Lillie Frozen Yogurt Friends & Family Night and Launch Details

Fro-yo girl here. I had the privilege of attending Lillie Frozen Yogurt’s friends and family night in Beverly Hills on February 21. The official opening is next Saturday night. They’ll be open on Saturday nights at Layla Bagels until they find a brick and mortar space (hope that happens soon).

The froyo is made with four ingredients. It’s all natural, organic, nutrient-dense, and has half the sugar of your typical froyo. And it actually tastes like real tart yogurt. I’m so thrilled because the froyo is phenomenal – thick, smooth, flavorful, tart, and natural. Even better, the toppings (except for the fresh fruit) are housemade.

It isn’t self-serve. There is one machine with two froyo flavor options (they have created a variety of flavors). Toppings include hard shell; fruit, honey, rice crunchies, brownies, honey oat shortbread cubes (so good), and praline toffee crumble. 

I’m going to be a regular once the shop opens.

I met the owner, Ethan, and his passion for froyo impressed me! Follow Lillie on Instagram @lillieyogurt.

* LILLIE FROZEN YOGURT: 233 S Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90212

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’s Ten Year Anniversary Celebration on July 12

 

Fro-yo girl here. If you read my blog on a regular basis, you know that I LOVE YOGA-URT and have been a customer since the Kenneth Village shop first opened ten years ago. I’m thrilled that Yoga-urt is turning ten and in awe of the founder’s dedication and commitment to offering the best all-organic, plant-based, probiotic soft serve (also known as frozen yogurt).

To celebrate ten years, all Yoga-urt locations will be offering the following on Saturday, July 12:

• A brand new flavor
• Custom commemorative bamboo spoons for the first 50 customers at each location
• A limited edition birthday sundae
• $1 off all soft serve bowls from 3 PM - 5 PM (one per customer)
• New waffle cones

Yoga-urt’s soft serve is free of dairy, soy, and gluten. It's all-natural. The base is made with hand-squeezed almond and cashew milk. The shops are in Glendale, Echo Park, Santa Monica, and Granada Hills. Here's a picture of the first store, in Glendale's Kenneth Village.

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.

Active Culture Long Beach Turns Three

Fro-yo girl here. Active Culture just turned three in Long Beach. To celebrate, there was a special 50% off menu items on March 5. The discount included froyo, bowls, salads, acai bowls, burritos, burgers, soups, smoothies, shakes, and more. The Long Beach branch is the fifth. Not Your Mama’s Nachos Tortilla chips, organic black and red beans, melted cheddar cheese, tomato, red onion, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro, seasoning, OG sauce | GF

During my first visit three years ago, I was impressed with how tasty the Not Your Mama’s Nachos dish was. This time, I took home some Wholesome Bowls (organic brown rice, organic black and red beans, cheddar cheese, green cabbage, salsa, avocado, cilantro, seasoning, OG sauce) and those were also very wholesome, satisfying, fresh, and delicious. That OG sauce is seriously good. It tastes like curry, turmeric, lemon, and more.

The froyo machines are still in the back, out of sight. There are four flavors a day. During my visit, these were organic chocolate, organic vanilla, POG, and NY cheesecake. There is always a vegan option.

Prices: Jumbo ($8.99), Regular ($6.99), Cone ($4.99), Mini ($4.99). The mini is pretty big. The froyo toppings were on the main counter, so they seem to be self-serve. There were four toppings: Oreo crumbs, sprinkles, Fruity Pebbles, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch crumbs.

I’m hoping to visit the other locations. The Orange County locations have more froyo machines.

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

* ACTIVE CULTURE: 6420 Pacific Coast Hwy, Suite 170, Long Beach, CA 90803

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 Souvla Opens in the Dogpatch (San Francisco)

Fro-yo girl here. Souvla #5 opened in the Dogpatch in mid-August of this year. The new spot is their largest location thus far and includes a larger menu. You’ll find all the items that they serve at the other locations plus an expanded wine list, new cold meze and hot meze options like octopus salad, lamb meatballs, spanakopita, etc. They also added loukoumades (Greek donuts). Loukoumades and Greek froyo, anyone?

