New Yogurtland Trolls Flavor, Smidge’s Cinnamon Donut Holes

Fro-yo girl here. The Yogurtland Trolls promotion continues with a new limited time Trolls inspired flavor, Smidge’s Cinnamon Donut Holes. This is the last new promotional Trolls flavor.

Cinnamon Donut Holes frozen yogurt is described as “Smidge may be teeny-tiny, but she knows how to pack a big punch with this new twist on everyone’s favorite treat – donuts! Cinnamon sugar blends together with the flavors of buttery donuts for an irresistible dessert. Sounds delicious, donut?!” The flavor is lowfat and made with real cinnamon.

The cake/donut flavor mutes the cinnamon, but I could taste the cinnamon. Somehow the aftertaste tasted like the sugar coating on donuts (you’d think that it would be difficult to achieve that effect). The flavor is on the sweeter side but I think it will be a hit for people who like sweeter cake/donut flavors. Recommended toppings: Nilla wafers, frosted animal cookies and sprinkles.

Last Thursday Yogurtland introduced Guy Diamond’s White Chocolate Peppermint (December 8), which I think is a returning flavor. The white chocolate mellows the peppermint so that the frozen yogurt is not too minty. It’s a sweet and festive flavor that I would top with white chocolate chips, almonds for crunch and Oreo cookies.

Yogurtland Pasadena ran out of Chocolate Covered Pretzel and White Chocolate Peppermint. Promotional flavors are available while supplies last.

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.

2016 Froyo Shop Openings and Closings in California

Fro-yo girl here. California is a large state and it’s the one with the most frozen yogurt shops. It’s challenging to track every froyo shop opening and closing. The openings are easier to track because shops make an effort to get their name out there. They usually have a Yelp listing and a presence on Facebook and/or Instagram. Shops generally close quietly, sometimes with no announcement.

There are also shops that move (I don’t count moves as an opening or closing though both technically occurred) and shops that have frozen yogurt but it isn’t their main thing (e.g., restaurants, convenience stores). Tracking frozen yogurt served at non-frozen yogurt shops is even more challenging.

Here’s my attempt to track froyo shop openings and closings in California this year:

