Coronavirus First Anniversary: Update on Froyo Shops

Fro-yo girl here. On March 31, 2020, I provided an update on impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the froyo scene (e.g., scheduled events were postponed, hours of operation reduced, some shops chose to close temporarily, self-serve froyo was suspended for the most part). Now that a year has passed, it’s time for another update on the current state of frozen yogurt.

How has froyo changed during this time? Like other restaurants, froyo shops have transitioned to full service, takeout and delivery only, and contactless payments. They’ve added clear guards to protect the cashier and the toppings. Some of them have been putting toppings in small cups with lids. I’ve seen more of them offer pre-packed pints and quarts. Fewer new flavors have been introduced as very few shops offer samples now (due to safety concerns). Menchie’s and Yogurtland are closing more shops. Prices have gone up.

Things are better at the moment after a tough winter; the number of new coronavirus cases and deaths continue to decrease. Los Angeles County and a few other counties in Southern California moved from the most restrictive level, purple, to the red tier around March 16. The move to the red tier meant that indoor dining could resume at 25% capacity. The weather is warming up and it’s now spring time. I’ve seen a good number of customers at a few froyo shops in the area. Seasonal froyo shops have or are about to reopen. 

I’ve continued to visit different froyo shops and most have not returned to self-serve. A few offer self-serve; they provide gloves and require that you sanitize your hands first. For example, you can serve your own froyo at Yogurtland Pasadena and Menchie’s Eagle Rock.

I’ve seen a few froyo shops mention on social media that they offer indoor dining but I haven’t run into one of those yet (keeping in mind that we’ve only been in the red tier for a week). Most restaurants that I’ve been to are still offer takeout and delivery only.

Menchie’s Glendale and South Pasadena are open Friday-Sunday only. Menchie’s Redondo Beach, Westchester, and Santa Monica Ocean Park appear to have closed for good since they haven’t been open for months. Prinkipia cancelled plans to open at the Glendale Galleria.

Of the froyo shops that I mentioned on 3/30/20, all the shops on the list are still in business (yay!).

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.

Red Mango LA Live Location Under New Ownership

Fro-yo girl here. I haven't been to LA Live, the entertainment complex next to Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles since the pandemic started. I recently thought of the Red Mango at LA Live and wondered if it were still open. Their Instagram account, @redmangolalive, disappeared and I hadn't seen any new posts for a year (I think).

The Red Mango LA Live location is still listed on the LA Live website and the Red Mango website, though it is reported as permanently closed on Yelp. There have been several recent reviews on Google though, so it seems to be open for business. It's under new ownership as of December 2020. The terms of the sale were not disclosed. The listing describes the business as, "Featuring 4 self-serve machines (8 rotating flavors), cold pressed juice bar, large toppings bar and more. Small footprint. Simple operation. Turnkey. Plus 30 minutes free parking available in the downstairs garage."

This is the only Red Mango location still open in Los Angeles and Southern California. The shop first opened in 2013.

Update: Red Mango closed some time in 2021. Daphne's took over the space in 2022 but did not last a year.

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

RED MANGO: 1011 S Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90015

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.

Glendale, California Froyo Updates

 

Prinkipia kiosk

Fro-yo girl here. Last June, I wrote about the froyo scene in Glendale, California. At that time, there were five places to get froyo or vegan soft serve and another one in the works, Prinkipia Frozen Yogurt. Prinkipia had planned to take over the Go Greek Yogurt kiosk at the Glendale Galleria. I posted some pictures of the work on the kiosk back in March 2020. The sign for Prinkipia was visible. This was all pre-pandemic though. The Prinkipia signage has been removed and they put a barrier around the kiosk.

Ice ‘n’ Cream has closed. The sign is still visible but if you peek through the gate, you’ll notice they’ve removed everything inside. Ice ‘N’ Cream was an old school snack stand inside Glendale Galleria that opened in 1988. The menu includes fresh juices, gelato, Thrifty Ice Cream, fruit cup, bionicos, smoothies, slushies, nachos, frozen bananas, ICEE, boba milk tea, and frozen yogurt.

Haagen Dazs at the Americana no longer offers froyo. Enjoyer, the gourmet popsicle stand that had froyo popsicles, switched to vegan only pops and closed for good during the pandemic.

This means that there is no froyo at the Americana or Glendale Galleria. There are some soft serve options though: Somi Somi (taiyaki ice cream), Pressed Juicery (vegan Freeze), and McDonald’s.

Outside of the mall area of Glendale, Yoga-urt has renewed its lease in Kenneth Village and Menchie’s has reduced its hours drastically. They’ve been open Friday-Sunday only for months now.

