The Coconut Cult Coconut Yogurt Review

Fro-yo girl here. I’ve been wanting to try The Coconut Cult probiotic coconut yogurt for years, but it was crazy expensive and I wasn’t sure if I’d like it (I don’t like a strong coconut flavor). The 16 oz jar was $25 when it launched in 2017. Fortunately, they introduced a smaller jar, 8 ounces. I found it on sale at Whole Foods for $6.99 (regular price $9.99).

The Coconut Cult yogurt is organic, vegan, soy-free, and gluten-free. One serving is 70 calories, 6g total fat, 3g total carbohydrates, 2g figer, 1g sugars, and 1g protein. It also has 16 probiotic strains. It’s made with coconuts and probiotics – and that’s all. The first ingredient is coconut meat. The packaging says it's ceremonial grade coconut yogurt. I've never heard of ceremonial grade coconut anything. 

The Coconut Cult differs from regular coconut yogurt because it’s a highly concentrated form of yogurt with more probiotics. There are 800 billion highly active probiotics / CFUs (CFU = colony forming unit) in every quart and 25 billion probiotics per 1 ounce serving. For those taking probiotic supplements, the dosages for adults range from five billion to 10 billion CFUs per day. The other argument for The Coconut Cult is that the probiotics are digested more readily in yogurt form than in capsule form.

Original Coconut Yogurt: It’s much thicker than other brands of coconut yogurt. The texture is like coconut cream blended with coconut meat. I wasn’t fond of the grainy texture. In terms of flavor, the yogurt was tart, sour, and had a strong coconut flavor. It also tasted funky and fermented. I’m not a fan. Culina is sour and coconut based too, but it tastes less fermented and has a smoother texture.

Available flavors: Original, Mangos N’ Cream, Chocolate Mousse, Vanilla Toffee

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.

Valley Swirl, Kosher Mix-In Yogurt Opens in Valley Village

 

Fro-yo girl here. Valley Swirl opened up recently inside Cambridge Farms, the kosher market in Valley Village. I noticed the sign said ice cream but I asked if they had froyo. They said they just ran out. I ventured back after calling first to make sure they had froyo.

One thing to note is that they serve mix-in style soft serve ice cream or froyo. You pick the base and add-ins and they put both in a machine that they crank until everything gets mixed together. Also, everything they serve is RCC Kosher. There have been other kosher froyo places like Milky’s and a place on Melrose Ave, but I don’t recall any that have been located in the San Fernando Valley. The style is similar to Humphrey Yogart in Sherman Oaks.

First choose cup or cone, then choose your base, and choose 1 mix-in (75 cents for each additional mix-in). Or they have signature swirls ($7.75) that you can pick. A build your own swirl is $6.75 and comes with 1 mix-in and whipped cream.

Bases: Dairy vanilla ice cream, Dairy chocolate ice cream, Vanilla froyo, Non-dairy vanilla, Non-dairy chocolate, Sugar-free vanilla, Sugar-free chocolate.

Add-ins: Fruit, nuts, cookies, sauces, cookie dough, cotton candy, sprinkles, etc.

They also serve customizable milkshakes, boba drinks, waffles, and hot drinks. Custom ice cream pies and tacos are available but must be ordered in advance.

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

* VALLEY SWIRL ICE CREAM: 12431 Burbank Blvd, Valley Village, CA 91607

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.

SweetFrog’s New Gabby’s Dollhouse Spoon

 

Fro-yo girl here. Got my first new froyo spoon of 2022, thanks to my sweetest friend, Zelda Zonk. SweetFrog partnered with DreamWorks Gabby’s Dollhouse to introduce a special froyo swirl, Rainbow Sprinkle Surprise, a combination of Pomberry Punch and Cotton Candy, and color-changing Gabby’s Dollhouse pink spoons. Gabby’s Dollhouse is an animated TV series with different kitty characters. I don’t know any of the characters.

The spoon says DreamWorks Gabby’s Dollhouse and has a cat character. It says SweetFrog on the back.

SweetFrog is also giving away a Gabby’s Dollhouse prize package with paint sheets, stickers, crayons, hair ties, shoe laces and a SweetFrog gift card. The deadline to enter is February 28, 2022.

The new spoons are available at SweetFrog for a limited time only.

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.

