Thursday, July 29, 2021

Trader Joe’s Cold Brew Coffee & Boba Coconut Frozen Dessert Review



Fro-yo girl here. Trader Joe’s knows about the boba ice cream trend! They recently introduced their own boba ice cream, Cold Brew Coffee & Boba Coconut Frozen Dessert. Yes, it’s vegan. One pint is $4.29. A product of Thailand, the main ingredients are coconut milk, water, and sugar.

Plant-based is on trend, and making it coffee flavored also makes it different from the brown sugar and tea-based boba ice creams on the market.

Trader Joe’s describes it as follows, “Among the things we’ve learned whilst working in the food business is that if it looks like ice cream and it tastes like ice cream... it isn’t necessarily ice cream. You see, to be ice cream, a frozen dessert must include that defining ingredient – cream. So, if your frozen dessert happens to be made with a non-dairy liquid base – say, coconut milk (itself a potentially controversial moniker) – it may taste familiar, but it’s not technically ice cream. What it is, in the case of Trader Joe’s Cold Brew Coffee and Boba Coconut Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert, is darn delicious. It begins with a smooth, rich, and yes, creamy coconut milk base – coconut milk is the first ingredient – yet it doesn’t taste even a bit like coconut. Instead, what you’ll taste is cold brew coffee, made from Thai-grown Arabica coffee beans. You wouldn’t guess it’s non-dairy; you will be reminded of your favorite cup of coffee. This is especially true if you’re a boba aficionado – each pint is loaded with the much-loved, chewy tapioca pearls so often found in specialty tea & coffee shops. Frozen Dessert and Boba may seem like an odd pair, yet somehow the partnership really pops. Grab a pint, secure a spoon, and find out for yourself. You’ll find this vegan treat in our freezers with the other ice cream (and ice cream-like) desserts.”

Cold Brew Coffee & Boba Coconut Frozen Dessert: The coffee flavor is super strong, like Vietnamese coffee strong. They actually put ground coffee beans in the frozen dessert. The coffee flavor is so strong that it overwhelms the other flavors – you can’t taste the coconut or appreciate the flavor of the tapioca pearls. The pearls are firm, sweet, and chewy, so they do add a pleasant texture. And the pearls are plentiful. One serving is 230 calories, 9g total fat, 37g total carbs, and 24g total sugars. I like coffee and coffee ice cream, but I found the coffee flavor to be too strong.

4 out of 5 stars.

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.

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Chobani Probiotic Plant-Based Drink Review


Fro-yo girl here. I spotted Chobani Probiotic plant-based drinks at Gelson’s in La Canada Flintridge when they were on sale, 2 for $4. They’re regularly $3.49 each. One bottle is 14 oz (414 ml). I wasn’t really sure what they were but they’re similar to kombucha without being kombucha. Kombucha is fermented tea. Chobani Probiotic plant-based drink is fermented oats, apple cider vinegar, and 9% fruit juice. The drinks are organic, non-dairy, naturally fermented, non-GMO, gluten-free, and probiotic. According to the bottle, “billions of cultures are feeding on oats and apples. In the bottle, cultures stay live and active. In your gut, they flourish, supporting immune health and digestion.”

Available flavors: Lemon Ginger, Pineapple Turmeric, Peach Mint, Cherry Hibiscus Tea

Peach Mint: A pretty peach color, the drink smells and tastes like fresh peaches with a hint of mint, only much tangier. It has a fermented scent and is lightly effervescent. It’s low in sugar, so I appreciate that. It’s light and refreshing. Compared to kombucha, it’s much fruitier (and has much more fruit juice). One bottle is 70 calories, 2g fat, 14g total carbs, 10g sugar, and 2g protein.

Pineapple Turmeric: The pineapple flavor is surprisingly strong and it’s very tangy with a sweeter aftertaste than the Peach Mint. The turmeric flavor is subtle.

Both drinks were very good. I still prefer kombucha but I’d get Chobani Probiotic plant-based drinks again.