New California Locations

1. 33 Degree Frozen Yogurt Victorville
2. Bella's on Katella Anaheim
3. Berry’s On Top Garden Grove
4. Big Kahuna Elk Grove
5. Big Kahuna Ceres
6. Buono Vita Yogurt Berkeley 
7. Cherry Chill Ontario 
8. Chillbox San Diego 
9. Cool Spot Brentwood
10. Cups Frozen Yogurt Irvine
11. Cups Torrey Hills
12. Daddy’s Best Frozen Yogurt (truck)
13. Exquisito Santa Ana 
14. Fashion Fruit Yogurt Los Angeles
15. Forever Yogurt/Bee & Tea Walnut Creek 
16. Freezing Summer Los Angeles
17. Froba Montebello
18. Frozen D’light Corona
19. Frozen Yogurt & Deli Montebello
20. Fruity Tart Moreno Valley
21. Go Greek Newport Beach 
22. Go Greek Corona Del Mar 
23. Golden Spoon Valencia
24. Good Earth Yogurt Bishop
25. ICE-YO West Hollywood
26. Joe’s Organic Frozen Yogurt Fullerton
27. Juicy Sweet Aptos
28. Kuki's Ice Cream Cakes & Yogurt
29. Loving Cup Greenbrae
30. Menchie’s El Monte 
31. Menchie’s South El Monte
32. Menchie’s Fullerton
33. Menchie’s Pico Rivera 
34. Menchie’s Norco January
35. Menchie’s Moreno Valley
36. Menchie’s San Ramon 
37. Menchie’s Victorville
38. Menchie’s Lodi 
39. Moo Moo Yogurt Foster City
40. Myo Frozen Yogurt Walnut Creek
41. Nuyo Frozen Yogurt Lincoln
42. Pennylane Frozen Yogurt and Candy Campbell 
43. Peachy King Fresno
44. Rainbow Sprinkles Donuts & Frozen Yogurt South Lake Tahoe
45. Red Mango Ruby Hill, Livermore
46. Rosy Yogurt, Los Gatos
47. Sweet Tahoe Time, Tahoe City
48. Swirl Fiesta Riverside
49. Swirl N Hearts Granada Hills
50. Things N Yogurt Valencia
51. U-Swirl Downey
52. U-Swirl San Clemente
53. Valencia Yogurt Co. Valencia
54. Verylicious Yogurt Hawthorne
55. Wanna Chill? Redondo Beach
56. Yo Way 
57. Yogofina Elmwood, Berkeley
58. Yogolicious Taft 
59. Yogurt Cup Temecula
60. Yogurt Delite Dublin
61. Yogurt Heaven San Diego
62. Yogurt Shop Danville
63. Yogurt Shoppe Brentwood 
64. Yogurtland Chatsworth 
65. Yogurtland Westlake, LA 
66. Yogurtland Boyle Heights 
67. Yogurtland Long Beach, Spring St.
68. Yogurtland Huntington Beach, July
69. Yogurtland Cypress
70. Yogurtland 28th & National, San Diego
71. Yogurtland Lancaster`
72. Yogurtland Riverside
73. Yogurtland Ontario 
74. Yogurtland Walnut
75. Yogurtland Santa Ana Sunflower
76. Yogurtland Paramount 
77. Yogurtland Hesperia
78. Yogurtland Redlands
79. Yogurtland Compton
80. Yogurtland Hayward 
81. Yogurtland Garden Grove Promenade, Chapman
82. Yogurtland North Hollywood
83. Yogurtland Huntington Park
84. Yogurtland El Cajon, Jamacha Village
85. Yogurtland Express, Petco Park, San Diego
86. Yogurtland Express, Petco Park #2
87. Yogurtland Express Angels Stadium 
88. Yogurtland Express Angels Stadium #2
89. Yogurtland Express Raging Waters San Dimas
90. Yogurtland Express Raging Waters Sacramento
91. Yogurtland Santa Monica (Lincoln/Pico)

