My Best Swirl of 2023

Fro-yo girl here. What was my best swirl of 2023? I saved pictures of all the froyo that I consumed in 2023 on my Pinterest board, 2023 Froyo Consumed by Me. After looking at all the photos, my best self-swirl was the cup of plain tart froyo that I swirled at Bloomfield Creamery in Pasadena, California. The froyo texture looks wonderful - firm, creamy, and smooth. Yum! 

My most viewed cup of froyo was the one that I swirled at Amazon Go. It had over 1.1k views on Pinterest. I'm not sure why that particular picture was so popular. 

This year, I consumed 130 cups of froyo, less than last year's 144 cups. My first cup of froyo this year was a cup of plain tart from Yogurtland Eagle Rock. 

Of the cups and cones of froyo that I consumed, 50% were self-serve, 13% partial serve, 32% counter-serve, 1% machine-served, and 4% pre-packed. In 2022, 60% of my cups were self-serve or partial-serve. Most places are back to full self-service but a few Yogurtland locations, including Yogurtland Eagle Rock, still have the employee serve the toppings. I don't see pandemic restrictions at other businesses, so not allowing for full self-serve seems lame. 

I prefer getting one flavor per cup. In 2023, 84% of my froyo cups and cones featured one flavor (compared to 88% in 2022). Similarly, 85% of my froyo cups and cones were dairy-based froyo (compared to 81% in 2022).

You can see every cup of froyo that I consumed on my 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.

Froyology Takes Over the Tutti Frutti Montebello Space

 

Fro-yo girl here. Tutti Frutti Montebello closed sometime during the pandemic without any announcement. In 2021, the equipment and signs were still there, but they had been closed for months.

Three months ago, a new froyo shop called Froyology took over. The interior looks the same though they took down the Tutti Frutti signs. The décor and the soft serve machines are the same. They had ten self-serve flavors and one machine that wasn’t being used, with toppings, for $0.99 an ounce.

The Yogurtland in the same mall is also $0.99 an ounce. I feel bad for Montebello residents. Froyology and Yogurtland at The Shops at Montebello are the only froyo shops left, and they’re overpriced.

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

* FROYOLOGY: 2134 Montebello Town Ctr Montebello, CA 90640

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 2023 Christmas Spirit Froyo Shop Winner

 

Source: IG @llaollao_my

Fro-yo girl here. I’ve been tracking Christmas spirit at froyo shops around the world and I’ve seen new holiday froyo flavors, holiday toppings, holiday spoons, holiday cups, holiday promotions, holiday gift card designs, festive store decorations, holiday froyo cakes, visits from Santa, and more. Taking all of these into consideration, the froyo shop (or chain) with the most holiday spirit in 2023 is…Llaollao.

Llaollao celebrated Christmas with a new sauce, turron (Spanish nougat), a new holiday cup design, a new llaollao tote bag, llaollao Christmas socks, and a holiday giveaway. The turron sauce is only available in December, while supplies last. But you can buy jars of it for home consumption (and/or gifts).

Previous winners of the Christmas Spirit Froyo Shop Award

• 2022: Yogurtland
• 2021: 16 Handles

My Christmas-y froyo images Pinterest board has over 1,700 images. https://www.pinterest.com/froyogirl/christmas-y-froyo-images/

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 Collectible Froyo Spoons in 2023

 

Yogurtland, Snowman spoon

Fro-yo girl here. Froyo spoon collectors, these were the new froyo spoons that were released in the US in 2023. I’ve noted the shop, spoon color, and theme. 

2023 Collectible Froyo Spoons

• Menchie’s, yellow, Mookie, Calci-YUMM!
• Menchie’s, pink, Mellow, Spring for a Treat
• Menchie’s, teal, Menchie & Chip, Party Birthday Bash
• SweetFrog, green color changing, American Red Cross water safety
• Yogurtland, mint green, logo
• Yogurtland, dark yellow, sunglasses
• Yogurtland, giant yellow 
• Yogurtland, giant dark blue
• Yogurtland, light blue, snowman

Yogurtland introduced five new spoons (two of them were giant spoons), Menchie’s three, and sweetFrog one, for a total of nine new spoon designs. In 2022, there were seven new spoon designs introduced in the US. Yogurtland even had a Mystery Giant Spoon Day giveaway in November 2023. 

Check out all the fancy froyo spoons on the Pinterest board, Fancy Froyo Spoons.

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

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

Painful California Froyo Shop Closures in 2023

Yogurtland on Sunset Blvd, Hollywood

 

Fro-yo girl here. Before the year ends, I’d like to recognize a few froyo shops that closed this year that deserve a few words.

Ace Frozen Yogurt, 160 E Duarte Rd, Ste E, Arcadia, CA 91006

Ace Frozen Yogurt was the oldest remaining froyo shop in San Gabriel Valley. The counter-serve shop opened in 1986. Ace Frozen Yogurt. Ace Frozen Yogurt opened in 1986. The counter-serve froyo shop served Dannon YoCream froyo, smoothies, shaved ice, and more. The new owners, 626 Hospitality Group, kept the soft serve machines. They make top-notch soft serve ice cream with LA-inspired flavors from scratch.

