Yomie’s Rice x Yogurt Returns to Arcadia, What Happened to Purple Rice Yogurt

 

Fro-yo girl here. Yomie’s Rice x Yogurt has reopened in Arcadia, inside Duke Bakery. The menu is pretty much the same as it used to be, only with items crossed out.

I’ve watched most purple rice yogurt shops in the area open in 2021 and close or change names by 2022. Here’s a rundown of the ones that have opened in the San Gabriel Valley and where they are today:

• From Yogurt, 29 Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA, opened July 2021 and closed in August 2022
• Yomie Yogurt, 18716 Colima Rd Rowland Heights, CA, is a blatant knockoff of the real Yomie’s Rice x Yogurt but it did open first, in April 2021. The menu is very similar to Yomie’s Rice x Yogurt, which hails from Sydney, Australia.
• Yomie’s Rice x Yogurt, 18178 Colima Rd Rowland Heights, CA, opened in late 2021 and is still open.
• Yomie’s Rice x Yogurt, 400 S Baldwin Ave, Space 2203, Arcadia, CA, opened in May 2021 and became Der-Tea in May 2022. Der-Tea had a similar menu and continued to offer purple rice yogurt drinks. It is now called One Cup, as of 2023, and it still offers purple rice yogurt.
• Yomie’s Rice x Yogurt, 5805 Rosemead Blvd, Temple City, CA, opened in November 2021 in the same shopping center as Daiso and TJ Maxx. It changed names in July 2022 but became another boba shop called Zhen Tea. Zhen Tea offered purple rice yogurt drinks. Zhen Tea seems to have closed in May 2023. It is now another boba shop called Bearology. Purple rice yogurt drinks are no longer available.
• Yomie’s Rice x Yogurt, 227 W Valley Blvd #168A, San Gabriel, CA, opened in July 2021 and closed in December 2022. The space is now occupied by Chickii Fried Chicken.

I did notice that the purple rice wasn’t being cooked as well (or wasn’t fresh) at multiple Yomie’s Rice x Yogurt locations. Purple rice became available as a add-in at other boba shops, though very few offered purple rice yogurt. It's often not fresh or cooked well, so I've become reluctant to order it.

I looked at Google Trends and the popularity of the search term “purple rice yogurt” over the past five years. Purple rice yogurt searches were the most popular by far in Singapore, followed by Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia. It didn’t catch on in the US to the same extent (the US is #9 in terms of search queries for purple rice yogurt). Google adjusts for differences in the population size of countries by using the proportion of all search queries rather than looking at the absolute query count.

The first Yomie’s Rice x Yogurt to open in the US is still open in Bellevue, Washington, and they’ve opened in other states. I noticed most of the purple rice yogurt shops in Indonesia also have closed after a year or two. Yomie’s Australia hasn’t posted on IG since 2020, but still seems to be open. I guess that makes purple rice yogurt a passing fad.

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

* YOMIE’S RICE x YOGURT, 713 W Duarte Rd Ste E Arcadia, CA 97201

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.

A Visit to Yomie Yogurt, First Purple Rice Yogurt Shop in Southern California

Fro-yo girl here. Will the real Yomie’s Purple Rice Yogurt please stand up? Yomie Yogurt opened in late April in Rowland Heights, CA. Looking at the name and the graphics, they’re clearly trying to associate themselves with the famous Yomie’s from Sydney, Australia. But it seems like they’re just a knock-off and not the real thing. The Yomie’s that opened in Arcadia’s Westfield Santa Anita is part of the real Yomie’s though their signs aren’t the same as the real Yomie’s. Confused?

Anyway, I tried to go to Yomie Yogurt about a month ago and they were closed due to machine maintenance. Argh. I finally made it back. The menu is very similar to Yomie’s Rice x Yogurt, with purple rice yogurt, oats yogurt, durian yogurt, etc. They don’t have the option of adjusting the sweetness level.

Purple rice yogurt ($6): A plain yogurt smoothie with cooked purple rice, it’s not too thick and the sweet, chewy purple rice is pleasant to chew on. Their version is tangier than Yomie’s Rice x Yogurt but the rice is clumpier and not cooked as well as Yomie’s Rice x Yogurt. It wasn’t too sweet or too heavy yet it was substantial. 

You can order online. I ordered inside the store. It wasn’t busy but the drink still took quite some time to make. They must not make their yogurt in the store because the sign says 100% fresh yogurt delivered daily.

It was hard to find any information on Yomie Yogurt but they did write the following, “We focus all our efforts on doing the best, on striving for perfection, and on restoring perfectionism. From "No" to "Yes" rice, yogurt is made from raw materials extracted from fresh milk fermented in California. It is the only yogurt brand designated by the dairy factory and 100% safe to drink. Fruit ingredients imported by air, only stored 2-3 days, truly "fresh, safe, to ensure the taste". We are like you who are successful, or you who are on the way to success. Our attitude, earnestness, delicacy and essence are all deeply rooted in our bones." It’s the only yogurt brand designated by the dairy factory – what does that mean?

I wonder how long it will take the real Yomie’s to sue the fake Yomie’s. Fake Yomie’s is cute inside thanks to the signs that make it look like the real Yomie’s. Also, there’s a cute mural on the exterior wall.

YOMIE YOGURT: 18716 Colima Rd, Rowland Heights, CA 91748

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.