I’d say about 75% of the pre-pandemic mall tenants are still there though some are closed but haven’t cleared out. Some of the closures include Honeyboba, The Pie Hole, Tsujita, and Forever 21. I hope Marugame Udon reopens.

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.

Dog Froyo Brands & Dog Froyo History

Fro-yo girl here. I don’t have a dog and that’s probably why I’ve never posted anything about dog froyo till now. You can buy dog froyo from Whole Foods, Amazon, Chewy.com, PetSmart and many other national retailers. With so many froyo shops offering dog froyo in pre-packed cups and even some dog froyo trucks, including a brand new one in Denver, it felt like time to learn more about dog froyo.

Many dogs are lactose intolerant, have food allergies and shouldn’t be consuming large amounts of sugar. Yogurt contains less lactose and is easier for dogs to digest. Ingredients like chocolate and Xylitol are harmful to dogs. Because of these issues, several companies started offering froyo that’s specially formulated for dog health.

History of Froyo for Dogs

The first frozen dessert treat for dogs was Frosty Paws ice cream, launched in 1979. The first flavor was vanilla.

Jody Rodgers, who owned a pet services company in New Hampshire, created the first commercially available froyo for dogs, Yöghund. According to Rodgers, “We developed it for The Barking Dogs’ clients, who were also our ‘testing board’–and they loved it. By late 2006, early 2007, we started getting serious. At the 2007 spring HH Backer show we received tremendous interest in the product,” she explains. “By late 2007, we were dabbling with the grocery/mass market distribution. By early 2008 we continued to expand our pet retailer distribution, as well as increased our grocery access.”

Main Brands of Dog Froyo

YöPup by Yöghund, the first froyo for dogs, is manufactured in the USA and contains billions of special probiotics, including strains known to be beneficial for dogs. Veterinarian recommended, YöPup aids digestion and supports the immune system. The froyo contains no added sugar and no preservatives. Available flavors: Banana and Peanut Butter, Pumpkin and Bacon, Apple Juice and Cheddar

The Bear & The Rat was founded in 2010 in Boulder, Colorado by husband and wife team, Matt & Meg Meyer. Their all-natural, 100% human grade frozen yogurt treats for dogs are good for gut health. Their froyo contains prebiotics and InClover Pet’s Optagest, which adds hydration, nutrients and aids digestion. The goat milk froyo varieties are good for cats and dogs. Available flavors: Bacon & Peanut Butter, Banana & Peanut Butter, Pumpkin & Cinnamon, Goat Milk, Goat Milk with Coconut

Boss Dog was founded in 2018. They launched a line of probiotic frozen Greek style yogurt treats. Boss Dog Greek Style Frozen Yogurt Treats are 100% human grade, 100% FDA & AAFCO compliant, non-GMO, and contain no gluten, corn, soy, wheat, artificial colors, artificial flavors or preservatives. Made with real yogurt, the milk is sourced from a farm in the Central Valley of California. The froyo is rich in protein, probiotics and prebiotics. Available flavors: Peanut Butter & Banana, Cheddar & Bacon and Pumpkin & Cinnamon.

Frozzys is a UK brand of lickable frozen yogurt for dogs that was founded in 2013 in Belfast. Their frozen yogurt is all-natural, rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, low calorie, lactose-free, and made with no added sugar. Available flavors: Original, Blueberry, Cranberry, Strawberry

Dog Yog is an Australian brand of dog frozen kefir made in Melbourne. The frozen treats are lickable with probiotics, prebiotics, and superfoods. Kefir aids digestion and supports the immune system. Available flavors: Banana & Carob, Blueberry & Peanut Butter

Only Natural Pet Frozen Yogurt for dogs is a product that’s exclusively available at PetSmart. It’s all-natural, made with real yogurt and has prebiotics and digestive enzymes to support healthy digestion. Available flavors: Peanut Butter, Pumpkin & Cinnamon

FroPet was launched in 2020 by Nanci’s. It’s a powdered mix. To make the yogurt, add water and freeze. A kit comes with enough product for 16 cups. The product is made in the USA, lactose-free, all-natural, and contains active probiotic cultures and essential Omega fatty acids. It’s safe for dogs and cats. You can buy FroPet kits from Chewy.com and Amazon.

All the dog froyo products sound pretty good (I mean, all natural, probiotic, and healthy for dogs). Do you buy dog frozen yogurt? Does your dog prefer a particular brand of dog froyo? Would love to hear your thoughts.

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.

