Target and Freshii Expand Test Market to California

Fro-yo girl here. Frozen yogurt is everywhere, from large cities to small towns it’s a global phenomenon. Frozen kefir, like yogurt, is a cultured milk product, but it's relatively hard to find (though that could soon be changing - read on). Both contain live and active cultures. Kefir has a higher probiotic count and more types of probiotic bacteria though and the consistency tends to be thinner (it’s often sold as a drink). Kefir contains beneficial yeasts that yogurt does not.

Lifeway describes the difference between yogurt and kefir as: “Lifeway Kefir contains 12 live and active probiotic cultures and is fermented for 14-18 hours after pasteurization. This results in more CFU per serving (7-10 billion) compared to most other commercially available cultured dairy products, including yogurt. The probiotic activity is what produces kefir’s signature fizz, which is why we delightfully refer to it as the Champagne of Dairy!”

The few times that I’ve had frozen kefir, it had an icier texture. It was tangy and tasted like frozen yogurt but the texture wasn’t as pleasing. Granted, so few places offer frozen kefir that the machine settings might have been responsible for the iciness but from what I’ve experienced, frozen yogurt is better than frozen kefir – though the taste is similar the texture of frozen yogurt is superior. I’d say that frozen kefir doesn’t taste as good as the best frozen yogurt but it doesn’t taste different enough from yogurt to make a difference to the consumer. However, if the consumer understands and cares that kefir is healthier than yogurt, it might make a difference for a segment of frozen yogurt consumers. Right now it’s difficult to find frozen kefir other than at the supermarket but that could change.

Target and Freshii announced a partnership late last year. Target is rebranding some of its cafes (it's unclear how many will be remodeled and rebranded) with Freshii opening locations in nine test markets in Chicago and Minneapolis. California will be the next test market for Freshii. With 1,700 Target stores with cafes, you could be seeing frozen kefir 
much closer to you. Update: The Freshii inside the Target on Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena, CA is open but it doesn't have frozen kefir. Froyo is on the menu (though the machine wasn't ready to serve any during my visit).

I spotted a Freshii inside the Old Town Pasadena location and it looks like it's about to open. The soft serve machine was there and frozen kefir was on the menu.

Lifeway’s Starfruit Café serves frozen kefir in the Chicago area. Freshii switched from frozen yogurt to frozen kefir at some locations last summer, including in the Chicago area. Some Argo Tea locations in Chicago offer Lifeway frozen kefir.

Other frozen kefir purveyors outside of Chicago include:

• deKefir: 333 Bay St., Toronto, Canada
• Swirls Frozen Kefir, Unit 195A SM Mall of Asia JW Diokno Blvd., Pasay, Pasay City, Philippines
• Vanilla Jill’s, 298 Blair Blvd., Eugene, OR

Treat Petite was a frozen kefir shop in New York City that closed in 2012.

Lifeway’s frozen kefir products are distributed in the US, Canada, and the UK and can be found using the store locator: http://lifewaykefir.com/where-to-buy/

Babushka produces frozen kefir and is available at markets in Australia: http://babushkaskefir.com.au/find-us/

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.

Lifeway Frozen Kefir Bars Review

Fro-yo girl here. Lifeway introduced a line of frozen kefir bars/pops last year. I hadn’t had much luck finding them in California until a recent trip to Gelson’s in La Canada Flintridge. Gelson’s had two flavors: Tart and Tangy Coconut and Tart and Tangy Pear. Each 15 oz. package comes with six individually wrapped bars. Gelson’s sells a box for $5.39 regular price.

Lifeway Frozen Kefir Bars are available in four flavors: Tart and Tangy Coconut, Tart and Tangy Peach, Tart and Tangy Green Tea Raspberry and Tart and Tangy Vanilla.

Frozen kefir bars are gluten free, contain no artificial colors or flavors and have beneficial live and active kefir cultures. I was pleasantly surprised that each bar is 60 calories or less.

* Tart and tangy pear: The pear flavor is very prominent. The bar tastes like fresh pears. The texture was very pleasant - soft, smooth and creamy but it holds its shape. I liked the tanginess and the clean aftertaste. Yum! The bar had a milkiness from the kefir but the kefir flavor could have been more prominent.

One 1/2 cup serving is 110 calories and nonfat.

Ingredients: Cultured low fat milk, evaporated cane juice, nonfat dry milk, tapioca maltodextrin, natural pear flavor, natural flavors, stabilizer, turmeric, active kefir cultures

4.5 out of 5 stars.

