guests can fill, top, weigh and enjoy their favorite Yogurtland frozen yogurt or ice cream flavors in new crispy, delicious waffle cones.

More than just a topping, waffle cones will be available at all Yogurtland locations in time for National Ice Cream Day. To celebrate the holiday and the new waffle cone release, Yogurtland is having a buy one, get one free (BOGO) event on July 21st from 1-6 pm, local time.

Yogurtland is also releasing a brand new spoon and two limited time flavors, Dairy Free Key Lime Pie made with coconut milk, and Cookies & Crème Light Ice Cream made with OREO® wafers. Both flavors are the perfect summer treat when enjoyed with the new purple spoon that features the debut of the waffle cones and any of Yogurtland’s dozens of toppings including fresh cut fruit, premium candy, chocolate, cookies and popular cereals.

“Our guests love our flavorful selections and have been wanting an alternative to the traditional cup. We are excited to now offer waffle cones that are easy for guests to fill and enjoy a different Yogurtland customizable experience. We can’t wait to see the social posts of our fans’ creative cones,” said Jennifer Ehrencron, Yogurtland’s director of marketing.

Separating Yogurtland from competitors is the company’s team of flavorologists who continually create craveable flavors and the proprietary recipes for the brand’s more than 250 different and customized flavors. Each one is more tantalizing than the last, giving fans more reasons to love building their own frozen dessert experience. Whether traditional or exotic, each flavor uses real ingredients sourced from their original locations. By controlling the entire frozen yogurt making process with their own dairy, Yogurtland has raised the standards for flavors and quality to new heights and much to the delight of millions of fans.

Yogurtland features non-fat and low-fat yogurt flavors, ice cream, and non-dairy and no sugar added choices while using milk that contains no antibiotics or added hormones. Fruit flavors are fortified with Vitamin C for an extra boost.

Presently Yogurtland has more than 320 locations across the U.S., Australia, Dubai, Guam, Myanmar, Oman, Singapore and Thailand. For more information, visit http://www.yogurt-land.com or http://www.facebook.com/yogurtland.

Get social with Yogurtland on Instagram and Facebook.

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.