Mother Culture Greek Yogurt Review

Fro-yo girl here. One of the joys of traveling is finding local products like Mother Culture. I spotted Mother Culture Greek yogurt at Whole Foods in Austin, Texas. The 8 oz tubs were $6.49 each. Mother Culture is based in San Antonio and available at retailers across Texas and farmers' markets.

The process starts with certified Grade A raw milk sourced from a dairy farm in Moulton, Texas. The cows are grass-fed. The yogurt is made by hand using traditional methods. A slow, low-heat pasteurization technique is used to help the probiotics thrive. Greek yogurt is strained.

Luscious Lemon Greek yogurt: Indulgent, tastes like cream and yogurt. The texture was creamy, thick, and rich. It was lightly sweetened with honey. The texture is a bit thicker than whipped cream. The lemon extract is blended in. It's not that sweet and has some sourness, but it’s more like rich cream that tastes like yogurt. I wish it weren't quite so rich but it's good and pure.

Serving size: ½ a cup, 188 calories, total fat 11g, total carbs 14g, sugar 12g, protein 9g

Ingredients: milk, honey, lemon extract, cultures

Available flavors: Plain, Honey Vanilla, Luscious Lemon, Maple Pecan. I saw Pumpkin Pie on the Mother Culture website but not at Whole Foods

4.5 out of 5 stars.

* WHOLE FOODS: 901 E 5th St, Ste 100, Austin, TX 78702

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.

Yogurtland Turns Twenty

 

Fro-yo girl here. Happy 20th anniversary, Yogurtland! Yogurtland celebrated twenty years on January 20 with a special promotion, 20% off froyo purchases. During my visit, I also spotted 20th anniversary sticker sheets. These are free, but sometimes you have to ask for them. Each sheet has nine stickers. And there was an anniversary exclusive flavor: Super Tart (a flavor that I love). The receipt says 20th anniv. 20% discount.

Here's some Yogurtland trivia. Super Tart was created for Yogurtland's 15th anniversary. 

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle froyo is the current Seasonal Exclusive flavor. I also spotted a new topping, Brownie Brittle.

There was a sign in the window that said 20 years of love, joy & hope. I’ve been a fan of Yogurtland since 2007, when the Cupertino branch opened. It was the first Yogurtland in the Bay Area. Yogurtland has improved a lot since my first visit. In the early years, most Yogurtland locations charged $0.30/oz!

The original Yogurtland opened near Cal State Fullerton. Sadly, that location closed in October 2020. I did get to visit it a few times.

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.

Froyo Scene in Austin, Texas

Berry Austin, Austin Bergstrom International Airport

Fro-yo girl here. When you think of froyo in Austin, Texas, the infamous unsolved yogurt shop murders of 1991 come to mind. The shop where it happened, I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt, closed long ago, right after the quadruple homicide and fire that occurred on December 6, 1991.

Austin is the capital of Texas. The population size of 993,588 makes it the fifth most populous city in Texas.

I’m not sure if TCBY or I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt was the first froyo shop in Austin, but both likely opened in Austin in the late 1980s. The first self-serve froyo shop in Austin might have been Tomunchi in 2008. It was around 2008-2009 that froyo took off in Central Texas. In 2008, four froyo shops opened in Austin: Tomunchi, Yogurt Planet, Sprinkles, and the Yogurt Spot.

I found thirteen places to get froyo in Austin, including Berry Austin at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The majority of the froyo shops are self-serve. Today, Yogurt Planet has the most locations in Austin, with three. There are several national froyo chains, including Menchie’s, Orange Leaf, Pinkberry, and TCBY. 

I found 29 closed froyo shops, including 3 Menchie’s branches, 4 Orange Leaf branches, 2 Red Mango branches, and 1 Yogurtland location. Two Costco locations used to offer froyo.

And I found two places that will soon serve froyo.