Half of Yalla Mediterranean Locations Have Closed

Fro-yo girl here. Last June, I mentioned that Yalla locations were no longer serving Greek froyo. Now I’ve learned that half of Yalla’s locations have closed. Last year, pre-pandemic, Yalla had branches in the following cities:

• Burbank, CA
• Culver City, CA
• Dublin, CA
• Fremont, CA
• Pleasant Hill, CA
• Seal Beach, CA
• Walnut Creek, CA
• Chicago (delivery only)

The Fremont location at 3141 Mowry Ave. closed and the space has been taken over by Nick the Greek, the fast casual Greek chain which happens to serve Greek froyo. It looks like it closed at the end of 2020. It opened in 2016. I used to go fairly often because if you checked in on Yelp, you’d get a free Greek froyo with baklava. The food was decent, healthy, and reasonably priced. But once the froyo machine broke, the food didn’t seem as good either. The portions got smaller. The broken froyo machine seemed to be a sign that they weren’t making an effort to maintain their standards.

Yalla Seal Beach, 12420 Seal Beach Blvd, opened in 2016 and seems to have closed in September 2020. I went once for froyo but the froyo machine was broken. The machine worked for two years and the it seemed like they “broke” at every Yalla location. The froyo was always on the icy side but it became icier over the years.

The Yalla Dublin location at 5246 Dublin Blvd opened in November 2015 and closed for good some time during the 2020 pandemic (hard to say when exactly since it was probably a temporary closure that turned permanent), maybe in the fall or late summer? It became a Nick the Greek as well.

Yalla Pleasant Hill, 55 Crescent Dr Ste F, opened in December 2014 and may have been open earlier this year. Yelp says it is permanently closed and the location is no longer on the Yalla website. Yalla Pleasant Hill was the first location. It was a new concept from Daphne’s California Greek, with a different look, a broader Mediterranean menu than Daphne’s, and an emphasis on sustainability by using local GMO-free ingredients, responsibly raised meat and fish, and eco-friendly packaging. Daphne’s was acquired by Victory Park Capitol Advisers earlier in 2014 and FAT Brands in December 2018.

As of March 2021, only Burbank, Culver City, Walnut Creek and Chicago remain open. Those locations do not serve froyo. I used to go to the one in Burbank for froyo but once they stopped offering it, I stopped going.

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.

And a Batch of Yogurtland Closures in California

Yogurtland Media Center, Burbank, CA

Fro-yo girl here. KSBY reported earlier this month that Yogurtland San Luis Obispo closed permanently, vacating 956 Higuera St. location. The shop was five years old. Sadly, I never made it there though I remember hearing about the opening.

I just found out that Yogurtland Ventura at 4960 Telephone Rd, Ste 104, also closed in 2020. The shop opened in 2013 and closed in September 2020. It was owned by the same person who owned Yogurtland Camarillo and Yogurtland Oxnard. The Oxnard location is the only one that remains open. It was a decent location – not the best, the flavors tended to be boring, but it was dependable back in 2018. From the Yelp reviews, it seems like it went downhill before closing for good.

Yogurtland’s website listed Yogurtland Burbank Media Center as temporarily closed on March 12, but I dropped by and the shop was open. They’re open Thursday - Sunday currently. Whew. I was worried.

Yogurtland also lists the following locations as temporarily closed in the LA area:

• Montebello (it’s inside the mall)
• Century City (while it’s at the mall, it is an outdoor mall)
• Cerritos Mall (it’s in an indoor mall)

Hope to see all these locations reopen soon, since Los Angeles has moved from the purple, most restrictive tier, to the red tier.

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 Pinkberry Flavor: Strawberry Lemonade Froyo

Fro-yo girl here. Pinkberry just introduced their first new flavor of 2021, Strawberry Lemonade frozen yogurt. A new tart froyo flavor, hurrah!!! Exciting!!! They didn’t introduce any new toppings to go with the new flavor but I’m really not complaining.

Strawberry Lemonade froyo: It tasted more like strawberry than lemonade, making it a tarter strawberry flavor. The texture was smooth and light, without being watery or too icy. I liked it – would get again. Recommended toppings: Fresh strawberries, pomegranate arils, dark chocolate crisps

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 Yogurtland Teal Froyo Spoon

 

Fro-yo girl here. And the first new froyo spoon of 2021 is the teal logo spoon from Yogurtland. I think it’s available for a limited time only. It looks like the Yogurtland pink and green logo spoons. I found mine at Yogurtland Pasadena, California. The back says Yogurtland Franchising 2017. Yogurtland Eagle Rock has the teal spoons as well.