4 out of 5 stars.

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.

Saturday, July 24, 2021

Yoga-urt Kenneth Village Anniversary and New Flavor, Heavenly Honeycomb




Fro-yo girl here. Yoga-urt Kenneth Village (Glendale, CA) just turned SIX on July 18. They were and still are the only plant-based, organic, gluten-free, soy-free, kosher froyo shop in Los Angeles (and beyond). To celebrate this milestone, they just introduced a newish flavor, Heavenly Honeycomb (it was available for a day a few years ago). This unique flavor is made with vegan honeycomb that they make from scratch (the honeycomb is also available as a topping). It tastes like honeycomb – not like caramel but deeper and more caramelized in flavor. It wasn’t as thick and creamy as Peanut Butter Prana for some reason. It's an effortful flavor to make, so it was only available this weekend (and maybe an extra day in Echo Park). 

Also, on July 24, enjoy $1 off your purchase from 2 PM – 5 PM at the Glendale location. On July 25, enjoy $1 off your purchase from 2 PM – 5 PM at the Echo Park location. A portion of the proceeds raised will benefit a non-profit.

There’s a giveaway too. One lucky person will win 6 pints of Yoga-urt (your choice of flavors). For details, check out Yoga-urt’s Instagram account, @yoga-urt

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.

Thursday, July 22, 2021

Spread Kitchen Closes Original Location (but Continues as Little Spread)


Fro-yo girl here. I noticed that I hadn’t seen any updates on Spread Kitchen for months...wasn’t sure if they were open or closed. They set up a pantry/market during the pandemic and were offering delivery only. Their last Instagram and Facebook posts were in June 2020. Google and Yelp mark Spread Kitchen as temporarily closed. The Spread website says the Main Street location is temporarily closed. However, there’s a for lease sign up at the Spread location and they painted over the Spread sign, so it’s unlikely that they’ll reopen in that space. But the second location at Gas Co. Tower should reopen on September 8. The menu is different - sandwiches and salads.

Spread Mediterranean Kitchen opened in downtown Los Angeles in March 2016, offering housemade Greek froyo with interesting toppings, Mediterranean fare, and Mediterranean-inspired cocktails in a casual, stylish space. I went quite a few times over the years as I enjoyed their food (better than Souvla’s) and froyo (not as good as Souvla’s).

They had one flavor, plain, and toppings included beet salt & citrus powder, chai halva crumble, harissa dry spice & pita chip, baklava, and sour cherries in syrup.

I’m pretty sure the Gas Co. Tower location does not offer froyo. It’s not on the menu. Falafel isn’t on the menu either.

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

SPREAD MEDITERRANEAN KITCHEN: 334 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

LITTLE SPREAD: 555 West 5th Street, LA, 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.


Monday, July 19, 2021

Summer Froyo Creation Photo Contest Ends Soon, Win Free Froyo




Fro-yo girl here. This year’s summer photo contest from the International Frozen Yogurt Association invites froyo fans to share their best summer froyo creations for a chance to win an exciting froyo prize package. Two winners will be selected.

To enter, share an original photo of your summer froyo creation on Instagram or Twitter with the tags #summerfroyocreation and #froyoassociation by midnight PST on Wednesday, July 21, 2021. Your profile must be public so that we can see your photo. The contest is open to anyone over 13 years of age residing in the US. Multiple entries are allowed.

The prize: 4 pints of Forty Carrots froyo (your choice of flavors) + a toppings kit sent to your home (8 servings). Alternative method of entry by email: Send your lounging at home with froyo photo(s) to info@internationalfrozenyogurt.com by midnight PST on July 21, 2021.

The winners will be announced on Instagram and Twitter on or before July 28, 2021. If the winning entry was submitted via email, the winner will be notified via email. Odds of winning depend on the number of entries.

For the complete contest rules, visit https://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/official-rules-for-the-summer-froyo-creation-contest/

Good luck froyo fans!

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.