Loving Cup, 2356 Polk St., San Francisco, CA 94109

Loving Cup closed the original location in Russian Hill earlier this summer. The shop opened in late 2008, specializing in hand-churned mix-in style froyo and rice pudding. Customers selected a size, a base (chocolate, vanilla or non-dairy), and mix-ins. The associate would hand churn everything together using a machine.

Menchie’s, 2901 Ocean Park Blvd, Ste 107, Santa Monica, CA 90405

The Menchie’s on Ocean Park Blvd. in Santa Monica has had multiple owners. It was sold again this year and converted into The Yogurt Shoppe. Menchie’s Ocean Park Courtyard first opened in 2011, so it was 12 years old when it closed.

Menchie’s, 732 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403

Menchie’s opened on Montana Ave. in 2010 and was the scene of countless celebrity froyo sightings since opening across the street from TCBY. This was the first Menchie’s in Santa Monica.

Yogurt Stop, 8803 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Yogurt Stop closed after fifteen years because the landlord would not renew the lease. They baked some of their toppings and had the cutest names for their froyo flavors. They were open late, till 2 AM on some nights.

Yogurtland, 5541 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

This Yogurtland first opened in 2007. There were two things that I really liked about it. First, you could see Yogurtland and the Hollywood sign together from the Target across the street. Second, there was a parking lot.

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.

2023 California Froyo Shop Openings & Closings

iCream showroom, Los Angeles 

Yogurt Stop, West Hollywood

Fro-yo girl here. I thought there would be more froyo shop openings this year, since COVID-19 isn't as much of a concern. However, there were fewer new froyo shops this year than in 2022 and 2021. Also, I think it's the first time that the number of new non-froyo shops serving froyo exceeded the number of new froyo shops, driven by the explosive growth of Nick the Greek.

In 2023, I found 38 new places that serve soft-serve froyo: 12 new froyo shops, 1 froyo truck, 19 non-froyo shops that serve froyo, and 4 froyo vending machine installations. In 2022, I found 46 new places that serve froyo: 18 new froyo shops (including two froyo trucks), 20 non-froyo shops, and 8 froyo vending machines. There were even more new froyo shops in 2021, fifteen, compared to 2023.

Five of the 2023 new froyo shop and truck openings were part of national froyo chains. Eight of twelve new froyo shop and truck openings were in Southern California, and four in Northern California.  

My goal is to track any new venue that serves froyo in soft serve form, including restaurants, convenience stores, pop-ups, froyo trucks, froyo trailers, vending machines, amusement parks, stadiums, etc. It's easier to track openings, since they're usually announced, but many places close quietly.

Businesses are listed in alphabetical order with the location.

New Froyo Shops and Trucks

• Beary Bliss, Big Bear Lake
• Frosty Peaks, Ridgecrest
• Froyology, Montebello
• Golden Spoon, Newport Beach
• LOL Yogurt, Atascadero
• Menchie’s, Burbank (moved)
• Menchie’s, Natomas, Sacramento
• Moxie's, Windsor (froyo truck)
• Pinkberry, Sacramento
• Prive La Yogurt, Roseville
• YOBA, Ontario
• The Yogurt Shoppe, Santa Monica (took over Menchie’s)
• Yogurtland, Hastings Ranch, East Pasadena
• Yogurtland, Riverside

Not a Froyo Shop but Serves Froyo

• IKEA, San Francisco
• Kalamaki Greek, Los Angeles (not new but added Greek froyo in November)
• Moo & Brew, Placerville
• Mrs. Chips Cookies, Sherman Oaks
• Nick the Greek, Hayward
• Nick the Greek, San Leandro
• Nick the Greek, Riverbank
• Nick the Greek, Belmont Shore, Long Beach
• Nick the Greek, San Luis Obispo
• Nick the Greek, West Hollywood
• Nick the Greek, Visalia
• Nick the Greek, San Dimas
• Nick the Greek, La Mirada
• Nick the Greek, Marina Del Rey
• Nick the Greek, Danville
• Nick the Greek, Monterey
• Pita GR, Brea
• Souvla, Larkspur
• Wafflecomb, Santa Clarita (not new but added self-serve froyo)
• Valley Swirl, Los Angeles

Froyo Vending Machines

• iCream showroom, Pinkberry, Los Angeles
• iCream, Pinkberry, Kidtopia, Fremont
• iCream, Pinkberry, San Francisco
• iCream, Pinkberry, Koreatown, Los Angeles

I didn't count rebranded froyo businesses or ones that changed ownership as new froyo businesses, but I tried to track both.