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: Menchie’s Chocolate Covered Cookie Made With OREO Cookie Pieces

Fro-yo girl here. New month, new froyo flavor from Menchie’s. March’s featured flavor is Chocolate Covered Cookie froyo made with OREO Cookie Pieces. I didn’t find it in time for National OREO Day on March 6. It didn’t seem to be in the area, even though I live close to many Menchie’s locations and I’m in Los Angeles. I’m grateful for the flavor finder feature that Menchie’s finally added. While many locations aren’t using it to provide their current flavors, the better locations are providing updates.

Chocolate Covered Cookie froyo: It’s made with no artificial colors, no artificial flavors, and no high fructose corn syrup. Creamy, smooth with mild chocolate cookie flavor – this flavor is so good smothered in chocolate shell and topped with your favorite candy topping (e.g., Ande’s Mints, Butterfinger, Kit Kat, Heath) and OREO cookie pieces. Yum!

Chocolate Covered Cookie froyo is available for a limited time, while supplies last.

Menchie’s sure has introduced many OREO flavors! Some past Menchie’s OREO flavors include: Chocolate Mint Cookie, Cookies ‘n’ Cream made with Golden OREOs, Just the Cookie, Just the Creme, Chocolate ‘n’ Strawberry Cookie, Carrot Cake OREO, Lemon OREO, and Cookies ‘n’ Cream Cheesecake OREO. There was also a test flavor, OREO Fruit Crème.

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.

More Purple Rice Yogurt Drinks! Gotcha Tea House in Rosemead, CA

Fro-yo girl here. There are so many boba tea shops but very few offer purple rice yogurt drinks. I found another one though, Gotcha Tea House in Rosemead, CA. Gotcha is a Taiwanese brand that farms its own tea. The tea comes from a single tea plantation in Mount Ali, Taiwan.

The Gotcha menu includes many types of drinks, including Yakult tea, yogumuji yogurt, slush, macchiato slush, milk tea, brown sugar drinks, fruit tea ad brewed tea. Some drinks are available hot or cold. Choose from medium or large size. They also have your typical add-ins: boba, jelly, pudding, red bean, popping pearls, cheese foam, aloe vera, etc. 

Purple rice yogurt is part of the Yogumuji drink series. These drinks are made with fresh Japanese style yogurt. I’m not sure how the yogurt is Japanese style. They don’t make their own yogurt. He mentioned that they use Greek yogurt. The fruit flavored Yogumuji drinks are flavored with fruit flavored syrups.

Purple rice yogurt ($4.75, large): The drink is not sweetened (you can ask for it to be sweetened though). They put yogurt, lots of ice and steamed purple rice in a blender. I am not a purple rice yogurt drink expert because I’ve only had it one other place but I prefer The Alley’s version where the rice isn’t blended into tiny pieces. Part of the appeal of purple rice yogurt is the chewiness of the rice. Gotcha blended the rice so much that there was nothing left to chew on. And they used a lot of ice. The drink was thick and icy. It was mildly tangy and I could taste the yogurt and a bit of nuttiness from the purple rice. The Alley’s version was more like a shake, whereas Gotcha’s was like a slush.

For a history of purple rice yogurt drinks and health benefits, see IFYA’s post, Now Trending: Purple Rice Yogurt Drinks.

I’m hoping that Meet Fresh, which has purple rice drinks but not purple rice yogurt drinks, will add purple rice yogurt drinks. Fingers crossed.

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

* GOTCHA TEA HOUSE: 3524 Rosemead Blvd., Rosemead, CA 91770

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 Yogurtland: First Plant-Based Oat Milk Flavor, Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookie

 

Fro-yo girl here. Yogurtland just introduced Plant-Based Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookie, their first flavor made with oat milk. It’s also made with pea protein, real cinnamon oatmeal streusel, and cinnamon. One ounce is 45 calories, 8g carbohydrates and 0g protein. It’s not froyo because there are no live and active cultures.

Plant-Based Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookie soft serve: The texture was creamy and smooth but not as creamy as dairy-based froyo. I mostly tasted cinnamon but it wasn’t strong or overwhelming. The oat millk was more of an aftertaste. It wasn’t crazy sweet. Recommended toppings: Toffee bits, Nilla wafers or Teddy Grahams.

I’m a long-time fan of their oatmeal cookie froyo flavor. Plant-Based Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookie soft serve wasn’t as good but it was still tasty. It’s Yogurtland’s third new flavor of the year. Check out the Yogurtland Flavor Finder on their website or the app to find Plant-Based Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookie near you. It’s available for a limited time, while supplies last.

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

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