 

Azusa, California Froyo Guide

Fro-yo girl here. Azusa, California in the San Gabriel Valley, with a population of 46,361 according to the 2010 census, was one of the few cities in the SGV that had a Pinkberry location. Was it a froyo hot spot? It wasn’t but there were a couple of froyo shops all near Azusa Pacific University.

Where you can get froyo in Azusa:

Yogurtland, 922 E Alosta Ave, is the last froyo shop in town. The Azusa branch first opened in 2012. I’ve been there a few times and I haven’t had any problems.

Froyo shops that have closed in alphabetical order:

• N Gelato, 992 E Alosta Ave #A, from 2017-2018, offered milk tea, bubble waffles, gelato, and froyo. They used liquid nitrogen to make fresh gelato and froyo. N2 Lab BQ took over the N Gelato space.
• N2 Lab BQ, 992 E Alosta Ave. #A, from 2018-2018, replaced N Gelato and expanded the menu to offer Chinese BBQ skewers, noodles, fried rice, rice plates, and more. They also served ice cream and froyo.
• Paradise Juice Café, 1137 E Alosta Ave, Ste A, from 2007-2013, had froyo, juices, and smoothies. It was the first place in town to offer froyo. Ownership changed in 2013 and the froyo machines were removed. The shop was renamed ThirsTeas. The space is currently occupied by TRU Bowl Superfood Bar.
• Pinkberry, 862 E Alosta Ave, from 2009-2018, was good until ownership changed and the portions became skimpy. Afters Ice Cream took over the space.
• Tutti Frutti, 992 E Alosta Ave. #A, from 2009-2015, offered self-serve froyo. They also had boba drinks. N Gelato took over the space.

Surprisingly, Azusa never had a Menchie’s, Golden Spoon, or Cherry On Top. But, it is a relatively small city and there were/are froyo options in the neighboring city of Glendora. Duarte, which is Azusa’s neighbor to the west, has no froyo shops though.

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 New Flavor for February 2022: Frosted Cookie & Double Points Offer

Fro-yo girl here. There are two new featured flavors at Menchie’s this February: Berry Ruby Chocolate froyo and Frosted Cookie froyo made with Golden Oreo cookies.

Menchie’s describes Frosted Cookie as follows: “Our Frosted Cookie made with Golden Oreo Cookies froyo flavor has it all – yummy frosting and Golden Oreo cookies! If you’re looking for an afterschool snack or a delicious dessert, this frozen yogurt flavor is for you!” Frosted Cookie froyo is lowfat and made with no artificial colors.

Frosted Cookie froyo made with Golden Oreo Cookies: The vanilla frosting flavor was stronger than the golden cookie flavor. The texture was smooth and creamy. While the flavor was sweet, it wasn’t sweeter than a typical Menchie’s flavor. Recommended toppings: Oreos, white chocolate chips, Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

It's been selling out quickly at Menchie's locations - a popular flavor!

I wondered how Frosted Cookie froyo differed from Menchie’s Mookie’s Cookies ‘n’ Cream froyo. Mookie’s Cookies ‘n’ Cream was introduced in December 2017 as a holiday flavor and it was made with Golden Oreo cookie pieces. Did they tweak Mookie’s Cookies ‘n’ Cream and rename it Frosted Cookie? From the picture I’m guessing Frosted Cookie has more frosting flavor than Mookie’s Cookies ‘n’ Cream. Mookie’s Cookies ‘n’ Cream is no longer listed in the Flavors section of the Menchie’s website but the ingredients do seem different from Frosted Cookie. Mookie’s Cookies ‘n’ Cream was made with sweetened condensed milk, which isn’t listed as an ingredient of Frosted Cookie.

Remember that you’ll get double points on your Menchie’s purchases when you scan the Menchie’s app between February 4 – 17, 2022.

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.

Lucid to Take Over Yogurtland Pasadena Space

Fro-yo girl here. Yogurtland closed in Old Town Pasadena in fall 2019. The space, 30 W Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91105, has been vacant ever since. A couple of months ago, I noticed a new flurry of activity but I couldn’t tell what was moving in. The new tenant has been revealed, luxury electric car manufacturer, Lucid. Lucid is also taking over the old Noodle World space which was next to Yogurtland. Both spaces will become a car showroom.

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.

