Press Brothers Juicery Introduces Coconut Milk Soft Serve

Fro-yo girl here. Plant based vegan soft serve seems like the perfect treat on a hot day. It’s light and refreshing. I was walking through Grand Central Market in downtown LA when I saw the big sign for Press Brothers Juicery’s Coconut Milk Soft Serve.

Press Brothers is Los Angeles owned and operated. They specialize in cold pressed juice which you can find at Grand Central Market and other locations throughout LA. The Grand Central Market shop also has frozen slushies, popsicles and now, Coconut Milk Soft Serve.

PBJ’s soft serve is vegan, organic, gluten free, soy free and probiotic. They add a six strain blend. It’s $4 for a four oz cup. They only had the one Madagascar Vanilla flavor though apparently they do have a chocolate flavor too. Toppings choices are limited to sprinkles, coconut flakes and cacao nibs.

* Madagascar Vanilla Coconut Milk Soft Serve: The cup looked small but 4 oz is a good amount of froyo. I’m not sure how much sugar was added but it was pretty sweet. The texture was smooth but icy. The flavor was not unpleasant but I’d definitely call it subtle. The vanilla flavor was subtle and the whole treat didn’t have a lot of flavor. It was light and refreshing though, without tasting overly processed. And I liked the crunchy, flavorful cacao nibs. I prefer the flavor of Pressed Freeze but PBJ’s soft serve has a smoother texture but the best vegan soft serve by far is from Yoga-urt (1407 W Kenneth Rd, Glendale, CA 91201).

Look for a new location opening in Hollywood (Franklin Plaza).

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

* PRESS BROTHERS JUICERY: 317 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013

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.

Morinaga ALOVE Yogurt Review

Fro-yo girl here. Morinaga introduced a new Japanese style yogurt called ALOVE Yogurt at Natural Products EXPO West in March 2017. The new line of yogurt comes in three flavors: Original Aloe, Strawberry and Blueberry. It’s the first Japanese style aloe vera yogurt offered in the US. 

Morinaga describes their yogurt as “a delicious and nutritious, kosher-certified yogurt snack that offers a good source of protein and calcium, with no artificial flavors. Made in the U.S. from locally sourced California milk, the product contains zero high-fructose corn syrup, is gluten-free and does not contain aloin. ALOVE is made via Morinaga’s proprietary process; fresh aloe is removed from the aloe plant leaves, leaving only the best and tastiest parts, and then mixed into creamy yogurt.” 

The key selling point of this yogurt is the addition of aloe, which is considered by some to have many health benefits, such as supporting digestion and the immune system, promoting hair growth, lowering cholesterol and detoxification. Aloe drinks have become more popular and it’s sometimes added to tea drinks at Asian boba shops. 

I found ALOVE Yogurt at Good Fortune Supermarket in Monrovia, CA. They had all three flavors. One 6 oz cup was $1.48 on sale, $1.99 regular price. ALOVE Yogurt doesn’t appear to be strained, so it has a runny consistency. The tiny bits of aloe vera gel are soft and lightly sweet; they add texture and heft. It has live and active cultures. 

• Original aloe: This had the strongest aloe flavor, so this was the flavor that I liked the best. Aloe has a mild, sweet flavor. The yogurt was pretty tangy though not sour. One serving is 150 calories, with 4g total fat, 23g carbohydrates, 18g total sugars, and 6g of protein. 
• Blueberry: The blueberry flavor comes from blueberry juice, so it’s noticeable but not very strong. 
• Strawberry: The strawberry flavor was mild. The aloe flavor makes it a bit different. 

I wasn’t used to the thin, runny consistency. The yogurt wasn’t that different except for the aloe. If you really like aloe or believe in its health benefits, I recommend trying it. 

3.5 out of 5 stars. 

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

* GOOD FORTUNE SUPERMARKET: 935 W Duarte Rd., Monrovia, CA 91016 

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.

Yogurtland Introduces Ice Cream for the "First" Time

Fro-yo girl here. Yogurtland is introducing ice cream for the first time ever. I encountered the two new flavors today. They’re classic, full fat flavors: Vanilla and Chocolate. The ice cream is soft serve and doesn’t have live and active cultures (that would make it frozen yogurt, presumably). Vanilla and Chocolate Ice Cream will be available for a limited time. 

Yogurtland already offered gelato, which is ice cream, but the new flavors are different. Both were rich and creamy but I found them to have less flavor than Yogurtland’s gelato and frozen yogurt flavors. The ice cream texture was different - smooth and chewy. The chocolate had cocoa flecks. Frozen yogurt is way better but you know that I’m biased. Has anyone else tried their ice cream? If so, what do you think of them?