New Ownership of Froyo Shop

• Honeymoon Frozen Yogurt, Sebastopol
• Menchie’s, Pico Rivera
• Pinkberry, Marina Del Rey
• Pinkberry, Beverly Hills
• Yogurtland, Claremont

Froyo Shop Name Change

• Orange Tree, San Bruno, new name: San Froyo
• Sweetfrog, Lancaster, new name: Sweet Bunnies
• Tutti Frutti, San Carlos, new name: Toot Sweet Frozen Yogurt
• Tutti Frutti, Long Beach, new name: Frozen Oasis
• Tutti Frutti, Artesia, new name: Go-Go Froyo
• Yum Yum Yogurt, Kingsburg, new name: The Froyo Co.

As for froyo shop closings, I found eighteen this year or nineteen if you consider the non-froyo shops that served froyo and closed. Last year, I found twenty-one froyo shop and non-froyo shop closings. Three Menchie's locations closed and four Yogurtland locations closed in 2023. Most of the froyo shops that closed were older (over 10 years old) shops. Ace Frozen Yogurt in Arcadia was over 30 years old. Two of the froyo shops that closed were replaced by other froyo shops.

Froyo Shop Closings

• Ace Frozen Yogurt, Arcadia
• Chill, Studio City
• Dolci Mango, Chula Vista
• Joghurt, Chino
• Joy Sedona, Lake Balboa
• Loving Cup, Russian Hill, San Francisco
• Menchie’s, Ocean Park, Santa Monica (now The Yogurt Shoppe)
• Menchie’s, Montana Ave, Santa Monica
• Menchie’s, Newport Beach (now Golden Spoon)
• Spoonful Yogurt Café, Riverside
• Sweetfrog, Palmdale
• Yogurtland, Brentwood, Los Angeles
• Yogurtland, Hollywood, Los Angeles
• Yogurtland, Pinole
• Yogurtland, Boyle Heights, Los Angeles
• Yogurtland, Northwood, Irvine
• Yogurt Shack, Concord
• Yogurt Stop, West Hollywood
• Yummy Spoon Yogurt, Chula Vista

Closings, Not a Froyo Shop 

• Health Habit, Valley Springs
• Mrs. Chips Cookies, Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles
• Sweet Retreat, Morgan Hill

Not Closed, No Longer Serving Froyo

• The Kona Ice Shop, Winters

More froyo is on the way. I found 28 places listed as opening soon, with Nick the Greek accounting for 23 of these future locations.

Future Places Serving Froyo

• Easy Breezy, Walnut Creek
• Cuppa Yo, Dublin
• Menchie’s, Cameron Park
• Menchie's, Clovis
• Nick the Greek, Berkeley
• Nick the Greek, Hollister
• Nick the Greek, Tracy
• Nick the Greek, Oakland
• Nick the Greek, Sonoma
• Nick the Greek, Stockton
• Nick the Greek, Palo Alto
• Nick the Greek, Folsom
• Nick the Greek, Mountain View
• Nick the Greek, Marin
• Nick the Greek, Salinas
• Nick the Greek, Natomas
• Nick the Greek, Sacramento
• Nick the Greek, San Francisco, 4 locations
• Nick the Greek, Santa Barbara
• Nick the Greek, Pinole
• Nick the Greek, Mill Valley
• Nick the Greek, Petaluma
• Nick the Greek, Natomas
• Nick the Greek, Stockton
• Pinkberry, Natomas
• Pinkberry, Manteca
• Pinkberry, John Wayne Airport, Santa Ana
• Pinkberry, Fremont
• Yoga-urt, Granada Hills, Los Angeles

I’ll keep updating this post if I find out about other 2023 froyo shop openings and closings. Did I miss any openings or closings? Let me know.

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

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

NEW Jeni’s Frozen Dessert Sandwiches, Exclusively at Whole Foods

Fro-yo girl here. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams recently released three new frozen dessert sandwiches, and they’re available exclusively at Whole Foods. Two of the three sandwiches feature froyo!

The sandwiches are:

• Mint Chocolate Truffle: Palate-cooling peppermint cream with dark chocolate cookies
• Key Lime Pie: Tropical, tart, and uber creamy key lime with graham cracker cookies (contains yogurt)
• Triple Berry Tart: Sweet-tart and ultra-lush purple berry cream with chocolate cookies (contains yogurt)

One box contains three individually wrapped sandwiches. The MRSP is $7.99. Each sandwich is 3.5 fl oz. I found all three sandwich varieties at Whole Foods in Pasadena, CA. They were on sale for $7.19/box.

Key Lime Pie: This was my favorite sandwich. Key lime pie is one of my favorite flavors and this one delivered on the tart key lime flavor that I love. In fact, I’d say that the flavor was very tangy and you could really taste the lime. The texture of the froyo was creamy and not too soft or too hard. The graham cracker cookies were soft and tasty. The combination of the cookies with the tart key lime froyo also really worked. And I liked the size – not too tiny but not huge. One sandwich is 210 calories, 8g total fat, 34 total carbs, 19g total sugars, and 3g protein. 5 out of 5 stars.

