Yogurtland’s New Flavor: Watermelon Sorbet Made with Sour Patch Kids Flavor

Fro-yo girl here. Yogurtland just introduced a new late summer froyo flavor, Watermelon Sorbet made with Sour Patch Kids flavor. They describe Watermelon Sorbet as “A Sour Then Sweet® candied watermelon sorbet, an icy and delicious treat.” It’s vegan, gluten-free, and nonfat.

Watermelon Sorbet made with Sour Patch Kids flavor: Ever wonder how Sour Patch Kids creates the SPK watermelon flavor? I don’t think it’s with watermelon and yet if you’ve ever had watermelon candy, you’ll recognize the “watermelon” flavor. I love Sour Patch Kids, so yes, I did enjoy the sorbet because it was quite tangy. So many froyo flavors are sweet, but I love tangy flavors. Also, the texture was smooth and not icy. Good stuff and the pink color is pretty too. Recommended toppings: Fresh watermelon cubes, rainbow jelly, and mochi.

Yes, Yogurtland had a watermelon sorbet before but it wasn’t made with Sour Patch Kids. It was sweet and not tangy.

My favorite Sour Patch Kids flavor is either cherry or lime.

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.

Culinary Perfume at Salt & Straw

Fro-yo girl here. Salt & Straw introduced three culinary perfumes in honor of National Ice Cream Day, July 17. The three edible fragrances are (1) A Cloud of Cocoa, (2) A Swoon of Citrus, (3) A Plume of Blooms. Complimentary spritzes were available, though I believe they plan to charge $0.50 for them in the future. Salt & Straw encourages you to mix & match the scents with their ice creams. You can wear the fragrances as well. 

According to Salt & Straw, ice cream has no scent because the low temperature traps the fragrance in the ice. Culinary perfume makes ice cream smell delicious and also adds a hint of flavor. Froyo smells (try it yourself) and it can smell really good! But I still love the idea of culinary edible perfume though froyo doesn’t need it. I’d love to smell like plain tart froyo.

I tried A Swoon of Citrus over a scoop Besharam’s Yogurt Lassi with Raspberries (available right now as part of the Berries Berries Berries theme). Since the yogurt is naturally tangy, I couldn’t really taste citrus notes but I could smell them; it smelled like sweet lemons.

The perfumes, made with Portland-based perfumery, Imaginary Authors, are $65 each with free shipping. You can buy them from the Salt & Straw website. Each bottle is 65 ml.

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.

Studio City, California Froyo Guide

 

Studio Yogurt

Fro-yo girl here. Studio City is a neighborhood in Los Angeles in Southeast San Fernando Valley. It’s a small neighborhood with a population of approximately 45,000. The neighborhood is popular with entertainment professionals and is next to Sherman Oaks and the Hollywood Hills.

The oldest froyo shop in Studio City was Studio Yogurt, which opened in 1997 and closed in 2014. Today there are two froyo shops left: Pinkberry and Chill Cafe. Pinkberry, 12044 1/2 Ventura Blvd, opened in early 2007 and it’s still offering froyo and smoothies and still counter-serve. Chill Café, 11706 Moorpark St., opened in 2009 and offers bagels, crepes, sandwiches, coffee, and self-serve froyo. It was closed for two years due to the pandemic but has reopened.

Former Froyo Shops in Studio City

• Studio Yogurt, 12050 Ventura Blvd, Ste C105 offered low carb and no sugar options, along with regular froyo. They were known for their generous portions. Yogurtland took over the Studio Yogurt space.
• Yogurt Haven, 12215 Ventura Blvd, Ste 103, was a counter-serve froyo shop that opened in 2008 and closed in 2008? It has the same name as two other froyo shops in LA that were self-serve.
• Yogurtland, 12050 Ventura Blvd, Ste C105, was a smaller Yogurtland that opened in 2015 and closed in 2019.

Pagliacci’s New York Pizzeria, 3990 Vantage Ave., used to serve pizza and froyo circa 2009 but they stopped serving froyo a long time ago. They closed in 2021. The restaurant looked older…not sure when they first opened.

