Froyo Scene in Salt Lake City

Fro-yo girl here. Salt Lake City, the capital of Utah, has a population of 204,657 (2022), making it the most populous city in Utah. It’s also the world capital of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (aka Mormons). The metro population is 1,257,936.

Froyo has a long history in greater Salt Lake City and Utah. Back in the 1980s, Golden Spoon had multiple outlets in Utah, and these outlets were renamed Golden Swirl. Golden Swirl, which had 71 outlets, was acquired by Yogen Fruz, the world’s largest franchiser of frozen yogurt outlets, for $5.2 million in 1997. Unfortunately, I was unable to determine where these Golden Swirl outlets were in Utah.

When TCBY was acquired by Mrs. Fields Famous Brands in 2000, the headquarters moved to 1717 S 4800 W, Salt Lake City. Mrs. Fields Brands filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and was restructured to become Famous Brands International. The head office moved to Bloomfield, CO, in 2012.

Today, there are three froyo shops and two dessert cafes that serve froyo in Salt Lake City. I found 18 closed froyo shops and 1 shop that stopped serving froyo but is still open. Spoon Me was the first Pinkberry-like shop to open in SLC in 2007, and Juicy Berry was the first self-serve froyo shop in SLC. 

There were three froyo shops at the Salt Lake City International Airport. Today, there is no froyo at the airport, although there is a gelato shop and an ice cream shop. There is also no froyo in downtown SLC.

Current Froyo Shops

• Boba Bee, 1330 E 200 S, is the boba shop that took over Ugurt’s space and carries froyo. It’s right by the University of Utah.
• Menchie’s, 3171 E 3300 S, opened at the Canyon Rim Center in November 2011. This was the fifth Menchie’s to open in Utah.
• Sweet & Cool, 3410 S State St, unit 5, South Salt Lake, opened in Salt Lake Chinatown earlier this year. The dessert cafe offers self-serve froyo, bingsoo, taiyaki, and boba drinks. 
• TCBY, 2274 S 1300 E, opened in the Sugar House Shopping Center in 2010. It’s self-serve.
• Yagoot, 932 E 900 S Suite C, is a branch of Yagoot, the Ohio-based, counter-serve frozen yogurt chain. Yagoot started making froyo in 1977 and is known for tart froyo. The shop also serves acai. It opened last year in the Sugar House neighborhood.

Not Closed But No Longer Serves Froyo

• Roxberry Juice Co., 50 South Main St, served froyo (and smoothies) when it opened in 2013. Roxberry no longer serves froyo but has added acai and pitaya bowls.

Closed Froyo Shops

• Crave Dessert Lounge, 675 E 2100 S Ste G, was a short-lived self-serve froyo shop that also served bubble tea and Liege waffles. Crave may have opened in 2013.
• Frogurt, 2240-2358 W 3800th S, was a froyo shop that was open in 2013.
• Juicy Berry Yogurt Lounge, 175 Rio Grand St, was a froyo shop at the Downtown Gateway Mall. The shop opened in 2009 and offered self-serve froyo and toppings. It closed in 2016.
• Lunaberry, 358 S 700 E, offered fat-free froyo, crepes, bubble tea, shaved ice, fresh juice shop that opened in 2008. The froyo was counter-serve and was similar to Pinkberry or Red Mango. The last review was in 2016.
• Pinkberry, 1776 N Terminal Dr Concourse C, was inside the Salt Lake City International Airport from 2012 – 2020.
• Red Mango, 301 W South Temple, was near EnergySolutions Arena in downtown SLC. It may have opened in 2007 and closed in 2017. It was the first Red Mango in Utah.
• Red Mango, 1511 E. 2100 South, opened in 2010 in the Sugar House neighborhood and closed in 2017.
• Red Mango, 6950 S Park Center Dr, was open from 2009 – 2019. It was counter-serve.
• Spoon Me, 532 E 400 S, opened in 2007 and was a counter-serve froyo shop. It closed in 2011. Spoon Me was a Utah-based froyo chain that specialized in tart froyo.
• TCBY, 1717 South 4800 West, was a branch. I don’t know when it opened or closed.
• TCBY, 776 N Terminal Dr Concourse C, had a branch inside the Salt Lake City International Airport.
• Top It Frozen Yogurt, 877 S 1300 E, Salt Lake City, may have opened in 2011 and didn’t stay open long.
• Ugurt, 1330 E 200 S, was a self-serve froyo shop that opened in 2013 and closed in 2023.
• U-Swirl had a froyo truck in Salt Lake City in 2017
• Yogi Berry, 395 N Redwood Rd, was a self-serve froyo shop that opened in 2010 and offered six froyo flavors a day. The last review was in 2013.
• Yogurt Stop, 2153 E 2100 S, was a self-serve froyo shop that opened in 2010 and closed in 2014. Also served bubble tea. I’m not sure if it’s related to the Yogurt Stop in Sandy.
• Yogurt Vibes, 3649 W 10400th S Unit 102, was a froyo shop
• Yovana Yogurt Café, Salt Lake City International Airport, Salt Lake City, Utah. Yovana by TCBY was a new test concept from TCBY. The kiosk opened in Salt Lake City’s airport in 2007 as part of an airport remodel. Yovana served froyo, yogurt parfaits, smoothies, and more. The last review was in 2012.
• Yogurtland, 2121 S McClelland St #107, was open in the Sugar House neighborhood of SLC from June 2013 – 2018. It was the only Yogurtland in Salt Lake City proper. There is a Yogurtland in West Jordan, a suburb of Salt Lake City, and in Orem.

