The IFYA Turns Five

The International Frozen Yogurt Association was launched on July 29, 2013. Today, it celebrates its fifth anniversary serving the frozen yogurt industry. I wanted to share the IFYA's anniversary message.

IFYA's 2018 Anniversary Message

Our Association Includes More Than 2,100 Members

Last July 2017, we had 1,800 members strong. This July, we have over 2,100 members in over 100 countries. While most of our members are in the US, we clearly have a strong international presence, even in small countries.

We’ve reached several big milestones in social media, including over 2,600 followers on Twitter, over 1,300 followers on Pinterest, nearly 2,200 followers on Instagram, and nearly 800 Facebook fans. Our community is growing everyday.

The State of Froyo Today

According to Technavio's most recent report published in 2017, the “frozen yogurt market in the US is expected to grow at a CAGR of almost 11% from 2017-2021.”

We continue to observe consolidation in the frozen yogurt industry. For example, sweetFrog has acquired several shops that were formerly part of franchises like Hoopla and U-Swirl. We recently saw a significant upsurge in frozen yogurt shop promotions for National Ice Cream Day, July 15. Many frozen yogurt shops have expanded their offerings to include soft serve ice cream. The other big story is robots in foodservice. Reis & Irvy's has signed many franchise agreements for their frozen yogurt robots and installed their robots in several states, with many more installations to come.

The National Frozen Yogurt Survey Returns

One of the ways the IFYA provides values is by tracking the state of the frozen yogurt industry. Last year, we launched the first National Frozen Yogurt Survey for consumers and for frozen yogurt shops. We are excited to conduct the survey again this fall. Here's a recap of what we found last year.

Shop Owner Survey Findings

Our overall impression was that our respondents were optimistic about the future of their business, though they were concerned about rising costs, finding and keeping good employees, and the seasonality of frozen yogurt demand.
The survey included questions such as how many hours a week do you spend managing the shop, what items does your shop sell (besides frozen yogurt), how well is your shop doing in terms of sales compared to this time last year, how satisfied are you with your decision to open your business, etc.

Consumer Survey Findings

Our survey included questions about loyalty, current consumption, future consumption, frozen yogurt attitudes and preferences and demographics. We found that 67% of respondents strongly agreed with the statement, I enjoy eating frozen yogurt. Furthermore, 28% somewhat agreed with the same statement, so only 5% did not agree. In other words, frozen yogurt is popular and well-liked.

We also included questions about how much they liked the major frozen yogurt chains, what shop attributes were important, what might increase their frozen yogurt shop visits, how often they consume frozen yogurt, taste preferences, etc. And, we looked at differences based on gender, age, region (geographic location) and frequency of froyo shop visits.

Please look for the new survey this fall and participate. The more responses we receive, the more useful the results will be for everyone. The results will help shop owners learn how they compared to other frozen yogurt shops, which suppliers are highly rated, and what consumers are looking for from froyo shops.

Offering Greater Membership Value

Our members can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars on essentials for their frozen yogurt shops. IFYA members continued to enjoy exclusive member discounts on frozen yogurt mix, frozen yogurt machines, toppings dispensers, cup dividers, payment processing, insurance and HR/payroll services.

We partnered with ADP to offer a valuable new membership benefit that includes 25% discount on payroll processing, waived implementation fees, and other special offers.

Corporate Sponsors

In addition to our advisory board and frozen yogurt industry experts, we’re thrilled to enjoy the support of our corporate sponsors. A huge thank you to our sponsors for helping us as we strive to promote the quality and success of the frozen yogurt industry:

• FrozenDessertSupplies.com
• Frozen Solutions
• Dannon YoCream

Please support our corporate sponsors and our advertisers when you’re looking for frozen yogurt supplies.

Anniversary Contest

We continued our tradition of having an anniversary contest with our first Froyo Stories contest. We invited frozen yogurt fans to share stories of their love of frozen yogurt.
Each entry was judged for creativity and evidence of frozen yogurt passion. The winner, @db.pottery, maintained a daily froyo blog called Zelda’s Froyo Adventures: https://zeldasfroyoadventures.wordpress.com/

“We are so thrilled to find someone with true froyo passion,” said Susan Linton, President of the International Frozen Yogurt Association. “Promoting the passion of froyo fans is an important part of our association’s mission.”


Warmest Regards,


Susan Linton
President, International Frozen Yogurt Association

Last Week of the First National Frozen Yogurt Shop Owner Survey

Fro-yo girl here. The International Frozen Yogurt Association is seeking the input of all owners of foodservice businesses that serve frozen yogurt in the United States. The National Frozen Yogurt Shop Owner Survey asks about shop performance, satisfaction with suppliers, operational practices, management, etc.