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 7th Anniversary & New Flavors

 

Fro-yo girl here. Happy 7th anniversary, Yoga-urt Kenneth Village (Glendale, California)! And keeping with Yoga-urt’s anniversary tradition, two new flavors were introduced this weekend. The flavors are Chocolate Bliss and Peanut Butter Prana. Yes, they don’t sound like new flavors but there’s something different about them. The new versions are sweetened with dates and grape juice concentrate, rather than organic sugar. They’re no sugar added, fruit-sweetened versions. And they’re organic, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, all-natural, and kosher. Mr. Froyo approves, since he has a hard time digesting sugary foods.

Naturally-sweetened Peanut Butter Prana: Like “regular” Peanut Butter Prana, the NS version is heavy on peanut butter flavor. It seemed a tad icier but still thick, rich, and luscious. I couldn’t really taste a difference – maybe a side-by-side comparison would help. The verdict: Just as good as the regular Peanut Butter Prana.

Three more naturally sweetened flavors are coming soon. FYI, dates have a low glycemic index.

I’m not sure when it happened but the right wall in front of the shop has new quotes now. They’re all from women.

We remain your loyal fans!

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 Moves From Valley Village to La Brea (Fairfax)

Fro-yo girl here. On my recent visit to Cambridge Farms, the kosher market, in Valley Village (a neighborhood in Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley), I noticed that Valley Swirl’s space was vacant. All the equipment and signs had been removed. The pink paint was still there.

Valley Swirl has their own space now and the new address is 524 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036. It’s in the Fairfax District, close to Pink’s Hot Dogs. The new space is very pink – the same pink they painted the old space.

Valley Swirl offers mix-in style ice cream and froyo, boba, milkshakes, waffles, acai bowls, smoothies, and hot drinks. The ice cream or frozen yogurt base is combined with add-ins and hand-cranked till everything is mixed together. Everything is RCC Kosher. Online ordering is available.

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.

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

* VALLEY SWIRL ICE CREAM: 524 N La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036

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

Reminder: Share Your Summer Froyo Flavor Ideas by July 20 for a Chance to Win Free Froyo

 

Fro-yo girl here. Are you a passionate froyo fan who dreams of new flavor flavors? There’s a contest that you should enter from the International Frozen Yogurt Association. If your flavor idea is selected, you’ll win a special 4-pint froyo prize package from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams.

Here’s how to enter:

Think of one froyo flavor (it could already exist or be something you dreamed up) that best captures the spirit of summer. Share your summer flavor in the comments section of one of IFYA’s contest posts on Instagram (@froyoassociation), Facebook (@froyoassociation), or Twitter (@froyogirl). Alternative method of entry by email: Send your summer froyo flavor idea to info@internationalfrozenyogurt.com by midnight PST on July 20, 2022.

Enter as many flavor ideas as you'd like. They're looking for creative froyo flavors.

The winner will be announced on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter on or before July 27, 2022. If the winning entry was submitted via email, the winner will be notified by email.

Who’s eligible to enter:

All US residents 13 and over

The prize will be mailed to US addresses only. Entrants must over 13 years old.

For the complete contest rules, visit https://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/official-rules-for-the-summer-froyo-flavors-contest/

One lucky winner will win the IFYA Summer Froyo Flavors Prize Pack: A shipment of 4 pints of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams shipped to your door. The flavors in the prize pack are Sunshine, Strawberry Buttermilk, Lemon & Blueberries Parfait, and Watermelon Taffy.

Jeni’s makes frozen yogurt with fresh cultured buttermilk and yogurt sourced from by a family dairy in Ohio. FYI, the Sunshine flavor is described as tasting like “sunshine on a cloudy day.” It’s a muted grey color but tastes tropical - like “sun-kissed lemon and sweet-tart tangerine with radiant passion fruit.” Jeni’s is a Certified B Corporation; they’ve been endorsed for meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

Best of luck froyo fans!

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.

Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea to Take Over the Menchie’s Glendale, CA Space

 

Fro-yo girl here. When Menchie’s closed in Glendale, CA last October, it wasn’t long before the space was leased. The new tenant is Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea, the bubble tea chain from Taiwan. They’re known for their fresh fruit teas, made with Taiwanese tea leaves. They use real ingredients, including organic cane sugar and milk. No powdered drinks. The nearest one was on Valley Blvd. in San Gabriel. Happy to see a new one closer to home. Expect Yi Fang to open very soon. I saw that they were training employees already.