Did I miss any Salt Lake City froyo shops? 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.

Yagoot: From Ohio to Salt Lake City

 

Fro-yo girl here. I was surprised to learn that Yagoot opened in Salt Lake City last year. Somehow, I missed the announcement. I remember back in 2017, I heard Yagoot planned to open in Hollywood and I’m pretty sure that they never did. But Yagoot SLC franchise store is real!

I’ve been wanting to try Yagoot for many years now. Yagoot started making froyo in Ohio in 1977 and the SLC location is the only one outside of Ohio at the moment. The yogurt is made with hormone-free dairy sourced from local (Ohio) farmers and the recipes are Scandinavian. Packed with live, active cultures, the yogurt is 99% fat free, gluten-free, hormone-free, and kosher. They’re known for their tart froyo!

Yagoot is in the Sugar House neighborhood, I think (I’m not that familiar with SLC). It’s a new looking space without much decoration – white walls, white counter. Choose from signature bowls, smoothies, cups, parfaits, and floats. They also have froyo treats for dogs. I noticed there were a lot of frozen dessert options in the same neighborhood, on the same street even. Yagoot is the only froyo shop in SLC to specialize in tart froyo.

There were six flavors to choose from. Ask for samples. All the flavors are tart!

Froyo flavors:

• White chocolate raspberry: didn’t notice the white chocolate because of how tangy the raspberry was
• Coconut
• Mango
• Original: tangy, refreshing, light
• Strawberry
• Key lime pie: lip-puckering tang, soft in texture, strong key lime flavor

A small cup is $5.50, add $1.50 for up to three toppings. The parfait is the best deal – you get more froyo and toppings for $7.50: 3 toppings, 4 layers of froyo. The small cup is nice for a snack. The parfait is more like a meal. They also had prepacked pints of the froyo.

If you enjoy tart froyo, you should like Yagoot. I enjoy tart froyo and was still surprised by how tart the froyo was. My issue was the texture – the froyo melted quickly and seemed a tad too soft and airy to me. It’s light and refreshing rather than dense and creamy.

They had the typical toppings like cereal, mochi, brownies, coconut, granola, sauces, nuts, candy, cookies, chocolate chips, etc. I spotted Halloween toppings as well.

You know you love me. Xo xo, fro-yo girl.

* YAGOOT, 932 E 900 S Suite C, Salt Lake City, UT 84105

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.

Froyo Scene in Brea, California

Fro-yo girl here. Brea is a city in northern Orange County that's about thirty miles southeast of Los Angeles. The word Brea means “tar” in Spanish and reflects the city’s history as a center for crude oil production. The population of Brea in 2022 was 46,993 with a median household income of $122,051. It's smaller than neighboring Yorba Linda and La Habra.

TCBY was probably the first froyo shop in town or it could have been Golden Spoon. It was inside the Brea Mall. I’m not sure when it opened or closed. The newer shops were mostly self-serve. 

Yogurtland is the only froyo shop left in Brea. However, there are two places to get soft serve froyo in Brea in 2024. With Pita GR opening in Brea, Brea residents have access to froyo with housemade baklava. Drool. 

Current Froyo Shops

• Pita GR, 2445 E Imperial Hwy, Unit F, opened in August 2023. This is the second location. The first opened in Downey in September 2018. The chef is Greek and they make their own Greek froyo. The froyo toppings are Greek-inspired. It's not a froyo shop but a fast-casual restaurant that serves froyo.
• Yogurtland, 730 E Imperial Hwy B, opened in 2009. The froyo was $0.30/oz back then. Yogurtland was founded in Orange County; the first location was in Fullerton.

Former Froyo Shops

• Freshii, 855 E Birch St, was inside Target Brea from 2016 – 2017. They served bowls, smoothies, and froyo. Target closed all the Target Freshii locations in 2017.
• Golden Spoon, 101 E Imperial Hwy # D, closed in 2017 and seems to have been open before 2008. It had the older Golden Spoon look. It was counter-serve. Golden Spoon was founded in Orange County.
• Pinkberry, 1623 E Imperial Highway, opened in 2011 in Brea Plaza and closed in 2015. It was one of the few self-serve locations.
• Prinkipia Frozen Yogurt, 315 N Puente St, Ste G, has no reviews so I’m not sure when it opened or closed. It was self-serve.
• TCBY, 2116 Brea Mall, was inside the Brea Mall. I couldn’t find the opening or closing date.
• Tutti Frutti, 955 E Birch St, opened in 2009 and closed in 2016. It was self-serve and $0.35/oz in 2009.
• Yogurt Hub, 1065 Brea Mall, opened inside Brea Mall in 2017 and might have closed in 2017. It was self-serve.