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

* GELSON’S MARKET: 635 Foothill Blvd., La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011

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.

Lifeway Frozen Kefir Review

Fro-yo girl here. I kept checking Whole Foods for Lifeway Frozen Kefir and I finally found it...at Rainbow Grocery. Rainbow Grocery carries all four tart and tangy flavors: strawberry, mango, pomegranate and original. Frozen kefir is 90 calories a serving, lowfat, 99% lactose free and full of live and active probiotic cultures.

Rainbow Grocery is currently selling a pint of frozen kefir for $4.25 (regular price: $5.09).






* Original: Not as hard and firm as I expected, pleasing texture, soft, icy but with some creaminess, tangy but not sour, sweet aftertaste, light but more substantial than sorbet, hint of vanilla flavor
* Pomegranate: bright, tangy, fruity, tastes a bit candy like, clean aftertaste, icy but not watery

I’m really loving frozen kefir, the cousin of yogurt. I favor the original flavor.

5 out of 5 stars.

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

* RAINBOW GROCERY: 1745 Folsom St., San Francisco, CA

Yogurt Drinks: Lifeway Kefir, Evergreen, Promise Activ Supershots, Vita

Fro-yo girl here. A few months ago I started buying various yogurt drinks to see if I would like any of them. I’m officially sick of yogurt drinks now and the only ones I like are Lifeway Kefir and Dannon DanActive.

LIFEWAY PLAIN KEFIR: It tastes the most like real plain yogurt only not as thick. Kefir is thicker than milk, creamy and quite sour. The plain flavor is unsweetened with 10 types of live and active kefir cultures with inulin which helps boost calcium absorption. Since it has the N.V. Perricone MD seal of approval, it must be ultra healthy.

Kefir would make a good dip or salad dressing. I enjoyed kefir in parfaits with fresh berries and granola.

* Flavors: Plain, strawberry, raspberry, strawberry banana, peach, cherry, blueberry, vanilla, cappuccino, pomegranate
* Ingredients: cultured pasteurized milk, nonfat milk, inulin
* $3.99, 32 fl. Oz. Purchased from Safeway, plastic bottle
* 4.5 out of 5 stars

EVERGREEN YOGURT DRINK: This is a Korean product that looks and tastes like Yakult (thin, milky, tangy, sweet) but is targeted towards kids (the plastic wrapper has a picture of a kid kicking a soccer ball). It comes in tiny plastic bottles and it’s labeled as a frozen dessert. The small size is nice because I didn’t feel like drinking much of it.

* 5 bottles, 2.10 fluid ounces
* Ingredients: Filtered water, high fructose corn syrup, cultured grade A pasteurized nonfat milk, sugar, dextrose, natural & artificial flavors, potassium sorbate, aspartame, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D3
* 3 out of 5 stars

PROMISE ACTIV SUPERSHOTS: This product is much thicker than DanActive and claims that it can remove cholesterol as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Of course you’ll need to drink it at least once a day to enjoy those benefits. There was no mention of live and active cultures on the product packaging. The sweet, tangy flavor was okay but I found it a bit too sweet. It did taste like it was made with yogurt though. I didn’t like how it was chalky. It reminded me of Ensure (not that I’ve ever tried Ensure).

* Flavors: Vanilla, Peach, Raspberry, Strawberry
* 3.3 fluid ounces per serving
* Ingredients: water, cultured nonfat milk, sugar, plant sterol esters, pear juice concentrate, canola oil, pectin, natural and artificial flavor, phosphoric acid, mixed tocopherols, guar gum, caramel color, carrageenan gum, xanthan gum, maltodextrin, sucralose, tocopheryl acetate, molasses, vitamin A
* Tagline: A simply amazing way to lower cholesterol
* 3.5 out of 5 stars

VITA YOGHURT FLAVORED DRINK: Made in China, these yogurt drinks come in a pack of 4 boxes with attached straws and are meant for kids. The thin, somewhat milky, refreshing drink seemed tangier and sweeter than Yakult. I found it too sweet but it wasn’t bad. I didn’t see any mention of live and active cultures.

* Pack of four, 4.2 fluid ounces each
* Ingredients: Water, sugar, skim milk powder, whole milk powder, citric acid, pectin, artificial flavor, lactic acid, cellulose gum, salt – okay
* 3.5 out of 5 stars

It’s going to be a loooong time before I feel like having another yogurt drink.

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