Triple Berry Tart: This sandwich was good but I didn’t enjoy the cookie/froyo combination as much and the froyo wasn’t as tangy, even though there was less sugar than the key lime pie sandwich. The froyo is made with blackberries, blueberries, and red raspberries and the chocolate cookie was soft. The tartness was mild but the berry ice cream was creamy, rich, and fruit-forward. One sandwich was 210 calories, 9g total fat, 32g total carbs, 17g total sugars, and 4g protein. 4 out of 5 stars.

I remember when Jeni’s used to have macaroon and cookie ice cream sandwiches. Haven’t seen any of those for years, unfortunately. They were so good! I'm thrilled to see that Jeni's has new froyo sandwiches.

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.

Save the Date for Yogurtland’s Giant Spoon Exclusive Access Event

 

Fro-yo girl here. Remember how Yogurtland had the mystery giant spoon day giveaway on November 18? Hope you picked up a giant spoon then or before then because you can use that giant spoon to get an exclusive offer. On December 21, enjoy 21% off your Yogurtland purchase when you show your Yogurtland giant spoon (any color) at the register. This is the first time Yogurtland has had a discount for giant spoon owners. I like the idea though I do think Platinum spoon owners should get an extra special offer.

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 Free Froyo Candy Cane Lane Event & New Holiday Cup

 

Fro-yo girl here. Thank you, Candy Cane Lane, for sponsoring Menchie’s froyo giveaway on Friday, December 8. The first 50 guests at participating Menchie’s received 5 oz of free froyo.

Candy Cane Lane is a new holiday movie starring Eddie Murphy and Tracee Ellis Ross that’s now streaming on Prime Video. Eddie Murphy plays Chris, a man on a mission to win the neighborhood’s annual Christmas decorating contest.

I also picked up the new Menchie’s holiday cups. The cups are red and feature Menchie, Chip, Mookie, and Sprinkle. It says Happy Holidays on one side and on the other, there’s a holiday to-do list. The to-do list doesn’t mention froyo. There are no new Menchie’s holiday spoons this year.

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

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

Menchie’s December Featured Flavors and Promotions

Fro-yo girl here. Happy December! It’s a busy, festive month at Menchie’s. I think there are new red Menchie’s holiday cups but I didn’t see any during my visit this week.

The new froyo flavor, Peanut Butter ‘n’ Chocolate Fudge is made with Reese’s peanut butter. Peanut Butter ‘n’ Chocolate Fudge froyo is nonfat and contains no artificial colors, no artificial flavors, and no high fructose corn syrup. Who doesn’t love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter? Anyway, I enjoyed the flavor, which reminded me of Menchie’s Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cup froyo. The peanut butter flavor is much stronger than the chocolate fudge flavor, so that’s a plus for pb lovers. And it was creamy and smooth. Recommended toppings: Nutter Buter, Special Dark chocolate chips, and Butterfinger.

Menchie’s Holiday Eggnog froyo flavor returns this month but it’s called Holiday Elfnog, in honor of the new holiday movie, Candy Cane Lane. Holiday Elfnog is gluten-free, lowfat, and made without any artificial colors, artificial flavors, or high fructose corn syrup. It wasn’t there on my last visit to Menchie’s.

On December 8, Candy Cane Lane is sponsoring a free froyo giveaway at Menchie’s. On December 8, the first 50 people at 3 PM will receive 5 oz of free froyo. Candy Cane Lane is a new holiday movie starring Eddie Murphy and Tracee Ellis Ross that’s now streaming on Prime Video. Eddie Murphy plays Chris, a man on a mission to win the neighborhood’s annual Christmas decorating contest.

Also, enjoy $3 off your $20 or more Menchie’s delivery from Grubhub every Friday in December. Limit one per person. Terms and conditions apply.

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.

Halo Top Frozen Yogurt Pops Made with Skyr Review

Fro-yo girl here. I first heard about Halo Top’s Frozen Yogurt pops in March 2023, when they were launched. After checking many grocery stores, I concluded that the pops were not available in my area. Well, I finally found some at the newly relaunched Amazon Fresh in Pasadena, California. They had both flavors, Triple Berry and Strawberry. A box of four pops was $5.34, slightly less than the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $5.49. These pops are supposed to be better for you, an on-the-go nutritious snack.

I haven’t seen frozen skyr popsicles for sale in US grocery stores before. I’ve seen them for sale in other countries though. Halo Top’s frozen yogurt pops are made with creamy Icelandic skyr-style yogurt, crunchy granola, and real fruit. Each pop is 110 calories with 4g of protein. Available flavors: Triple Berry, Strawberry.

Triple Berry: The pop was creamy and not as dense and hard as other yogurt pops. The flavor was okay. It was very sweet. The berries were blended with the yogurt. There wasn’t much granola. The berry bits had some tang. There was a bitter aftertaste. One 64g pop is 110 calories, 3g total fat, 10mg cholesterol, 16g total carbohydrates, 15g total sugars, and 4g proteins. The pops are made with ultrafiltered milk, and sweetened with sugar, corn syrup, and molasses. Yasso pops taste better for sure.