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

Here’s the official Yogurtland press release:

Yogurtland Introduces Ice Cream for a Limited Time

Beginning August 30, Yogurtland is giving everyone’s sweet tooth a reason to rejoice with the limited time addition of premium chocolate and vanilla ice cream. The new serve yourself ice cream gives Yogurtland fans an indulgent option to create their own customized treat.

With the addition of chocolate and vanilla ice cream, Yogurtland is providing a one-stop shop for all to enjoy. Yogurtland guests can swirl up their choice of chocolate or vanilla ice cream, or both, and head over to the topping bar to build their satisfying, delicious masterpiece. With over 60 fruit, candy, cereal, nuts, cookies and other toppings to choose from, Yogurtland offers fans the chance to completely customize both their yogurt and ice cream experience with all their favorite additions.

“One of the many joys for Yogurtland fans is to build their creation to perfectly suit their taste buds,” says John Carlson, senior vice president of marketing, development and operations at Yogurtland. “Now, fro-yo fanatics and ice cream lovers alike will have the chance to do so, all under one roof at Yogurtland.”

Yogurtland’s flavorologists are continually hand crafting craveable flavors that keep fans loving their experience. Yogurtland owns its own dairy and by controlling the frozen yogurt making process, the company can deliver the highest quality flavors, setting new standards for millions of fans.

Presently Yogurtland has more than 320 locations across the U.S., Australia, Guam, Singapore, Thailand, Venezuela and Dubai.

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.

Yogurt Haven Celebrates 8 Years in Eagle Rock

Fro-yo girl here. Happy 8th anniversary to Yogurt Haven Eagle Rock. The anniversary celebration this weekend included 50% off all purchases, raffles, prizes, live music and the introduction of their new offering, Dole Whip Floats.

I went when the live band was there and the place was packed. I didn’t see or hear anything about raffles or prizes but I did see Dole Whip floats.

Yogurt Haven was the first froyo shop in Eagle Rock. It’s Boba Time opened across the street in 2014. While it’s primarily a drink shop, it does have froyo. Yogurt Haven added boba drinks even before It’s Boba Time opened, froninis (frozen yogurt pressed donut sandwiches), crepes, and floats.

Yogurtland opened in the next plaza in 2015 and then Menchie’s opened not far away this year. It’s a very competitive area for froyo. Yogurt Haven currently charges 50 cents an ounce compared to Yogurtland’s 47 cents/oz and Menchie’s 51 cents/oz.

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

* YOGURT HAVEN: 2256 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles (Eagle Rock), CA 90041

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.

Norr Skyr Review

Fro-yo girl here. Icelandic Provisions, Smari, Siggi’s and now Norr Skyr specialize in Icelandic/Nordic style yogurt, known as skyr. I stumbled upon Norr Skyr at Bi-Rite in San Francisco. It’s a San Francisco based company founded by two Scandinavians who value foods “that are authentic, clean and simple.” Norr Skyr is made with organic, grassfed milk from small American farms with curative Nordic botanicals.

All the skyr brands offer all-natural products and they all claim to have less sugar. Icelandic Provisions skyr is not certified organic but their milk is sourced from family run farms in New York which do not use growth hormones. They are the only brand to use heirloom skyr cultures from Iceland. Norr and Smari are certified organic. Norr and Icelandic Provisions focus on providing Nordic flavors, using Nordic fruits and flavors.

Siggi’s, the original brand of skyr in the US, is not certified organic but it uses milk from grassfed cows and is free of growth hormones and is all natural and non-GMO. It has more flavors, including some Nordic and some American flavors. Smari is made with organic milk from grassfed cows in Wisconsin. Their flavors are more American (key lime, strawberry, coffee) than Nordic.

Bi-Rite had four varieties of Norr for $2.49 each: plain non-fat, plain whole milk, gooseberries and elderflower. They recently introduced a new flavor, Sea Buckthorn, but I didn’t see it at Bi-Rite.

* Organic elderflower skyr: The yogurt smelled potent. I was surprised that it wasn’t as thick as the others but more like a thick soup. The texture was creamy but it did have a few small lumps. The lid said to stir before eating. The flavor was extra tart/sour and also tangy. I liked the elderflower; it was fragrant but not too floral. The yogurt definitely has less sugar and I liked the flavor but I wish it were thicker.

One serving is 5.3 oz, 100 calories, 0g of fat, 10g sugars, and 15g of protein.