The regular menu includes spit fired all-natural meats (Snake River Farms pork shoulder, Mary’s free range rotisserie chicken, Thomas Farms lamb) served as a pita sandwich or salad, with a sweet potato option for vegetarians. They also have sides, Greek beverages (including their own wine) and Straus Family Creamery organic Greek frozen yogurt with toppings or plain ($5). Toppings include sour cherry syrup, olive oil & sea salt, baklava crumbles & honey syrup, and Cretan wildflower honey.

In case you’re wondering, the froyo is just as good at this location. There’s one size and one flavor, plain. It’s my favorite froyo! So good! Creamy but not heavy, tangy even sour, natural tasting, lightly sweetened. The sour cherry syrup isn’t that sour but it does enhance the tang of the froyo. The portion is still generous enough to satisfy though it doesn’t last long because I love it. The menu used to not mention that they used Straus organic dairy.

The price has gone up a dollar (from $5 in 2021 to $6 or $8 for froyo with baklava) but still feels totally worth it. Wish there were a smaller size, not that I have any problems finishing my Souvla froyo.

The froyo is the best thing on the menu!

* SOUVLA: 2505 3rd St, San Francisco (Dogpatch), CA 94107

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.

Active Culture Opens in Long Beach

Fro-yo girl here. I knew about Active Culture many years ago when they opened in Laguna Beach, but this was my first time visiting one of their locations. The Long Beach location had a grand opening celebration in early March. It’s in the 2nd & PCH open-air shopping mall on Pacific Coast Highway.

They’re a natural healthy foods café that also happens to serve froyo. They serve acai bowls, smoothies, shakes, grain bowls, housemade lentil burgers, burritos, salads, breakfast, adult beverages, and froyo. There are vegan, raw, gluten-free, and soy-free options.

When I walked inside, I didn’t see any froyo machines. They do have froyo but the machines are in the back, out of sight.

Frozen yogurt is counter serve: Jumbo ($6.99), Regular ($5.99), Cone ($3.99), Mini ($3.49).

Froyo flavors: Organic vanilla, Organic chocolate, Pom-raspberry sorbet, Salted caramel

Organic vanilla froyo: The mini size wasn’t tiny. It was enough froyo to satisfy my froyo craving. The froyo was rich, creamy, smooth and had a nice vanilla flavor.

Order at the counter and get a number. They’ll bring your food to you. The café is new and looks beautiful – white walls, succulents, marina views, lots of outdoor seating.

Service was attentive. They checked in with me several times. I wasn’t expecting the food (the nachos with salsa, beans, guac, sour cream, cheddar, curry sauce, etc.) to be so good!

I had a hard time finding Active Culture even though I was looking for it. If you stroll down the main path of the mall, you won’t see it. You have to walk towards the marina (where the boats are) from Whole Foods.

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

* ACTIVE CULTURE: 6420 Pacific Coast Hwy, Suite 170, Long Beach, CA 90803

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 Introduces New Fall Flavor, Pecan Praline

Fro-yo girl here. Yoga-urt just introduced a new flavor for the fall, Pecan Praline. This is actually their frist new flavor of 2021. The flavor is made with toasted organic pecans, housemade caramel sauce and Yoga-urt’s proprietary housemade almond/cashew base. And yes, Yoga-urt’s probiotic, dairy-free soft serve is hand-crafted, made from scratch, organic, kosher, gluten-free, and soy free.

Pecan praline is a pretty popular flavor, especially during the fall. It reminds me of my father-in-law and my father too. They both liked pecan praline.

Pecan praline froyo: Very smooth, rich, and thick, with visible pecan bits. The caramel makes it sweeter and warmer – very fall like. You can definitely taste the pecans more so than the almonds and cashews in the base. Recommended toppings: pecans, granola, and whipped cream.

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.

The Good Plow Opens in Carpinteria and Yes, They Serve Froyo

 

Fro-yo girl here. The Good Plow is a new farm-to-table restaurant that opened in Carpinteria, CA last month at the old Fosters Freeze site. The owners are a local family who also own the Farm Cart, which delivers fresh produce from local organic farms to Carpinteria homes.

The Good Plow is an organic, mostly plant-based café and retail store, with an ice cream window. And yes, you can get organic soft-serve froyo from the ice cream window. They have one Taylor machine and two flavors a day. During my visit, the flavors were organic tart yogurt (from Cloud Top) and organic chocolate. A small cup is $3 and a large, $4. Toppings included fruits, almonds, coconut, chocolate chips, rainbow sprinkles, cookie crumble or magic cone dip. The ice cream window is adorable – reminds me of something you’d see in the Midwest.