Closed locations 2016

1. Betel Frozen Yogurt Santa Paula
2. Big Spoon Dixon
3. Brew-Le Valencia (replaced by Things N Yogurt)
4. Bon Bon Frozen Yogurt San Marcos
5. Buzio's Pasadena
6. C&M Cafe Sherman Oaks
7. Cherry on Top Diamond Bar
8. Cherry on Top Laguna Niguel
9. Danville Desserts Danville (replaced by Yogurt Shop)
10. DJ's Yogurt Huntington Park
11. FroYo Love Oceanside
12. Frozen Flavors Sun Valley 
13. Fruit Yogurt La Verne
14. Go Greek Yogurt Corona Del Mar
15. Go Greek Yogurt Newport Beach
16. GoGo Froyo truck
17. Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt Chula Vista
18. Ice Krave North Hollywood
19. Icicles Newport Beach
20. Kate's Yogurt Solvang
21. Love Yogurt Bakersfield
22. Menchie’s Huntington Beach
23. Michelle's Yogurt & Sweets Berkeley
24. Midtown Cafe, Mountain View
25. Milne's Yogurt, Visalia
26. Miyo Yogurt Los Altos
27. Nubi Yogurt San Mateo
28. Nubi Yogurt San Leandro
29. Oopa Yogurt Bar Folsom
30. Pinkberry Alvarado, Monterey
31. Pinkberry Rancho Cucamonga
32. Pinkberry Santa Clara
33. Pinkberry Tustin
34. Pinkberry West San Jose 
35. Pinkberry Brentwood, Los Angeles
36. PitStop Froyo Burbank
37. Red Mango/Auntie Anne's Palo Alto
38. SnapFit Frozen Yogurt Canoga Park
39. Sno South Lake Tahoe
40. Sparky's Yogurt Santa Monica
41. Spoon Me Marysville
42. Spoon Me Redding
43. Spoon Me Woodland
44. Sweet & Swirly Frozen Yogurt, Port Hueneme
45. Sweet Retreat Blossom Valley San Jose (due to fire)
46. Sweet's Yogurt Riverside
47. Sweet Tart Moreno Valley
48. Swirl N Hearts Granada Hills
49. Tommy K's 4 Alarm Yogurt Red Bluff
50. Tutti Frutti Brea
51. Tutti Frutti Los Angeles, DTLA 1st & Hope
52. Tutti Frutti Whittier
53. Tutti Frutti North Hollywood (replaced by Yogurtland)
54. Tutti Frutti Los Angeles, Boyle Heights
55. Tutti Frutti Danville
56. Tutti Frutti Sunnyvale
57. Tutti Frutti Santa Monica
58. Tutti Frutti Woodland Hills
59. Tuttimelon SF Chinatown
60. Twirl Frozen Yogurt (later Larchmont Juicery) Los Angeles
61. Valencia Yogurt Company Valencia
62. YoBoLand Tarzana
63. Yogen Fruz San Diego
64. Yogen Fruz Tarzana
65. Yogurt Bar Santa Ana
66. Yogurt Blast Duarte
67. Yogurt Coffee & Beyond Oroville
68. Yogurt Cove San Jose
69. Yogurt In Love Monterey Park
70. Yogurt Planet Northridge
71. Yogurt Station Walnut Creek (now Myo but under the same ownership and management)
72. Yogurt Zone Encino
73. Yogurtland Woodland Hills
74. Yogurtland LAX
75. Yogurtland Lebec/Tejon Ranch
76. Yogurtland Universal City Walk (to be replaced by Menchie's)
77. YogurtLane Simi Valley
78. Yolatea Pleasanton
79. Yolo Berry Berkeley (replaced by Buono Vita Yogurt)
80. Yoppi Yogurt Walnut Creek
81. Yoppi Yogurt Belmont
82. Yoppi Yogurt Glendale
83. YoYumYum Oxnard
84. Yumi Yogurt Hillsdale Mall, San Mateo
85. Yumi Yogurt Millbrae
86. Yumi Yogurt Los Gatos

Remodeled

· Yogurtland Fullerton (and reopened)

· 21 Choices Pasadena (should reopen in 2017)



Remodeled and Moved

· Yogurtland West Covina

· Humphrey Yogart



Nontraditional (not a froyo shop) Openings

1. C&M Café Sherman Oaks

2. Edible Arrangements (various) 

3. It’s Boba Time East Hollywood

4. Foodhall San Francisco

5. Mali Cuisine Thousand Oaks

6. Moo Greek Yogurt Los Angeles

7. Popbar San Jose

8. Popbar Torrance

9. Popbar Huntington Beach

10. Souvla, NOPA, San Francisco

11. Spread Mediterranean Kitchen Los Angeles

12. Sunlife Organics Pasadena

13. Sweet Lab Rosemead

14. Target/Freshii Pasadena

15. Target/Freshii Brea

16. Target/Freshii Woodland Hills

17. Target/Freshii Culver City

18. Target/Freshii Irvine

19. Yalla Fremont

20. Yalla Seal Beach


Coming Soon

1. Go Greek Santa Monica

2. Golden Spoon Valencia

3. Menchie’s Glendale

4. Pinkberry Anaheim

5. Souvla, Valencia St.

6. Yogurtland Santa Monica Lincoln

7. Yogurtland West Hollywood

8. SnapFit Frozen Yogurt Brea

9. Sweet Retreat Ice Cream San Jose

I expected to see more frozen yogurt shop closings than openings this year, similar to last year, but the number of openings far exceeded the number of closings (91 openings vs. 86 closings) without counting the non-traditional froyo openings. I didn’t think there was room for more frozen yogurt in Berkeley, but new shops opened there this year.