3 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.

Jeni’s Grand Opening in Highland Park, Los Angeles on November 30

 

Fro-yo girl here. Jeni’s Ice Cream’s scoop shop soft opened in Highland Park, Los Angeles on November 16 and the grand opening is set for 7 PM – 11 PM on Thursday, November 30. I won’t be able to attend but if you’re free, it’s worth waiting. The first 50 customers will get exclusive Jeni’s gifts (and they’ve been very generous at previous grand opening events). Everyone who attends will receive free scoops. The holiday flavors have arrived, including White Chocolate Peppermint, Rum Ball, Merry Berry, and Boozy Eggnog.

I visited the shop today. It’s in an older building on the corner of Avenue 56 and Figueroa. They had almost dozen flavors, including several dairy-free options and one froyo. Look for the gluten-free symbol if you're avoiding gluten. A standard size (up to 2 flavors) is $6.95 and comes with a buttercrisp waffle wedge. Flights and pints are available. Choose from a bowl or cone. You can also opt for the affogato.

The ice cream is made with the best ingredients, including grass fed milk from Ohio. The flavors are generally amazing but not crazy or super exotic. 

There’s also some cute Jeni’s merch for sale: cookbooks, t-shirts, sprinkles, bandanas, tasting spoons, sauces, etc.

Yes, it is an ice cream shop but Jeni’s has the best buttermilk frozen yogurt! You should get the Rainbow Buttermilk froyo and the Merry Berry. Here’s the description of Merry Berry: “But then — like a sweet-tart little beacon in all the richness — there are the jam-filled cookies. The bright spots on the table that liven up our palates with preserved fruits. Merry Berry is a celebration of those cookies, wrapped into ice cream. Fragrant brambleberry cream, light on its feet with a little tart buttermilk and lush yogurt folded in. A made-from-scratch raspberry coulis for satisfying jamminess in every bite. And crushed amaretti cookies that sandwiches the whole thing together, like a Linzer cookie.” Merry Berry has yogurt! And it’s tart and berry forward. Rainbow Buttermilk Frozen Yogurt features raspberry, key lime, and passion fruit froyo. It's extra tangy and rich. 

Get some froyo and enjoy! Also, if you are a fan, join the rewards program.

* JENI’S: 5601 N Figueroa St Suite #110, Los Angeles, CA 90042

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.

Froyo Scene in Metairie, Louisiana

 

Fro-yo girl here. New Orleans has many suburbs (e.g., Chalmette, Slidell, Gretna, Kenner, River Ridge, Belle Chasse) and many of them have froyo. Metairie is the largest suburb, with a population of 143,507 in 2020. I’m told that it’s a safe, nice area to live. The French were the first Europeans to settle in the area.

I found two froyo shops that are still open in Metairie and eleven that closed. The two that are open, TCBY and Todd’s, had other locations in the past. Todd’s moved around. Most of the shops that opened after TCBY closed after a year or two, but TCBY, Todd’s, and Tutti Frutti had more staying power. 

Froyo Shops in Metairie

• TCBY, 701 Metairie Rd, is a counter-serve shop that carries 20 flavors of frozen yogurt and sorbet daily. Fat-free and sugar-free options are available.
• Todd’s Frozen Yogurt, 3544 W Esplanade Ave, opened in 2014 after several moves (Lakeside Mall to Severn Ave). The shop is counter-serve and also serves shakes, smoothies, malts, sundaes, etc. Sugar-free options are available.

Former Froyo Shops

• CherryBerry, 3348 W Esplanade Ave, Unit C, opened in 2010 offering self-serve froyo. They also carried shaved ice that was made to order. The shop may have closed in 2012.
• Red Mango, 4852 Veterans Memorial Blvd, was a self-serve location that opened in 2012 and closed in 2013.
• Frogurt, 3841 Veterans Memorial Blvd, Ste 102, was a self-serve froyo shop that was open from 2012-2013
• Kool 32 Degrees Yogurt, 3841 Veterans Memorial Blvd, unknown dates
• TCBY, 5107 W Napoleon Ave, probably closed a long time ago
• TCBY, 615 Veterans Memorial Blvd, probably closed a long time ago
• TCBY, 2222 Clearview Pkwy Ste B, probably closed a long time ago. There was one review from 2011.
• TCBY, 5000 W Esplanade Ave, probably closed a long time ago
• Todd’s Frozen Yogurt, 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd Ste 14A, had a counter-serve kiosk at Lakeside Mall in 1992. They moved to a larger space Severn Ave. and then to the current space on Esplanade Ave.
• Todd’s Frozen Yogurt, 3200 Severn Ave. Suite 106, was the location Todd’s moved to after leaving Lakeside Mall in 2014.
• Tutti Frutti, 4316 Veterans Memorial Blvd Ste B, opened at Lakeside Mall in 2010. The self-serve froyo shop, part of the international froyo chain, closed in 2022.