The survey is open to anyone who owns a business that serves frozen yogurt in the US. Owners can sign up to receive the survey results while taking the survey. The results will help owners better understand how their shop compares to other shops. On the other hand, owners who do not take the survey will not have free access to the full results.

The anonymous survey takes about 7 minutes to complete, http://tinyurl.com/nationalfroyoshopsurvey

"We created the National Frozen Yogurt Survey to help our members and shop operators by providing them rich data that has never been available before. This the first time a comprehensive survey of both frozen yogurt consumers and shop operators has been conducted. We are very excited to share our findings," said Susan Linton, President of the International Frozen Yogurt Association.
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 Frozen Yogurt Month: Reflections on the froyo industry

Fro-yo girl here. It’s June which means National Frozen Yogurt Month is back! In fact, National Frozen Yogurt Month is now celebrating its 23rd year. Frozen yogurt is far from new and it’s not a fad either. A fad peaks early and declines very quickly; it is short-lived like the cronut, roti buns or shaved snow/ice. As you can see from Google Trends, interest in frozen yogurt does peak during the summer months but that interest is gradually falling as the frozen yogurt industry has reached the maturity stage of the product category life cycle. The peak occurred in 2012-2013. Note how the cronut has the classic pattern of a fad. It peaked and faded quickly.

Interest in frozen yogurt as measured by search volume remains greatest in the US, followed by Canada, Greece, Denmark, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Consolidation began in the frozen yogurt industry a few years back and it’s continuing today as larger players buy regional and smaller chains and competitors leave the market. In the maturity stage, the industry mostly has larger, well-established competitors. For frozen yogurt, that’s Menchie’s, Yogurtland, Orange Leaf, sweetFrog, Yogen Fruz, etc. Companies can encourage frozen yogurt consumption by targeting new users like the vegan/dairy-free crowd or increasing consumption among current customers through promotions and loyalty programs. It’s also a good time to improve product quality. I’ve noticed that in Australia, many of the frozen yogurt shops are emphasizing the quality of their frozen yogurt.

Frozen yogurt has something going for it that food fads like cronuts, shaved ice and roti buns don’t have. First, it has a health halo thanks to the live and active cultures and lower fat content than ice cream. People can eat frozen yogurt often and not feel guilty about it. Second, frozen yogurt is versatile. It can be a snack or a meal any time of day. Third, frozen yogurt shops are a place to socialize. Frozen yogurt shops are a good place to go for a treat after dinner, on a date or hanging out with friends.

Looking at the future of froyo, I’d like to see:

• a greater emphasis on frozen yogurt quality not quantity
• unique flavors and offerings
• smaller cup sizes for counter serve shops

Shops that survive should offer something unique rather than be just like the frozen yogurt shop down the block. If froyo servings were smaller (e.g., 3-5 ounces), I could have froyo more often, like after dinner or after lunch. Even with the self-serve places I’m tired of HUGE cups.

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.

NRA Show 2014 Report: General Observations

Fro-yo girl here. Since the frozen yogurt industry doesn’t have a large scale tradeshow devoted to frozen yogurt, the National Restaurant Association (NRA Show) is the best place to learn about new trends, new technologies and new products in frozen yogurt (and the foodservice industry in general). This year was my first time attending the NRA Show, the nation’s largest foodservice show, and I went with several goals in mind: (1) to serve as an expert judge for Revel Systems’ inaugural Swirl of Excellence Frozen Yogurt taste competition, (2) to meet others in the frozen yogurt industry and learn about new trends, products, and technologies, (3) to sample frozen yogurt, (4) to have fun and see a few chefs that I admire.

Because there’s so much to report, I’m planning multiple posts that cover the NRA Show. These posts will be on the IFYA blog (internationalfrozenyogurt.com/news):

• Swirl of Excellence Frozen Yogurt Competition Sponsored by Revel Systems
• New Frozen Yogurt Trends, Products & Technology: Frozen Yogurt Mixes
• New Frozen Yogurt Trends, Products & Technology: Frozen Yogurt Machines, Packaging, POS, Franchises

General NRA Show Observations and Tips

If you do attend the NRA Show, don’t bother to make lunch plans. There’s so much free food being handed out and you’ll be so tired that you won’t have room or energy to get lunch elsewhere. They had pizza, flatbread, burgers, Chicago dogs, seafood, mini tacos, hummus, gyros, bagels, pastries, noodles, and of course desserts – frozen yogurt, ice cream, gelato and cookies. You can also buy food at the pizza place, Starbucks and Mc Donald’s but why bother when you’re surrounded by free food?