Yi Fang is also taking over The Alley’s space in Pasadena.

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

* YI FANG: 251 N Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91203

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 National Ice Cream Day Event is July 17

Fro-yo girl here. FYI, Yogurtland is celebrating National Ice Cream Day with a special offer for Real Rewards members. Real Rewards members will earn triple points on purchases made on National Ice Cream Day, Sunday, July 17.

It’s free to join Real Rewards and you get 50 bonus points when you sign up. Earn 2 points for every dollar you spend and get a $5 credit when you reach 100 points. Also, you’ll get free froyo for your birthday

The first Yogurtland National Ice Cream Day promotion occurred in 2018, when they had new spoons and five flavors of soft serve ice cream.

National Ice Cream Month (July) and National Ice Cream Day (the 3rd Sunday of July) were signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on July 9, 1984, with Presidential Proclamation 5219.

P.S. Dippin’ Dots is giving away free mini cups on July 17.

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

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

Tuttimelon Reopens in Fairfield, CA

Fro-yo girl. Tuttimelon has reopened at Solano Town Center in Fairfield, California. I reported that the Fairfield location closed. Their last Facebook post was made in June 2021 and the last Instagram post in July 2020. They opened and closed a few times during the pandemic but then went silent.

However, the Daily Republic reports that Tuttimelon reopened in the spring of this year and it’s back on the Solano Town Center website. The hours on Google were updated 4 weeks ago.

An unexpected Tuttimelon comeback!

* TUTTIMELON: 1350 Travis Blvd, Fairfield, CA 94533

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.

IFYA’s Summer Froyo Flavors Contest, Win 4 Pints of Froyo from Jeni’s

 

Fro-yo girl here. Time for a summer froyo contest from the International Frozen Yogurt Association! This year, the prize is a shipment of 4 pints of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams shipped to your door. We’ve selected the froyo flavors for you: Sunshine, Strawberry Buttermilk, Lemon & Blueberries Parfait, and Watermelon Taffy.* Jeni’s ships nationwide.

Jeni’s makes frozen yogurt with fresh cultured buttermilk and yogurt sourced from by a family dairy in Ohio. FYI, the Sunshine flavor is described as tasting like “sunshine on a cloudy day.” It’s a muted grey color but tastes tropical - like “sun-kissed lemon and sweet-tart tangerine with radiant passion fruit.” Jeni’s is a Certified B Corporation; they’ve been endorsed for meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

The prize: 4 pints of Jeni’s (we’ve selected the froyo flavors) delivered to your home. *Flavors may change depending on availability.

Here’s how to enter:

Think of one froyo flavor (it could already exist or be something you dreamed up) that best captures the spirit of summer. We’re looking for something creative and fun. Tell us your summer flavor in the comments section of one of our contest posts on Instagram (@froyoassociation), Facebook (@froyoassociation), or Twitter (@froyogirl). Alternative method of entry by email: Send your summer froyo flavor idea to info@internationalfrozenyogurt.com by midnight PST on July 20, 2022.

You can enter as many times as you'd like.

The winner will be announced on Instagram and Twitter on or before July 27, 2022. If the winning entry was submitted via email, the winner will be notified by email.

Who’s eligible to enter:

All US residents 13 and over

The prize will be mailed to US addresses only. Entrants must over 13 years old.

For the complete contest rules, visit https://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/official-rules-for-the-summer-froyo-flavors-contest/

Best of luck froyo fans!

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 Menchie’s 15th Anniversary Spoon & Cup, Upcoming Events & a New Game

 

Fro-yo girl here. I’ve just added the new Menchie’s 15th birthday spoon to my froyo spoon collection. The new Menchie’s spoon is teal and features Menchie wearing a pointy party hat, holding five balloons in one hand and a big birthday cake in the other. Turn it over and you’ll see Menchie’s backside. It says “Let’s Celebrate” on the spoon handle.