Tart yogurt with cookie crumble ($3.50): The yogurt was thick and smooth with a mild tanginess. It had a pleasant clean taste but isn’t as flavorful as Pinkberry’s original tart or Yogurtland’s plain tart. It seemed less sweet and I know it’s all-natural, kosher, hormone-free, non-GMO, and probiotic. The cookie crumble features house-baked chocolate chip cookies. I didn’t get a lot of chocolate chips but I appreciated the housemade touch. Good stuff.

The ice cream window seemed like a hit. Let’s hope it stays that way.

I haven’t had froyo in Carpinteria since Yo Yum Yum many years ago. Yo Yum Yum opened in 2008 and changed ownership in 2014.

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

THE GOOD PLOW: 5205 Carpinteria Ave, Carpinteria, CA 93013

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 Yoga-urt Flavor: Chocolate Peppermint

Fro-yo girl here. Yoga-urt has a brand new holiday flavor this year and this one is Christmas inspired. Chocolate Peppermint is made with Yoga-urt’s own hand-crafted almond milk/cashew base. It’s all-natural, vegan/plant-based, organic, probiotic, hand-crafted, kosher, soy-free and gluten-free, like all their other flavors. 

Chocolate Peppermint: If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you know that I don’t love chocolate froyo, but I do really like chocolate variants. The freshness of peppermint really makes the Chocolate Peppermint froyo sing. It’s that little extra something that keeps chocolate from being too monotonous or heavy. The froyo is thick and rich and even better with toppings. It’s not as nutty tasting as some of the other Yoga-urt flavors. Recommended toppings: Housemade chocolate shell and vegan whipped cream. Even better, get the limited time only warm gluten-free brownie as a base and ask for the chocolate shell and whipped cream.

Chocolate Peppermint froyo is available for a limited time only. Check Yoga-urt’s Instagram page, @yoga_urt for the current flavors. Also, check the freezer for pints.

P.S. Don’t miss the holiday promo. Purchase a $25 gift card and get a free mini froyo.

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

* YOGA-URT, 1407 ½ W Kenneth Rd., Glendale, CA 91201 and 2211 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

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 Flavor at Yoga-urt: Maple Banana Pancake

Fro-yo girl here. Yoga-urt just came out with a new flavor, their first in 2020: Maple Banana Pancake. A lot of their fans asked for a banana flavor. It just so happens that my least favorite flavor in the world is banana. But, I’ve tried banana froyo several times just out of dedication to froyo. If I taste a hint of banana in anything, I won’t like it. I do, however, love pancakes and I’m okay with maple (don’t love or hate it).

Maple Banana Pancake: It’s made with roasted bananas. Does roasting make bananas taste better? I have no idea. The banana flavor was definitely there but it wasn’t overwhelming because the base and the pancake flavor balanced it. I’m not sure that I tasted maple. It did taste like a baked good like bread or cake but not banana bread. Recommended toppings: chocolate chips, cacao nibs, and mochi.

Maple Banana Pancake is organic, vegan, kosher, gluten-free, soy-free, probiotic, and all natural. Yes, all those things.

Yoga-urt is offering delivery through Postmates and Grubhub and takeout. Customers aren’t allowed inside the store. The menu is posted in the window. You call in your order and pay over the phone and someone brings it out in a bag when it’s ready. Grubhub is currently offering free delivery on your first order.

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

* YOGA-URT, 2211 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles (Echo Park), CA 90026

* YOGA-URT, 1407 ½ W Kenneth Rd., Glendale, CA 91201

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.

Easy Breezy Frozen Yogurt Opens in Corte Madera (Marin County)

Fro-yo girl here. With Woody’s Yogurt Place of Strawberry Village (Mill Valley) closing on January 5 (RIP, hope they find a new location), the froyo options in Marin County dwindled – but just for a few days, because Easy Breezy Frozen Yogurt just crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and landed at Town Center Corte Madera. Believe it or not, it’s the first froyo shop in Corte Madera! It’s at the mall across from REI.