Wear comfortable shoes and grab a map/download the NRA app so that you can find your way around. You’re going to be doing a lot of walking – or you can rent a motorized wheelchair.

I attended several chef demonstrations (Art Smith, Ming Tsai, Marc Forgione – none of them made froyo) and those are worth going to. You can watch the chef in action and hear personal stories. Few people in the audience want to ask questions, so if you’re a fan of a chef, do attend and ask a question. You can also meet them one on one at the book signings.

Tomorrow’s post on Revel Systems’ Swirl of Excellence Frozen Yogurt Competition will appear on the IFYA blog.

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.

Brozen Brogurt? Frozen Yogurt for Men

Fro-yo girl here. It’s estimated that anywhere from 70-80% of frozen yogurt consumers are female. With so many female customers, it’s not surprising that many frozen yogurt shops are designed to appeal to women. Witness the number of shops decorated in white and pink, cutesy logos, and pictures of fruit.

However, a few shops are bucking the trend with masculine daddy/bro/dude names like Daddy Yo’s, Yo Daddy, Yogurt Brothers, YoBro, and Dude Where’s My Yogurt. Then there are shops named after men, like YoJohnny, Eddie’s Frozen Yogurt, Uncle Gussy’s and Uncle Buck’s. Surf inspired shop names like Surf’N Yogurt and Big Kahuna Yogurt also have masculine appeal. Huddles in Indianapolis, which is owned by the daughter of the Colts owner, shows Colts games and sells Colts apparel. CUPS Frozen Yogurt takes a different sexier approach and is being called the Hooters of frozen yogurt.

These shops have differentiated themselves with their names and décor, but are they different from other frozen yogurt shops? Or is the difference in name only? It looks like their yogurt and toppings are the same as other frozen yogurt places. Yo Daddy is somewhat different because it also offers beer and wine which is unusual for a frozen yogurt establishment.

For a laugh, check out Conan’s Brozen Brogurt video, which is a spoof on what a manly frozen yogurt and manly toppings: http://teamcoco.com/video/brozen-brogurt-the-frozen-yogurt-just-for-bros

Supermarkets are starting to carry yogurt products that can be classified as Man Foods.

ProYo high protein frozen yogurt, launched on the West Coast in March 2013, is set for a national rollout in grocery stores next year. 

In case you haven’t heard, there is a Greek yogurt for men, called Powerful Yogurt. Powerful Yogurt, “the first yogurt in the U.S. designed for a man’s health and nutrition needs” features images of toned torsos reminiscent of a razor or protein powder commercial.

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.

Benefits of Joining the International Frozen Yogurt Association

Fro-yo girl here. Frozen yogurt fans, shop operators, and frozen yogurt suppliers I know there are millions of you out there. Come join the International Frozen Yogurt Association and let’s build a true frozen yogurt community together. With your free registration, you can meet other frozen yogurt fans and trade members, chat about frozen yogurt, keep up with frozen yogurt news and trends, and post free frozen yogurt classified ads. You can buy/sell/trade anything frozen yogurt related.

We’ve assembled an impressive team of frozen yogurt industry experts who are on hand to provide their advice and answer your questions.

IFYA's Swirl of Honor, the first quality seal program specifically for frozen yogurt shops, recognizes shops for their commitment to quality. The IFYA believes in quality frozen yogurt, superior customer service, store cleanliness and environmentally friendly business practices. Frozen yogurt shops are rated on a scale of one to three Swirls.

Benefits for frozen yogurt fans:

• Chat with other frozen yogurt fans
• Buy/sell/trade items with other frozen yogurt fans
• Learn more about frozen yogurt information (e.g., FAQs, glossary of terms)
• Find quality frozen yogurt shops (Swirl of Honor members)

Benefits for frozen yogurt trade members:

• Chat with others in the frozen yogurt industry
• Receive recognition for your shop’s commitment to excellence with the Swirl of Honor program
• Keep up with frozen yogurt industry news and trends
• Find frozen yogurt information (e.g., training programs, helpful links) or ask our IFYA expert
• Buy/sell/trade frozen yogurt items to frozen yogurt shops

The IFYA is working on adding new features and running some exciting frozen yogurt promotions. The association is for you frozen yogurt fans and trade members, so we want to hear from you often. For additional information, visit the IFYA website.

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