National/International Frozen Yogurt Day 2022 Festivities

Fro-yo girl here. Happy National/International/World Frozen Yogurt Day! Menchie’s celebrated early, on February 3, but almost everyone else celebrated NFYD on February 6. The National Frozen Yogurt Day celebration is BACK at Yogurtland this year after a one-year hiatus. NFYD felt more national this year because not as many froyo shops outside the US celebrated IFYD. And most shops offered a BOGO free this year.

My first stop was at Pinkberry for the I just went the BOGO free offer. I’m loving the new Limoncello flavor, so I got another cup of that and a cup of original tart. The Pinkberry shop didn’t have any NFYD signs. Later, I went to Yogurtland which had a small NFYD sign on the counter. Their offer was different this year: BOGO free and triple reward points. I got two cups of Madagascar Vanilla froyo with chocolate shell and cookies. I also had enough points to earn a free froyo reward. Yay! Nice way to end of the day.

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 2022 NFYD Celebration 2022 & New Featured Flavors for February

Fro-yo girl here. Happy National Frozen Yogurt Day (which is officially on February 6), round 1. Menchie’s chose to celebrate NFYD on February 3 this year, which actually makes it easier for me (less froyo to eat on 2/6). This year, Menchie’s is offering a buy one, get one free deal all day on February 3 and double points. I visited Menchie’s El Monte because they had one of the new featured flavors, Berry Ruby Chocolate. I’ll have to look for the other featured flavor, Frosted Cookie, later.

Berry Ruby Chocolate froyo: I’ve been wondering about ruby chocolate for awhile now. Ruby chocolate is a new variety of chocolate that was introduced by Barry Callebaut, the cocoa company, in 2017. The chocolate is naturally pink in color and made with ruby cacao beans. While it’s made without berries, it tastes like a berry flavored white chocolate. As for Menchie’s new Berry Ruby Chocolate froyo, it tastes like raspberries and strawberries muted by white chocolate. They make it with real ruby chocolate. I’m shocked it’s not made with any berries. I liked how it wasn’t as sweet. There was a hint of tang. The texure was smooth and creamy. It’s lowfat, gluten-free, and made with no artificial colors or artificial flavors. Recommended toppings: white chocolate chips, strawberries, raspberries, and Nilla wafers.

It was very busy at Menchie’s today (during NFYD) – a good sign!

More NFYD/IFYD events are occurring this week, mostly on Sunday, February 6. Check IFYA’s post for the most comprehensive list of NFYD/IFYD offers.

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 Flavor: Chocolate Covered Strawberry

Fro-yo girl here. Yogurtland has launched a new flavor that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day: Chocolate Covered Strawberry frozen yogurt. They describe it as follows: “Inspired by strawberries dipped in milk chocolate, this smooth & creamy frozen yogurt is one to be shared with your sweetie!” I like the inspiration for the flavor. It feels very appropriate for early February.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry froyo: The froyo was light brown in color and had a smooth, creamy texture. I could taste the milk chocolate and strawberry but wasn’t a fan of the two flavors together. They seemed muted. I didn’t mind how the milk chocolate froyo flavor was mild but the strawberry made it taste funny. I don’t like the idea of dipping fruit in chocolate anyway, but I think strawberry froyo with chocolate toppings or chocolate froyo with strawberries on top would taste better than Chocolate Covereed Strawberry froyo. Recommended toppings: Fresh strawberries, Oreos, chocolate chips, whipped cream, chocolate shell

Chocolate Covered Strawberry froyo is lowfat, gluten free, Vitamin C fortified, and made with real chocolate and strawberries.

Use Yogurtland’s Flavor Finder feature on the website and app to find which Yogurtland locations near you have Chocolate Covered Strawberry froyo. This flavor is available for a limited time.

I noticed that the Yogurtland location I went to had heart shaped floor stickers that looked like conversation hearts. Cute. Also, they had one small sign for NFYD. Yogurtland will be offering BOGO free and triple reward points on February 6.

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 Rumble Cups at Menchie’s

Fro-yo girl here. During a recent visit to Menchie’s, I noticed new cups for the animated movie about wrestling monsters, Rumble. I don’t recall hearing about Rumble or the new cup design. Rumble was released on December 15, 2021 on Paramount+. They cancelled the theatrical release, which probably explains why I didn’t hear about the movie. Anyway, the Rumble cup features Steve’s mix and Tentacular’s mix as well as pictures of the two wrestling monsters.

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.