Current Places To Get Froyo

• Aba, 1011 S Congress Ave Bldg 2 Suite 180, is a branch of the Mediterranean restaurant founded by Top Chef alum, CJ Jacobson in Chicago. It opened in 2020. Aba had exceptional Greek frozen yogurt – a step above anything else I had in Austin. You can get it with sea salt and olive oil or lemon meringue.
• Berry Austin, 3600 Presidential Blvd, is located at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Located at Gate 8, Berry Austin is a local froyo concept that opened in 2018. The airport location offers counter-serve froyo, acai bowls, smoothies, and shakes.
• Menchie’s, 1000 E 41st St #255, opened in 2015 and recently changed ownership.
• Menchie’s, 14028 Research Blvd Ste 165, opened in 2014.
• Orange Leaf, 9600 S I-35 Ste B-200, opened in 2011 and remains open
• Pinkberry, 2901 S Capital of Texas Hwy, opened at Barton Creek Square, an upscale shopping center, in 2014.
• Pinkberry, 3300 Bee Caves Rd Ste 640, was the first Pinkberry in Austin. The branch opened in 2013.
• Yogurt Planet, 4601 N Lamar Blvd Ste 502, is a self-serve froyo shop that opened in 2008.
• Yogurt Planet, 12801 Hill Country Blvd, opened at Hill Country Galleria in 2009
• Yogurt Planet, 3220 Feathergrass Ct #136, opened at the Domain in 2010
• Yo So Cool, 1201 Barbara Jordan Blvd #1290, is a self-serve shop offering 12 flavors a day. The shop opened in 2010.
• TCBY, 303 W Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, opened 37 years ago (1988) across from UT Austin. It has a drive-thru and is counter-serve.
• TCBY, 5701 W Slaughter Ln, opened in 2012 as a self-serve froyo shop.

Closed Froyo Shops

• Berry Austin, 200 Congress Ave, opened in 2011 and closed in 2021 after losing their lease.
• Berry Austin, 5523A Balcones Dr, opened in 2009. The self-serve shop closed in 2019.
• Fresh Cup Frozen Yogurt, 13000 N Ih 35 Bldg 11, Ste 116, opened in 2009 and closed in 2020. It was a locally created, owned, and operated self-serve froyo shop that also offered smoothies, slushies, and milk tea.
• Frosty Peaks, 13429 US-183 Ste 110, opened in 2022 and closed in 2023. The self-serve froyo shop also offered frozen custard, waffle cones, puffle cones, chocolate -dipped strawberries, etc. 
• I Can’t Believe It’s Not Yogurt, 2949 W Anderson Ln, was the scene of the infamous Yogurt Shop Murders in 1991. A new HBO docuseries about the murders came out this year.
• Menchie’s, 4001 N Lamar Blvd Ste 550, was the first Menchie’s to open in Austin. The shop was open from 2010 – 2011.
• Menchie’s, 9828 Great Hills Trl, Ste 120, opened in 2017 and closed in 2021.
• Menchie’s, 5145 N FM 620 Ste B180, opened in 2013 and closed in 2022.
• Orange Cup, 3400 Esperanza Crossing, Ste 100, opened at The Domain in 2009. The counter-serve shop closed in 2011.
• Orange Leaf, 1920 E Riverside Dr Ste E-120, closed on June 19, 2020. The owner cited COVID-19 as the reason for the closure. The shop opened in the South Shore District in 2015.
• Orange Leaf, 10526 W Parmer Ln Ste 506, opened in 2013 and closed in 2021.
• Orange Leaf, 9600 South I-35 Ste B-200, may have opened in 2014 or 2015.
• Orange Leaf, 5207 Brodie Ln Ste 105, may have been open from 2015 – 2020.
• Red Mango, 2222 Rio Grande St Ste C120, opened in 2010 and closed in 2018. It was co-branded with Smoothie Factory.
• Red Mango, 3421 S Lamar Blvd, was co-branded with Smoothie Factory. It opened in 2015 and closed in 2016. The yogurt was self-serve. According to Eater, Red Mango was locked out by the landlord due to failure to pay rent.
• Sprinkles, 10700 Anderson Mill Rd, Ste 105, was a self-serve froyo shop that was open from 2008 – 2010.
• Swirll, 2310 Guadalupe St, was a self-serve froyo shop that may have been open from 2009 – 2014.
• Swirly Peaks, 7701 Colton-Bluff Springs Rd, served real fruit frozen yogurt that’s mixed to order. The trailer opened in June 2024. It closed in October 2025. The closure was permanent, not seasonal.
• TCBY, 13729 N Hwy 183, was listed on Yelp and MapQuest. I’m not sure when it opened or closed.
• TCBY, 6507 Jester Blvd, was listed on Yelp. I’m not sure when it opened or closed.
• Tomunchi, 1701 W Parmer Ln, Suite 105, was a self-serve froyo shop that opened in early 2008. It was possibly the first self-serve froyo in Austin. It closed in 2020, probably due to the pandemic. Tomunchi also served boba drinks and smoothies.
• Tutti Frutti, 13429 US-183 Ste 110 was the sole Tutti Frutti in Austin. It was open from 2011 – 2020. The space became the home of Frosty Peaks.
• Yocup, 10700 Anderson Mill Rd, Ste 105, started as Sprinkles. The name was changed to Yocup in 2010. The shop closed in 2014. It was self-serve. Ownership changed in 2012.
• The Yogurt Spot, 500 N Lamar Blvd STE 150, was the second YS in Austin. The self-serve shop opened in 2009 and closed in 2014.
• The Yogurt Spot, 2815 Guadalupe St, Ste A, opened in 2008 and may have closed in 2011. This was the first one in Austin. The chain was based in Houston.
• The Yogurt Spot, 1712 E Riverside Dr Ste 32, was listed in MapQuest. Unknown opening or closing dates.
• Yogurtland, 2525 W Anderson Ln, opened in 2011 and closed in October 2020, possibly due to COVID-19. It was the only Yogurtland in Austin.
• Yo So Cool Espresso and Froyo Bar, 6501 S. Congress Ave, opened in 2016. This location also had an espresso bar. It closed in 2018.
• Yumilicious, 2700 W Anderson Ln. Suite 227, was a self-serve shop that opened in 2010 and closed in 2020. It was part of a local chain based in Dallas, Texas.