This is Easy Breezy’s fourth shop. The other three are in San Francisco, with the first opening eight years ago. Owner Ariel Ford is the queen of SF froyo! Her shops raise the froyo bar by making froyo daily with their own proprietary recipes. They chop, blend and hand squeeze the fruit they use to flavor their froyo. Having fresh mint in froyo makes a difference. Also, the froyo flavors and toppings are premium and creative. They use organic yogurt and also offer many vegan options. There’s even a coconut milk based soft serve for those with nut and dairy allergies. Flavors are posted on their Facebook page and website. Some of the current flavors are Moscow Mule, Vietnamese Coffee, Chocolate Orange, and S’mores.

EB in Marin County features 8 self-serve flavors a day, quality toppings (including organic berries), and warm sauces for 86 cents an ounce. The shop had a soft opening on January 13, 2020. Expect an opening celebration this spring, after the soft opening.

Choose your cup size or get a cone. Toppings included sauces, candy, cheesecake, mochi, cookie dough, popping boba, fresh fruit (the blueberries and strawberries were organic), brownies, chocolate chips, yogurt chips, granola, cereal, nuts, sprinkles, gobs of cookie dough, potato chips, etc.

The shop is adorable with wood accents and Breezy the mascot. The yogurt comes out of the machine quickly, so that's something of which to be aware. If you want samples, an employee will dispense them for you. Ask for a frequent buyer card. Students get 10% off. They started selling pints! At $9 each, they’re a steal. 

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

* EASY BREEZY FROZEN YOGURT: 119 Corte Madera Town Center, Corte Madera, CA 94925

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 Yoga-urt Winter Flavor: Mexican Hot Chocolate

Fro-yo girl here. Yoga-urt just introduced a new winter flavor, Mexican Hot Chocolate. Mexican Hot Chocolate is the first Yoga-urt flavor made with their Chocolate Bliss as a base. Like all Yoga-urt offerings, Mexican Hot Chocolate is probiotic, vegan, soy-free, kosher, organic, gluten-free, and all natural.

Both Mr. Froyo and I aren’t chocolate froyo fans, but we both really liked this flavor. The spicy cayenne kick was surprising and delightful. There’s also cinnamon and probably other spices. The spices make the flavor more interesting. Recommended toppings: cacao nibs, housemade chocolate shell, whipped cream. I paired it with Mint Magic, which is a cooling flavor. Combining it with spicy chocolate made for a flavorful combination of contrasts.

Mexican Hot Chocolate froyo is made in small batches by hand and is available for a limited time only. Hurry over to the Glendale (1407 W Kenneth Rd, Glendale, CA 91201) or Echo Park (2211 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026) location to try it. P.S. There’s still time to buy a $25 (or more) Yoga-urt gift card, which comes with a free mini froyo. I think the offer ends on December 24.

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 Fourth Anniversary Weekend Recap

Fro-yo girl here. It felt like the Yoga-urt Fourth Anniversary Weekend would never get here, but it’s finally here. The anniversary celebration includes (1) a new flavor, Cherry Amaretto, (2) discounted froyo, $1 off at Glendale from 2 PM – 5 PM on July 20 and $1 off at Echo Park from 2 PM – 5 PM on July 21, (3) a compassionate fundraiser for Together Rising, a non-profit that provides emergency relief and long-term help for detained children.

I was also pleasantly surprised to Peaceful Peach, the new flavor introduced at Eat Drink Vegan. It was the first time Peaceful Peach has been offered at Yoga-urt’s shops.

Cherry Amaretto: The pretty purple color makes it the perfect Yoga-urt anniversary flavor. I could see bits of cherry throughout and I could taste the amaretto/almond liqueur. The amaretto flavor wasn’t overwhelming. The cherries tasted fresh and a little tangy. Recommended toppings: Crushed pistachios, chocolate chips

Peaceful Peach: I could see bits of peach. The peach flavor wasn’t super strong because I could really taste the cashew/almond base. It was sweet, creamy, and rich. Recommended toppings: Organic gummy bears

The anniversary celebration continues tomorrow. Go!

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 IFYA Summer Froyo Photo Contest for Froyo Fans, Win Free Froyo

Fro-yo girl here. Calling all froyo fans! The International Frozen Yogurt Association (IFYA) has just launched a new photo contest and the prize is free frozen yogurt from Yoga-urt, the newest Swirl of Honor member. Yoga-urt earned three swirls from the IFYA, the most swirls possible, based on frozen yogurt quality, store cleanliness, superior customer service, and environmentally friendly business practices. 