Ingredients: Organic pasteurized skim milk, organic elderflower extract (water, organic elderflowers, organic lemon juice, Vitamin C), organic cane sugar, live active probiotic cultures

* Organic gooseberries skyr: The fruit was on the bottom of this one. The yogurt was thicker than the elderflower version but not as thick as Smari or Siggi’s (less straining, perhaps?). The gooseberries didn’t have a strong flavor though I could taste them. They tasted vaguely like grapes. I didn’t like the texture of the product; it was very grainy and clumpy. I think they kept the gooseberry skins. Also, the flavor wasn’t pleasant like the elderflower. I wouldn’t get it again.

One serving is 5.3 oz, 100 calories, 0g of fat, 15g of protein, and 8g of sugars.

Ingredients: Organic pasteurized skim milk, organic gooseberries, organic cane sugar, water, apple pectin, organic vanilla extract, live active probiotic cultures

Use the store locator feature on Norr’s website if you’d like to find the nearest retailer that carries their products.

3 out of 5 stars.

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

* BI-RITE: 3639 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94110

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.

First National Frozen Yogurt Survey Seeks the Input of Froyo Consumers

Fro-yo girl here. Frozen yogurt fans, the first National (US) Frozen Yogurt Survey is your chance to share your feedback about frozen yogurt with frozen yogurt shops across the country. 

This survey is open to anyone over 13 who lives in the US.

Survey participants will be entered into a drawing to win one of eight $25 froyo shop gift cards.* You can choose a gift card from any US froyo shop that sells online gift cards.
The short survey takes about 5 minutes to complete.

Take the survey now, http://tinyurl.com/nationalfroyosurvey

The survey will remain open till September 20, 2017.

Frozen yogurt shop operators and those who are interested in the survey results, the International Frozen Yogurt Association is asking for your help getting the word out about the survey. In return for your help, the IFYA will share the results of the consumer survey with you. To help, simply share IFYA's pinned Facebook post (https://www.facebook.com/froyoassociation/), survey Tweet (@froyogirl) or Instagram survey post (@intlfroyoassn) by 9/13. After sharing the survey invite, send a direct message with your email address.

The frozen yogurt shop operator survey will launch in September. Anyone who completes the operator survey can sign up to receive the results of that survey. The operator survey will include questions about operations, main challenges, supplier satisfaction and more.

“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 is the first time a comprehensive survey of frozen yogurt consumers and shop operators has been conducted. We hope that this will become an annual survey," said Susan Linton, President of the International Frozen Yogurt Association.

For questions about the survey, please contact the International Frozen Yogurt Association at info@internationalfrozenyogurt.com

* NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited by law. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. For complete rules, see: http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/official-rules-national-frozen-yogurt-consumer-survey-sweepstakes/
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.

Kentro (Fullerton, CA) Adds Baklava Topped Frozen Yogurt

Fro-yo girl here. When another restaurant starts offering its own housemade frozen yogurt with housemade baklava, I find it newsworthy. Kentro, a casual Greek restaurant, has been open in downtown Fullerton for several years. I learned that they recently invested in a Taylor froyo machine and started offering frozen Greek yogurt topped with housemade baklava. At the moment that’s the only froyo option they offer – one flavor with baklava and honey citrus syrup.

Kentro uses the same cup, only offers one flavor/plain and has baklava and honey as a toppings combination, so it does feel like they were inspired by Souvla, the Greek eatery in San Francisco. Being inspired by Souvla is a good thing.

* Baklava frozen Greek yogurt ($7): At Kentro, when you order the baklava frozen Greek yogurt, you get a cup of plain Greek frozen yogurt with honey citrus syrup drizzled on top and housemade crumbled baklava. It’s their own froyo recipe. I heard that they strain their own yogurt too. It wasn’t overly sweet but had a bit of sourness and tang. The frozen yogurt was good because it tasted closer to yogurt and less processed. The texture was icier and not as smooth as Souvla’s. The baklava was soft and very sweet. It must have had nuts, but I didn’t see or taste any. It tasted mostly of cinnamon. Souvla gives you more baklava and their baklava is better…but they’re in SF, so I can’t go there too often.

The restaurant is large and has an attractive, modern look. There’s a bar area where you can sit and dine. There was a lot of natural light inside. Service was very friendly. In case you’re curious, the menu includes appetizers (calamari, spanakopita, etc.), spreads (served with bread), soups, salads, flatbreads, pita sandwiches, entrees (moussaka souvlaki, brizola, etc.), sides, Greek wines, Greek coffee and desserts. Order at the counter and grab a number. They’ll bring your food and frozen yogurt to you.

P.S. Mr. Froyo recommends their dolmades. He says their the best that he’s ever had.

* KENTRO GREEK KITCHEN: 100 S Harbor Blvd. #A, Fullerton, CA 92832

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.