Did I miss any froyo shops in Metairie? Let me know.

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

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

Erewhon Introduces Vegan, Organic Soft Serve in Tonic Bars

Fro-yo girl here. Erewhon just added vegan, organic coconut soft serve ice cream at the Culver City and Pasadena locations. There is one flavor that tastes like coconut. The soft serve is gluten-free, non-GMO, kosher, soy-free, dairy-free, and allergen-friendly. It is not frozen yogurt. 

Coconut Soft Serve: The soft serve was thick, rich, and creamy. It had a strong coconut taste. It seemed sweeter than usual and the 8 oz serving was so large that I got tired of eating it. The glazes sounded very sweet. The 8 oz cup was only $6.

They’re serving a soft serve mix from Coconut Bliss out of a Stoelting counter-top soft serve machine. The machine has a single hopper, so they'll only be able to offer one flavor at a time.

The soft serve is available from the Tonic Bar. It’s not on the menu yet, but I was told that there are two sizes (8 oz & 12 oz) and the option to add any of their glazes (fruit, maple), coffee, goji berries, walnuts, cacao nibs, etc. It sounds like the toppings were already offered at the tonic bar and they haven’t added fresh fruit, granola, and other toppings that would pair well with the soft serve.

Coconut Bliss was acquired by HumanCo in 2020 and rebranded as Cosmic Bliss. Erewhon plans to add the soft serve to all locations in the near future. I’m hoping they also improve the toppings options. Also, I’d really like a smaller cup size (4 to 6 oz). They should be serving Yoga-urt because it's so much better. 

You can find the ingredients and nutritional information on Azure Standard.

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.

Wafflecomb Under New Ownership, Now Offering Self-Serve Froyo

 

Fro-yo girl here. Wafflecomb in Santa Clarita, California, first opened in 2018 as a counter-serve bubble waffle and soft serve ice cream shop. I never went to old Wafflecomb which seemed similar to SomiSomi (soft serve ice cream, waffles). The ownership recently changed.

The new owner added more soft serve machines, started carrying froyo, and switched to a self-serve soft serve format. I think changed the waffle recipes as well. The bubble waffles and taiyaki are now bubble mochi waffles and mochi taiyaki. The soft serve is $0.71/oz. They have 10 flavors a day, including a dairy-free option, ice cream, custard, and froyo.

For $8.99, you can get a freshly made bubble mochi waffle (two flavors are available: vanilla and chocolate) with unlimited soft serve and toppings. It’s a good deal but the waffle is fairly large, so it’s a big dessert. I didn’t see any fresh fruit toppings. They only had dry toppings: candy, cereal, cookies, coconut, mochi, Pocky, and Hershey’s syrups. The toppings were neatly labeled.

The mochi bubble waffle was pretty good and I’ve had many bubble waffles. The bits between the puffs were nice and crunchy. The mochi made the waffle a little chewier. The batter wasn’t too sweet. The matcha soft serve ice cream was also good!

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

* WAFFLECOMB, 26240 Bouquet Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, CA 91530

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

Yogurtland’s New Topping, Churro Cookie Dough Bites

Fro-yo girl here. I finally spotted the new Yogurtland topping, Churro Cookie Dough Bites. They’re meant to be paired with the new froyo flavor, Cinnamon Sticky Bun froyo. The Churro Cookie Dough Bites are small, like their regular cookie dough bites. They’re soft and coated in cinnamon sugar. The texture is soft and a bit gritty. They taste a bit like snickerdoodle cookies. I’m not sure that I like the texture, but the flavor is pretty good.

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.

Yogurt Buns at Simply Splendid Bakery

 

Fro-yo girl here. Simply Splendid Bakery is a Hong Kong style bakery that bakes cakes, cake rolls, loaves of bread, buns, egg tarts, savory pies, and pastries. They also offer drinks, including Hong Kong milk tea. Baked buns include the usual red bean, taro, coconut, tuna, egg & ham, cheese, hot dog, custard, coffee, etc. The baked buns are individually wrapped.

I have to say that I’m impressed with how soft and fresh their buns are and their buns aren’t too sweet. And there are so many sweet and savory buns to choose from.

The yogurt buns are $2.50 each. The buns are pink (not sure why) and dusted in white powder. The powder was flour, not powdered sugar. The bun was so soft and chewy. Plus, it was lightly sweetened. There was a little bit of yogurt in the center of the bun and the yogurt wasn’t too sweet. The bun seemed to have a hint of rosewater? Delicious and intriguing flavors.

P.S. Their mochi buns have lots of chewy, soft mochi on the inside.

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

* SIMPLY SPLENDID BAKERY: 1273 E Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91801

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 New Holiday Stickers and Another New Topping

Fro-yo girl here. In addition to the Yogurtland holiday-themed sticker sheets, I spotted single Yogurtland holiday cup stickers at the register. The sticker features the new holiday cup design, froyo (chocolate?), and colorful toppings that look like chocolate coated sunflower seeds. The stickers are glossy and would look super cute on your phone, laptop, or water bottle. The stickers are free.