One lucky winner will receive a delivery of 4 pints of Yoga-urt’s organic, plant-based, kosher, gluten-free, soy-free, probiotic frozen yogurt. Yoga-urt, with locations in Glendale, CA and Echo Park, Los Angeles, CA.

Here’s how to enter:

1. Follow the International Frozen Yogurt Association (@intlfroyoassn) and post your summer-inspired original froyo photo on Instagram with the tags #summerfroyo and #froyoassociation. The original photo must be posted using a public IG profile.
2. The photo must be posted during the contest entry period: 7/10/2019– midnight PST on 7/20/2019
3. The winner will be announced on Instagram on 7/27/2019.

Alternative method of entry: Send your summer-inspired froyo photo to info@internationalfrozenyogurt.com by midnight PST on July 20, 2019.

The prize will be mailed to US addresses only. Entrants should be at least 13 years old.

PRIZE

* 4 pints of Yoga-urt vegan, organic frozen yogurt (winner can choose flavors)

For the complete contest rules, visit http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/ifyas-summer-froyo-2019-photo-contest/

Good luck!

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

About the International Frozen Yogurt Association

The International Frozen Yogurt Association (IFYA) serves as an unbiased source of support and information for current and prospective frozen yogurt store operators. The Association promotes the highest standards to elevate the quality of frozen yogurt stores through the Swirl of Honor™ program. IFYA represents frozen yogurt shops, suppliers, and consumers across the world. Visit the IFYA website, http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/, for additional information.

About Yoga-urt

Yoga-urt’s delicious handcrafted, ‘fresh from scratch’ fare is made with organic, natural, non-dairy ingredients, and contains no artificial flavors, sweeteners or preservatives.

Yoga-urt offers over 25 nut-based handcrafted rotating flavors of organic, dairy-free, gluten-free, non-soy soft serve, including Chocolate Bliss, Salted Caramel Zen and Peanut Butter Prana, a toppings bar with mostly organic and non-dairy options, house made pie slices and ice cream sandwiches, plus seven handcrafted smoothies including healthy green and paleo options, coffee from LA’s popular sustainable purveyor Groundwork, and tea from The Art of Tea. In keeping with Yoga-urt’s higher consciousness vibe, all of Yoga-urt’s serveware is biodegradable.

Yoga-urt Echo Park Grand Opening Coverage

Fro-yo girl here. I already covered the opening of Yoga-urt in Echo Park, so I’ll just share the pictures that I took at the grand opening. I also went to the soft opening last weekend but the grand opening details hadn’t been announced, so I didn’t write about it. They’re giving free minis from 2 PM – 4 PM today and raffle tickets with purchase. The prizes are from Yoga-urt and other businesses in Echo Park.

Froyo flavors of the day: Vanilla Harmony, Chocolate Bliss (best-seller), Peanut Butter Prana, Thai Iced Tea, Strawberry Serenity, Ganesha’s Sweet Greens (no sugar added). I opted for Vanilla Harmony.

For the soft opening, the flavor line-up was a little different: Chocolate Bliss, Vanilla Harmony, Strawberry Serenity, Peanut Butter Prana, Salted Caramel Zen, Ganesha’s Sweet Greens.

Froyo prices: Mini $4.75/ Small $6.25/ Medium $7.75/ Large $8.25

Their high-quality, plant-based, hand-crafted, organic, kosher, soy free, gluten free froyo is so dense and filling that it feels like you’re indulging – but it’s actually good for you. Hmm. Portions are generous. Some of the flavors (Ganesha’s Sweet Greens, Purple Power, Tahini) have no added sugar. It seems too good to be true.

I appreciate their healthy toppings (cacao nibs, fruit, nuts, brownies, coconut, sprinkles, chocolate chips, shaved chocolate, mochi, etc) and innovative flavors (e.g.,Tahini, Radiant Golden Rose, and Purple Power).

I’m eager to find out the next new flavor and see what they do with their new oven. I also want to try the almond milk.

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

* YOGA-URT: 2211 W Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026

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 Brings Organic, Plant-Based, Hand Crafted Froyo to Echo Park, Los Angeles – Grand Opening This Weekend

Fro-yo girl here. Yoga-urt just opened their 2nd location in Echo Park (2211 W Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA). The grand opening is this weekend, June 8-9, from 1 PM – 11 PM. The flavor line-up is still being finalized but the Thai Iced Tea flavor will be back. And the purple sprinkles are new. Yes, there will be free froyo - get a complimentary mini from 2 PM - 4 PM on both days. 