The limited edition cup is blue and features Menchie with his Sweet Friends: Chip (wearing a Menchie hat), Mookie, Kiwi, PB, Mellow, Barry, and Sprinkle. They all seem to be partying.

Be sure to save the date for a few upcoming events at Menchie’s

• On July 15, the first 50 guests at 3 PM will get 5 ounces of froyo for free. This is a celebration of the release of Zombies 3 on Disney+.
• On July 23, Menchie’s 15th birthday event: All guests receive a Buy One Froyo, Get One Half-Off on 7/23 from 12pm – 2pm!

Be sure to play the Smile Challenge game on the Menchie's app. Complete the gameboard on the homescreen of the Menchie's app anytime in July to receive $5 in Menchie's Money on your app account and a chance to win a Menchie's gift card. You could win a $2,000, $1,000, or a $500 Menchie's gift card.

And Menchie’s will also have raffles on Menchie’s national Instagram and Facebook pages (@mymenchies) all month long. Prizes will include merch, gift cards and some vintage Menchie’s swag!

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 Closes in South Pasadena

Fro-yo girl here. Menchie’s in South Pasadena, CA has closed. I’m not sure if the closure is temporary or permanent. According to Yelp, the shop is expected to reopen on August 24, 2022. Google Places says it’s permanently closed. The phone number has not been disconnected. However, the location is no longer listed on the Menchie’s app, so I think it’s closed for good or if it reopens, it won’t be as a Menchie’s. The closure occurred about 2 – 3 weeks ago.

The froyo machines are still inside the shop and most of the signage is still there. The light was on in the kitchen and everything seemed to still be there. The furniture is still there. There was no sign on the door and no announcement was made on social media. The last update on their Facebook page was made in February 2020. I’ll have to keep watching the space to see what happens.

They were closed down by the health department this time last year, so maybe the same thing happened? The county found rodent droppings.

Update: The business was listed for sale in February 2022 and it seems like they may have found a buyer. The transaction is listed as pending.

* MENCHIE’S: 1040 Mission St., South Pasadena, CA 91030

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 Introduces New Flavor, Blueberry & A New Sundae

Fro-yo girl here. Pressed introduced a new Freeze (their plant-based soft serve) flavor on July 4th. Blueberry Freeze is made with a base of oat milk, coconut cream, blueberry puree, sea salt, and sweet corn flavor. It’s plant-based, vegan, and all-natural. The Summer Berry Crunch sundae is Blueberry Freeze topped with granola butter, blueberries, and corn flakes.

Blueberry Freeze: It’s less icy than the other Freeze flavors but softer (at least the serving I received was much softer than usual). I couldn’t taste the corn, coconut, or oat milk but I could taste blueberries. It was slightly tangy and fairly sweet but not in an unpleasant or cloying way. Recommended toppings: Blueberries, chocolate chip cookie crumble, and almond butter.

Blueberry Freeze is available only for two weeks.

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: Vegan Pineapple Coconut Milk Smoothie & The Return of Birthday Cake OREO

Fro-yo girl here. I was lucky enough to spot the new July flavor at Menchie’s before July (this rarely happens). The new flavor, Vegan Pineapple Coconut Milk Smoothie is gluten-free, dairy-free, all-natural (contains no artificial colors or flavors), and made with no high fructose corn syrup.

Vegan Pineapple Coconut Milk Smoothie: I noticed the pineapple flavor first, followed by the coconut flavor. Both flavors are noticeably strong. The texture was a bit icy. It tasted fine but I think too sweet. Pineapple flavors should be tangy but Vegan Pineapple Coconut Milk Smoothie had no tang. Recommended toppings: Coconut, popping boba, mochi.

Menchie's is also featuring Birthday Cake Oreo Cookie froyo this month. The flavor was first introduced last July. It's being featured this month in honor of Menchie's 15th anniversary. 

The featured flavors are 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.

New Sticker Sheets from Yogurtland

 

Fro-yo girl here. I just got the new sticker sheets from Yogurtland. I think there’s only one version and it comes with 12 stickers the stickers include froyo cups, a Yogurtland spoon, Yogurtland logo, fruit, and toppings. Ask for the stickers soon. They’re available while supplies last and they’re free!

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.