Yogurtland is on fire, opening 28 locations, mostly in Southern California and including the Express concept at Raging Waters, Angels Stadium and Petco Park. Menchie’s opened 9 locations in California in 2016. Chains like Cups, U-Swirl, and Forever Yogurt added California locations this year. A few organic frozen yogurt shops opened, including Brew-Le, Pennylane, and Joe’s Organic Frozen Yogurt. Brew-Le opened, changed owners and closed in less than a year.

The number of non-traditional locations (i.e., locations that are not frozen yogurt shops) is greater than reported because Edible Arrangements added Edible to Go, with frozen yogurt, to some of its stores (I don’t know how many). I heard that additional Daphne’s Greek locations will be converted to Yalla Mediterranean but I don’t know how many or when. Freshii locations within Target now serve vanilla froyo.

Tutti Frutti had the most closings, with six California locations closing in 2016. Next, Pinkberry closed five California locations in 2016. I'm worried about the remaining locations. Some of them look neglected and very little that's new has come out since Pinkberry was acquired. They've been closing locations outside of California as well. Yogen Fruz closed several California locations. Menchie’s closed one California location. Yogurtland closed some high profile locations including the new one in Woodland Hills, the one at LAX and the fancy one at Universal City Walk.

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.

Pazzo Gelato Greek Yogurt Gelato

Fro-yo girl here. I don’t have gelato that often. First, I’d much rather have froyo. Second, I prefer ice cream to gelato. However, when a gelato shop offers yogurt gelato, it gets my attention. Pazzo Gelato posts flavor updates on Twitter and a recent update listed Greek Yogurt. Yes.

Pazzo makes its own gelato with top quality ingredients and local produce. They also serve smoothies, shakes, pastries, coffee and tea.

* Greek yogurt gelato with honey: This was indulgent, rich, velvety, extremely dense and smooth. I liked how it had a slight tang from the yogurt and the honey flavor was prominent and delicious. This was the smoothest, densest yogurt gelato that I’ve had (I’ve tried yogurt gelato at several gelato shops).

I also had a scoop of strawberry buttermilk gelato. The texture wasn’t as smooth as the Greek yogurt but it was thick and creamy. It wasn’t tangy but it did taste like fresh strawberries with cream.

Apparently Pazzo Gelato had a European yogurt gelato in the past but I haven’t seen it offered lately. If they ever offer green tea yogurt again, I have to get some.

Pazzo Gelato has two locations: one in downtown LA and the other in Silverlake.

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

* PAZZO GELATO: 3827 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.

Chocolates White Chocolate Yogurt Wafer Review

Fro-yo girl here. Korean and Japanese grocery stores sometimes carry interesting yogurt flavored snacks. However, the Chocolates White Chocolate Yogurt Wafers that I found recently at Good Fortune Supermarket, a Chinese supermarket, are imported from Taiwan. They’re manufactured by Hunya Foods, a chocolate company.

One package contains 9 individually wrapped cookies. Each cookie is 70 calories with 5g of fat.

The cookies are sugar wafer cookies, with thin, soft, crispy sugar wafer layers and thin layers of yogurt cream in between. The entire cookie is enrobed in a thin white chocolate coating. It has a mild tang that reminds me of Yakult. It also tastes powdery. The cookies are decent but I’m not a fan of Yakult.

Ingredients: Vegetable oil, flour, milk powder, glucose, sucrose, starch, lactose, polydextrose, maltose, butter, flavors, emulsifiers, lactic acid bacteria, leavening agent, soybean flour, malic acid, citric acid

3.5 out of 5 stars

* GOOD FORTUNE SUPERMARKET: 137 S San Gabriel Blvd., San Gabriel, CA 91776

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.

Mr. Holmes x Jeni’s Pop-Up

Fro-yo girl here. Today was the final day of the Mr. Holmes Bakehouse and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams pop-up. Jeni’s trailer was parked in front of Mr. Holmes Bakehouse in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. There were three pairings today:

1. Churro Croissant with Middle West Whiskey & Pecans Ice Cream
2. Cornflake Cookie with Mont Blanc Buttermilk Frozen Yogurt 
3. Chocolate Chunk Cookie with Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Jeni’s trailer also had 4 ice creams available by the scoop: Whiskey and Pecans, Salty Caramel, Milkiest Chocolate and Intelligentsia Black Cat Espresso.