If you love delicious froyo or soft serve that’s made from scratch with love, this is your place. Yoga-urt checks all the boxes: organic, vegan, kosher, soy free, gluten-free, all-natural, probiotic, hand-crafted, small batch, woman-owned, and eco-conscious. While their froyo is “free” of many things, it is flat out incredible – fresh and full of flavor. 

The first Yoga-urt location opened in Kenneth Village (Glendale, CA) in July 2015. The two locations are very similar, including the inspirational quotes and the zen-like vibe. The Echo Park location has a larger kitchen, including an oven.

Yoga-urt founder, Melissa Schulman, was inspired to combine her passion for yoga and frozen yogurt back in 2014. She wanted to create a healthier, allergy-friendly, plant-based frozen yogurt for yogis – something organic, soy-free, gluten-free, kosher, and all natural. Schulman joked that everyone can enjoy Yoga-urt except “for those with nut allergies.”

They start by making their own almond milk, crafting their froyo base out of almond milk and cashews, and adding probiotics. They don’t take shortcuts. For example, to make their Cookies & Cream flavor, they bake their own cookies because the cookies on the market don’t meet their criteria of being organic, plant-based, kosher, gluten-free, soy-free, etc. Their cookies and pie crusts are made with almond flour, a byproduct of their almond milk. The cones are handmade on site and the sauces are made in house.

Most flavors were inspired by what her friends and family liked and she’s still collecting flavor ideas using social media. There are some exceptions though. Purple Power was inspired by the color purple, Melissa’s favorite color, and the desire to have a purple colored soft serve for their second anniversary. For Ganesha’s Sweet Greens, a no sugar added flavor made with spinach, kale, pineapple, kiwi, mint, and more, Melissa wanted to offer something even healthier. 

Chocolate is their most popular flavor. My personal favorites are Vanilla Harmony, Ganesha's Sweet Greens, Strawberry Serenity, and Pistachio Passion. Mr. Froyo's favorites are Ganesha's Sweet Greens, True Tahini, Peanut Butter Prana, and Pistachio Passion.

In addition to froyo, Yoga-urt has organic smoothies, kombucha floats, organic drinks, froyo sandwiches, froyo popsicles, and froyo pies (by the slice or whole). Custom froyo pies are available. If you want to take some home, pre-pack pints are in the grab n’ go freezer. They started selling their almond milk and almond flour too.

Cups and spoons are compostable of course. Their products are good for you and they care about the Earth too. Ask for a stamp card.

Don’t live near Yoga-urt but want to try it? They ship their pints nationwide! Order from the website.

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.

Rave Organics in Newbury Park, CA Has Closed

Fro-yo girl here. Rave Organics opened last April in Newbury Park, CA. The café specialized in organic food. The menu included organic pizza, frozen yogurt, smoothies, sandwiches, breakfast, & other healthy meals. I stopped by in May 2018 for some organic frozen yogurt. Although the yogurt and toppings were self-serve, they were priced according to cup size.

Rave Organics closed for repairs due to flood damage in late December 2018. The sign in the window called it a temporary closure. The damage sounded extensive and the temporary closure has been declared as a permanent closure. Rave Organics website and Facebook page have disappeared.

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

* RAVE ORGANICS: 520 N. Ventu Park Road, Suite 140, Newbury Park, CA 91320

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 Flavor at Yoga-urt: True Tahini

Fro-yo girl here. Yoga-urt introduced a new flavor on April 16 – True Tahini. It’s a sesame seed flavor that’s sweetened with dates. Think halva, only less sweet than the halva I’ve had. Mr. Froyo suggested the flavor to Yoga-urt! He’s been dreaming of sesame froyo for years! We are hoping that others will love the flavor too. Like all Yoga-urt flavors, True Tahini soft serve is organic, probiotic, vegan, non-GMO, kosher, soy-free, and all natural.

True Tahini: Like other Yoga-urt’s flavors, the texture was super thick, dense, and creamy. There’s nothing watery about Yoga-urt’s soft serve. It’s a richer flavor and it tastes like what you’d expect, tahini. The tahini flavor is strong and not too sweet. Sweetening with dates gives it a healthier, more interesting flavor. Recommended toppings: pistachios, turmeric granola, housemade chocolate shell, cacao nibs. We might even bring our own olive oil and baklava.