Did I miss any froyo shops in Brea? 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.

Menchie’s October Promotions

Fro-yo girl here. Happy Month of Smiles! For October, Menchie’s has brought back two fan favorite flavors: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup froyo and Harvest Pumpkin froyo. It’s a given that they had to bring back Harvest Pumpkin froyo, right? It’s made with real pumpkin, cinnamon, and ginger. And the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup poster has ghosts and bats.

Also, the Smile Challenge app game is back. Three squares are super easy to check off. For two squares, just answer the questions. For the third, scan the QR code at the register with the Menchie’s app. There are lots of prizes but the grand prize is free froyo for a year. Remember to scan the app at the register to play. Once you complete all the squares, you’ll earn a $5 reward from Menchie’s.

Save the date, October 29. The first 29 guests at Menchie's on 10/29 at 3 PM will get 5 oz of free froyo and a free trick-or-treat bag to celebrate the premiere of Disney's new show, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.

I’ve seen a teaser for a new spoon coming soon. It’s brown. That’s all I know so far.

Menchie’s in Burbank did have Halloween decorations!

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 Spoon Day Event: Yogurtland’s Apricot Giant Spoon

 

Fro-yo girl here. Happy National Spoon Day! Yogurtland is celebrating National Spoon Day with a special promotion, a new giant apricot Yogurtland spoon. The new apricot spoon is available on 10/7 with a minimum $12 in-store purchase and a limit of four spoons per transaction. Third party delivery and online orders are excluded.

The Yogurtland that I visited had two boxes of giant spoons, or 200 giant spoons. During the last giant spoon giveaway, they ran out of giant spoons by early afternoon. People do show up before Yogurtland opens for the giant spoons.

In case you’re wondering, the previous National Spoon Day giant Yogurtland spoons were: pink and green (2020), raspberry (2021), turquoise (2022), and dark blue (2023). There was a giant orange Yogurtland spoon in 2019 and that orange was lighter than the Apricot giant spoon.

The giant spoon says Yogurtland on the front of the spoon (on the handle) and nothing on the back. The spoon is exactly 12 inches long.

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.

Pumpkin Yogurt 2024 Rankings

Fro-yo girl here. I’m ranking this year’s crop of pumpkin yogurt from as many brands as I could find. Whole Foods had the best selection of pumpkin froyo. I found all but the Chobani Flip Pumpkin Harvest Crisp at Whole Foods. You can get the Chobani Flip Pumpkin Harvest Crisp at Walmart and Sprouts.

The contenders:

• Chobani Flip Pumpkin Harvest Crisp, 4.5 oz, lowfat pumpkin spice Greek yogurt with oatmeal pastry pieces, creamy icing chunks, and cinnamon frosted cookies
• Ellenos Pumpkin Pie, 7 oz, whole milk Greek yogurt, with pie toppings in a separate compartment
• La Fermiere Pumpkin Spice, 5.6 oz, whole milk, French style yogurt
• Noosa Pumpkin, 8 oz, whole milk Australian yogurt
• Siggi’s Pumpkin & Spice, 5.3 oz, lowfat Icelandic skyr

As you can see, several styles of yogurt were represented in a side-by-side tasting.

Ranked in order of preference (based on yogurt, not the included toppings):

• Ellenos: This pumpkin filling on the bottom yogurt was the clear winner as it was last year. Ellenos Pumpkin Pie has more pumpkin puree and it’s the only pumpkin yogurt that tastes like pumpkin pie. It has more of a cooked pumpkin pie flavor. And then they give you pie crust pieces to add on top!
• La Fermiere: The pumpkin puree was on the bottom. It was flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg. The yogurt was creamy, smooth, and very sweet. It also had some tanginess. The spices were mild. The yogurt is pot set, so it’s more like a custard.
• Siggi: Blended yogurt flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg, it was noticeably tarter and lower in sugar, with a sour edge. It wasn’t as smooth.
• Noosa: The pumpkin puree was on the bottom and they also added cream cheese. It seemed crazy sweet with some tang and mild spices.
• Chobani: blended yogurt was creamy, tart, and tangy with a sour edge. It didn’t taste enough like pumpkin.

The good news is that none of them were bad.

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.

IKEA Burbank Gets a New Soft Serve Machine

Fro-yo girl here. The Taylor soft serve machine at IKEA in Burbank, CA, was down for much of the summer, so IKEA could not serve vanilla froyo or strawberry soft ice. And one day, there was a brand new soft serve machine by Carpigiani (a fancier machine from an Italian brand). Froyo is back!

It may be a setting issue, but the vanilla frozen yogurt texture seems lighter (more air). There might be too much air in the mix, because the flavor seems bland. It’s almost like eating marshmallow fluff. The strawberry soft ice is denser and icier, with a definite tang.

A child size froyo cup is $1.50 and a child size soft ice cup is $1.40.

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.