Saturday, July 17, 2021

Salt & Straw New Froyo Flavor: Besharam’s Yogurt Lassi with Raspberries




Fro-yo girl here. Remember when Salt & Straw came out with Faux-Yo? That was the closest that I’d seen them come to offering froyo – until now. One of this month’s new flavors is Besharam’s Yogurt Lassi with Raspberries. The flavor theme of the month is Berries Berries Berries. A pint is $12.50.

Salt & Straw describes the flavor as: “A flavor unlike any other - and one that’s been years in the making. In our first ever chef-commissioned flavor, we partnered with San Francisco’s Besharam Head Chef, Heena Patel. A graduate of food incubator La Cocina, Heena founded award-winning Besharam to share her family’s Gujarati cuisine. In this lassi-inspired flavor, delicate rosewater and a hit of cardamom are balanced by ripples of raspberry jam infused with toasted whole cumin seeds. Spice-forward and unabashedly unbelievable.”

Ingredients: Milk, Cream, Yogurt (milk, cultures), Sugar, Raspberries, Tapioca Syrup, Pectin, Rose Water, Cumin Seeds, Salt, Natural Gums (guar gum, carrageenan), Cardamom

I picked up a pint of Besharam’s Yogurt Lassi with Raspberries. Guess what? My expectations were high and they were met. The froyo is phenomenal. It tastes so Indian with that strong cardamom note and the floral rosewater. It’s a little on the sweet side but Indian desserts tend to be. The cumin seeds add a little crunch. The raspberry ripple doesn’t dominate but it adds a bit more flavor to this rich, thick, decadent froyo. It even has a bit of tang and the cardamom and cream flavors linger on. I have to get a few more pints. You should get some too!

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.

Thursday, July 15, 2021

Froyo Shops in Temecula, CA

White Lime (source: Yelp)

Fro-yo girl here. I live about two hours from Temecula, so it’s not a city that I pass by that often. A few years ago, I thought I would be passing through so I looked into froyo in Temecula. Recently, I noticed that quite a few froyo shops in Temecula had closed. Here’s what I discovered.

Froyo shops in Temecula that have closed


Golden Spoon, 27636 Ynez Rd, opened in 2009 and was last reviewed in late 2019. The last Facebook update was in late 2018. The space is now occupied by Simon’s Dole Whip & Yogurt.

Golden Spoon, 32389 Temecula Pkwy, opened in 2009 and was last reviewed in late 2019.

Menchie’s, 32195 Temecula Pkwy Suite 102, opened in 2014 at Redhawk Towne Center. The ownership changed in 2017. The owners announced the permanent closure in May 2021. On Instagram, they posted, “It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our community. We have been forced to close due to the financial impact of COVID and lack of support from our landlord Kimco. It was a privilege to serve you all over the past 4 years. Please support local businesses and our friends @menchiesmurrieta.”

White Lime Frozen Yogurt, 30630 Rancho California Rd, was a self-serve froyo shop that may have opened in 2011. I’m not sure when it closed but the space is now occupied by Yogurt Factory.

White Lime Frozen Yogurt, 41493 Margarita Rd # 106B, was a self-serve froyo shop that opened in 2008 and might have closed around 2015?

Yogurtland, 40820 Winchester Rd, Ste 2460, opened in 2013 at the Promenade. It was last reviewed in March 2020. The last Instagram post was in February 2020.

Froyo shops that are still open


Simon’s Dole Whip & Yogurt, 27636 Ynez Rd, replaced Golden Spoon. This is the 2nd location of Simon’s Dole Whip & Yogurt. It opened in June 2021.

Yogurt Factory, 39694 Winchester Rd Suite A, opened in 2009 and is self-serve.

Yogurt Factory, 30630 Rancho California Rd, Temecula, CA 92591 opened in 2020.

Yogurt Island, 32240 Temecula Pkwy, opened in 2008 and is self-serve. It looks like Yogurtland inside.

The four remaining froyo shops are all self-serve.

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.