I also spotted some True Tahini pints in the freezer.

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

* YOGA-URT, 1407 ½ W Kenneth Rd., Glendale, CA 91201

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 Flavor, Thai Iced Tea, Introduced by Yoga-urt at Vegan Street Fair

Fro-yo girl here. Mr. Froyo and I went to the Vegan Street Fair in North Hollywood, CA this past weekend for one reason, to try the new froyo flavor, Thai Iced Tea, from Yoga-urt. I wasn’t feeling well, so we only went to Yoga-urt. The festival looked as crowded as ever and Yoga-urt had a long line. A single scoop was $4, 2 scoops $7, and 3 scoops $9. Mr. Froyo had Tantric Tart while I had Thai Iced Tea.

I’ve often wondered which spices go into Thai Iced Tea and what makes it so orange. When I get it at Thai places, it’s usually super sweet and creamy. Did you know that the orange color often comes from food coloring?

I’m sure Yoga-urt didn’t use food coloring, so their Thai Iced Tea froyo wasn’t bright orange. I could see various spices in the scoop but I’m not sure what they were. Mr. Froyo said he tasted cardamom for sure. I thought I tasted cinnamon and vanilla but definitely something else. Tamarind? Not sure, but I was intrigued. Also, I appreciate that the flavor wasn’t as super sweet as actual Thai iced tea.

Thai Iced Tea wasn’t available at the Glendale shop and I didn’t want to wait a whole month to try it.

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.

Eb & Bean #3 Grand Opening in Portland, Oregon

Fro-yo girl here. Eb & Bean #3 held its grand opening party tonight (March 1) from 7 PM – 10 PM. The new shop is located at 645 NW 21st Ave. in Portland, Oregon (aka the Alphabet District). As luck would have it, I happened to be in town! Of course, this wasn’t completely by accident. I’m so happy to go to my first froyo shop grand opening in Portland.

On a cold night, the interior of Eb & Bean looked so cozy and inviting. The cute décor reminded me of the other two locations – all of which feature the big polar bear mascot with his warm hat, a wall with different paper mache popsicles and froyo cones, and sprinkles. This location also carries Little Nib’s selection of Oregon craft chocolate and confections.

There are 8 flavors a day, swirled nicely for you, and featuring local, organic, hand-crafted frozen yogurt, including dairy-free options (almond milk and coconut milk based). It looks like Madagascar Vanilla and Valrhona Chocolate froyo are always offered, while the other 6 flavors are seasonal. Many flavors are creative and ones that I haven’t seen elsewhere. I love that. I’m still thinking about the rosemary caramel froyo which was smooth, creamy and definitely had the taste of rosemary (I love rosemary!). I liked how it wasn’t too sweet either. So good. And the toppings are crazy, with many housemade sauces, magic shell flavors (e.g., raspberry magic shell, cold brew bourbon sauce, peanut butter magic shell).

In addition to free froyo and toppings, the grand opening party featured raffle prizes from Cinema 21, Good Coffee, Solabee Flowers, Green Leaf Juice, Besaws, The Solo Club, Sterling Coffee, Bhuna, The Yo Store, Fish & Rice, and of course, Eb & Bean. 

If you're in Portland and you love froyo, you must visit Eb & Bean.

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

* EB AND BEAN: 645 NW 21st Ave., Portland, Oregon

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 Gingerbread Flavor from Yoga-urt

Fro-yo girl here. Yoga-urt has a new seasonal flavor, Gingerbread. I had a cone full today – so good! I really noticed the warm, complex molasses flavor, and then the blend of gingerbread spices – definitely ginger was part of the spice mix. I could see the spices. The yogurt was thick, rich, and creamy. It wasn’t too sweet.

It’s all the things you’d expect from Yoga-urt – organic, gluten free, soy free, kosher, all natural, hand-crafted, probiotic, vegan, plant-based.

Recommended toppings: Turmeric granola, chocolate chips. It’s also particularly wonderful with a crunchy housemade, gluten free cone.

The holiday offer is still in effect: buy $25 in gift cards and get a free mini froyo. We already picked up our gift card.

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

* YOGA-URT: 1407 ½ W Kenneth Rd., Glendale, CA 91201

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.