I also heard that Yogurtland has a new topping, Churro Cookie Dough Bites, but I haven’t seen them yet.

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.

Crèmily French Frozen Yogurt Pops Review

Fro-yo girl here. I recently spotted Crèmily French Frozen Yogurt Pops at Grocery Outlet. One box, which contains four individually wrapped bars, was $2.99. I’ve seen the Crèmily frozen yogurt pints before at Vons, but this was my first time seeing the pops. The coated pops are 2.75 fl oz each and they are Keto friendly.

Crèmily is the world’s first Keto French frozen yogurt. It’s low carb, with no added sugar, and made with A2 milk. The froyo is high protein, high fat, gluten-free, and contains probiotics and prebiotics. It’s sweetened with erythritol, monk fruit and Stevia. The packaging says Crèmily’s founder is Kylie Schuyler and that Schuyler recruited “top chefs and nutritionists to merge traditional, artisanal French yogurt recipes with modern techniques and the highest quality ingredients.”

French vanilla pop: The coating is a thin chocolate shell. It has a bitterness that I associate with dark chocolate. The shell was brittle and had holes in it. It fell off easily. I did like the shell a lot, though I wish it didn’t fall off that easily. The vanilla frozen yogurt was mild, creamy, and sweet in a pleasant way…somewhat bland but still tasty. I thought the pop was better than the pint that I tried a few months ago. One pop is 160 calories, 15g total fat, 14g total carbs, 2g total sugars, and 3g protein.

Available pop flavors: French vanilla, Salted caramel, Chocolate, Peanut butter chocolate

The Crèmily Foundation programs empower girls globally. One hundred percent of Crèmily’s profits go to the charitable foundation.

4 out of 5 stars.

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

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

Yogurtland Mystery Giant Spoon Day

Fro-yo girl here. It hasn’t been announced yet, but Yogurtland is having a Mystery Giant Spoon Day on Saturday, November 18. You’ll get a free giant spoon with a minimum $10 in-store purchase. The mystery is that you won’t know which giant spoon you’ll be getting. It could be a rare spoon. Most of the giant spoons were handed out during one-day promotional events. Good luck, froyo spoon collectors.

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 Holiday Cup, Holiday Spoon, Holiday Stickers, & New Topping

 

Fro-yo girl here. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Yogurtland. White chocolate peppermint froyo is back and there’s a new holiday cup and holiday spoon. The cup is a berry color and features the Yogurtland logo on a froyo cup, Christmas trees, snowflakes, candy canes, lollipops, and blue stars. The spoon is a light blue snowman wearing a scarf and a top hat. The Yogurtland logo appears on the hat. On the back of the spoon it says Happy Holidays on the handle. Very cute.

I also found some new Yogurtland holiday-themed sticker sheets. The stickers include a penguin holding a froyo cup, a snowman holding a froyo cup, a stocking, Christmas tree, froyo spoon, etc. The stickers are free, so be sure to look for them (you might have to ask for them).

And there’s a new holiday topping, Cap’n Crunch’s Christmas Crunch, featuring red and green holiday shapes like Christmas trees, stars, snowmen, and stocking caps.

The holiday cups, spoons, stickers, and toppings are available 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.

2023 Veterans Day Froyo Offers

Fro-yo girl here. Thank you, vets and active military, for your service to this country. I’ve compiled a list of froyo shops that are honoring veterans & active military with a froyo discount or free froyo for Veterans Day. Here’s the alphabetical list:

• Alpine Chill (Alpine, CA): Vets enjoy 20% off on 11/11/23
• Ayelada (Pittsfield, MA): Free froyo for vets and active duty on 11/10/23
• Berry Mangos (McDonough, GA): Vets with valid military ID enjoy a free 5 oz froyo on 11/11/23
• Chill on Sunrise (Tucson, AZ): With proof of service, active duty military enjoy a free small froyo or ice cream, vets and family members receive a 25% discount
• Cuppa Yo (Buckeye, AZ): Vets and active duty military, enjoy 8 oz free on 11/11 with valid ID
• Cuppa Yo (North Plains, OR): Free 8 oz froyo with military ID on 11/11/23
• Frozen Spoon (Lake Havasu, AZ): Vets and active duty military bring your military ID to get a free 8 oz cup of froyo on 11/11/23
• House of Yogurt (Costa Mesa, CA): Vets and active duty military get a free 8 oz froyo on 11/11/23 with military ID
• Kiwi Loco (Pocatello, ID): Current and former service members get a free froyo or boba on 11/11/23 
• Lizzy's Premium Frozen Yogurt (Desert Hot Springs, CA): 20% off for vets and active duty military on 11/10/23
• Menchie’s (US): Veterans and active duty military get 6 oz of free froyo on 11/11 with a valid military ID
• Never Better Frozen Yogurt (Lake Elsinore, CA): Vets enjoy 8 oz free on 11/10/23
• Orange Leaf (Buckeye, AZ): Vets enjoy a free small cup on 11/10 - 11/11/23
• Peachwave (Holland, MI): Vets and active military enjoy $4 off a single bowl, smoothie, float OR a FREE hot cocoa or coffee. Must show valid military ID on 11/11/23
• Peachwave (El Paso, TX): Vets get 10% off your purchase with military ID on 11/10/23
• Peachwave (Sioux City, SD): 20% off your purchase with military ID on 11/11/23
• Pink Spoon (Forest Grove, OR): Free cup of froyo for vets on 11/11/23
• The Skinny Dip (Ocoee, FL): Show your military ID for a free bowl of froyo on 11/11/23
• Spoon Cafe (Williamstown, MA): Vets enjoy a free small two toppings on 11/10/23
• Suzy’s Swirl (Lake Bluff & Lake Forest, IL): Veterans enjoy 50% off your cup from November 1 – 11, 2023. Also, when you round up the check in November, the proceeds will go to local veterans (Lake Forest American Legion)
• Sweet CeCe's (Mt. Juliet, TN): Vets enjoy a free sweet cup on the house all weekend (11/11 & 11/12)
• SweetFrog (Laurel, Kent Island, Rosedale, Salisbury, Woodmore, Dundalk, MD): 25% off for military and their immediate family (spouse and children, military ID required) any Monday in November
• Sweet Toppings (Minneapolis, MN): Free sundae on 11/11 for all who served
• Swirl Time (Rohnert Park, CA): Vets enjoy 25% off on 11/11/23
• TCBY: First 6 oz free for vets and active military members with proof of service
• The Good Spoon (Caldwell, ID): Vets enjoy a free cup of frozen yogurt on 11/11
• Urban Swirl (Granger, IN): Vets get a single scoop or up to 6 oz of froyo for free, 20% off for your family on 11/11
• Yodels Frozen Yogurt (MI): 50% off with valid military ID on 11/11/23
• Yogaert (Flagstaff, AZ): 50% off for vets on 11/10/23
• Yogo Crazy (Wyomissing, PA): Show proof of service and enjoy a free 8 oz froyo on 11/11/23
• Yogurt Factory (CA): Free froyo, up to 16 oz for vets and active duty military on 11/11/23
• Yogurt Hut (Medford, OR): Free 8 oz froyo on 11/11/23 for vets with military ID
• Yogurt Mill (Central CA): Free menu item OR first 12oz free at the Pelandale location for all veterans and active military personnel. Must show cashier Military ID.
• Yogurtini (Shoal Creek, Overland Park, Plaza, KC): Vets eat free on 11/11/23
• Yogurtland (US): $5 off online orders of $30 or more (before taxes and fees), November 10-12, using the promo code FALL5
• Yogurtland (Las Vegas): Vets and active military enjoy 8 oz cup free on 11/10 - 11/11/23 with military ID
• Yummy Joe's (Hawkinsville, GA): 20% off with valid military ID on 11/11/23
• Zack's Frozen Yogurt (Kernersville, NC): Free regular cone on 11/10/23 with military ID

Check out the Veterans Day Froyo Pinterest board for Veterans Day froyo images.

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 Menchie’s: New Flavors, New Cup, Veterans Day Promo

Fro-yo girl here. Menchie’s has two new flavors featured this month, Sophia’s Extraordinary Strawberry Cake froyo and Caramel Apple Pie froyo.

Sophia’s Extraordinary Strawberry Cake froyo and a new Unicorn Academy cup was inspired by the Netflix series, Unicorn Academy. It’s streaming now on Netflix, exclusively. The froyo is lowfat and made with real strawberries and cake pieces. It contains no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, and no high fructose corn syrup. I could taste the strawberries and the cake, but it wasn’t cloyingly sweet. The texture was smooth, rich, and creamy. Recommended toppings: Nilla wafers, fresh strawberries, and Cool Whip.

The Unicorn Academy cup is purple and features Sophia and a unicorn. There’s a flying pink creature on the cup as well. It says “fill this cup with Sophia’s Extraordinary Strawberry Cake froyo!”

Caramel Apple Pie froyo is a lowfat froyo made with real apples, cinnamon, and graham cracker crumbs. The cinnamon flavor struck me first and then the apple. It’s a warm, mellow flavor. The texture was smooth, creamy, and rich. Caramel Apple Pie froyo is made with no artificial colors, no artificial flavors, and no high fructose corn syrup. Recommended toppings: graham cracker crumbs, walnuts or almonds, caramel sauce, and Cool Whip.

Menchie’s featured flavors are available for a limited time only, while supplies last.

Menchie’s is also honoring veterans and active military members with 6 oz of free froyo this Veterans Day, November 11. To redeem the offer, just show a valid military ID.

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.