As a fan of both Mr. Holmes and Jeni’s, I was excited about this pop-up. Mr. Holmes’s cookies may just be the best thing they offer. The cornflake cookie is thick, dense and crunchy but it’s also chewy towards the center. It’s not too sweet and would probably pair well with any of Jeni’s ice cream flavors. The cookie is pretty amazing – the texture, the fact that it’s not too sweet, the complexity of the flavor – it’s way better than the humble corn flake.

Then there’s Jeni’s phenomenal Mont Blanc buttermilk frozen yogurt. It’s creamy, dense and has that deep molasses flavor. It is perfectly paired with the cornflake cookie.

The pop-up is over but it’s easy enough to replicate their pairings if you live near Mr. Holmes Bakehouse (with locations in SF, LA and Seoul). Jeni’s is carried in supermarkets throughout the country and you can also have the pints shipped to you.

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.

South Lake Avenue Holidayfest on December 3 in Pasadena

Fro-yo girl here. South Lake Avenue’s Holidayfest is filled with holiday fun, including live music, a scavenger hunt, North Pole Kid Zone (at the Corporate Center Pasadena), Santa’s Village (at the Shops on Lake) and Holiday Happy Hour (at the Commons). There will be roaming holiday characters, horse and carriage rides, carolers and in-store promotions. Santa’s going to be there too.

Yogurtland Pasadena is participating. During Holidayfest, you'll receive a $1 Yogurtland coupon with any purchase. Be sure to collect your scavenger hunt stamp at Yogurtland as well. Turn in your scavenger card with 12 stamps and be entered to win prizes like Yogurtland coupons. Pro tip: Try the new Chocolate Covered Pretzel frozen yogurt before it’s too late. And if you’re a Yogurtland regular, get one of the 2017 Black Friday coupon booklets if it’s not too late. You get 12 ozs of free froyo every week in 2017 for just $50 (a $290 value).

Many of the shops and restaurants around South Lake Avenue are participating, including Philz, Duke Bakery, Lemonade, Du-Par’s, PokeMix, Peet’s, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Nothing Bundt Cakes, etc. Many places will have free cookies, yum.

Holidayfest is on December 3 from 12 – 5 PM. Free parking and free admission. For full details, see: http://www.southlakeavenue.org/events/calendar/south-lakes-2016-holiday-celebration-12-5pm/

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 Yogurtland Trolls Flavor, King Peppy’s Chocolate Covered Pretzel

Fro-yo girl here. The Yogurtland Trolls promotion continues with a new limited time flavor, King Peppy’s Chocolate Covered Pretzel.

The flavor card describes the flavor as, “King Peppy’s heroism and courage made him a Troll legend – and it’s no wonder! Any Troll that combines creamy milk chocolate with bits of real pretzel for a spoonful of sweet and salty goodness is a true hero in our book.” The flavor is lowfat and made with cocoa, pretzels, chocolate and salt.

Chocolate Covered Pretzel is different – in a really good, tasty way. It’s filled with tiny bits of pretzel, so it’s not as smooth but the pretzels make the yogurt thicker. The salt makes it interesting too. Milk chocolate holds it all together. If you like chocolate covered pretzels, you’ll like chocolate covered pretzel. I was ready to add chocolate covered pretzels on top but they didn’t have any more. Recommended toppings: Chocolate shell, almonds, chocolate covered pretzels

Yogurtland Pasadena is out of Branch’s Peanut Butter Caramel flavor. They ran out in less than a week. Chocolate Covered Pretzel should be a big hit too.

The next promotional flavor is Guy Diamond’s White Chocolate Peppermint (December 8), which I think is a returning flavor.

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.