Not Closed But Stopped Serving Froyo

• Costco, 10401 Research Blvd
• Costco, 4301 W William Cannon Dr BLDG A100

Future Places to Get Froyo

• 16 Handles, 8300 N FM 620, Ste. L-500, is a branch of the self-serve froyo chain that was founded in New York City.
• Ema, 3120 Palm Way, Ste 170, another CJ Jacobson restaurant, is coming to the domain in late 2025. Like Aba, Ema serves froyo.

If you go to Austin, you have to get the froyo at Aba (and Ema, once it opens). And if you're looking for prepacked froyo, try TruJoy Yogurt, a local Greek froyo brand, at Whole Foods, Royal Blue Grocery, and other markets.

Did I miss any Austin froyo shops? If so, 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.

Jeni’s Ice Creams Flavor, Tropical Bloom

Fro-yo girl here. I was excited to try Jeni’s Tropical Bloom, described as “a punchy parade of mandarin, kiwi, and passion fruit wrapped in creamy buttermilk and yogurt. With a dash of citric acid for a mouthwatering, sour candy-esque finish.” I thought it was new, but it actually is a re-release and renaming of Cosmic Bloom, which was launched as part of the Punk Stargonaut Collection in 2024.

Tropical Bloom was thick, dense, smooth, and ultra creamy. The passion fruit seemed the strongest note to me. I liked the tangy sweetness but I didn’t love this particular combination of fruits. I wanted more citrus. It did remind me of creamsicle though.

It's hard to keep track of flavors when they change names!

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.

Happy Baby Organic Yogis Review

Fro-yo girl here. I found a new Greek yogurt snack in my Christmas stocking. Happy Baby Organic Yogis are freeze-dried yogurt & fruit snacks for babies. They’re sold in 1 oz resealable pouches. A pouch is $6.49 at Erewhon.

Yogis are gluten-free, non-GMO, and made with real yogurt. They look like small dots about the size of a dime. The dot is crunchy but also melts in your mouth.

Mixed Berry: The Mixed Berry pouch has pictures of strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. The Mixed Berry Yogis were slightly sour, pleasant, and fruity.

Strawberry: The Strawberry Yogis were slightly tart and creamy but also a bit powdery in taste and a bit gummy in texture.

I prefer regular yogurt to freeze-dried yogurt. I also prefer the crunchy texture to the melt-in-your-mouth gummy texture.

Available flavors: Mixed Berry, Banana & Mango, Strawberry Banana, Strawberry

One serving of the strawberry yogis is ¼ cup, 25 calories, 0.5g total fat, 4g total sugars, and 1g protein. I would not get these again because they’re expensive and not that tasty. They don’t even contain live and active cultures.

3.5 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

Pinkberry Introduces Matcha Strawberry Froyo

Fro-yo girl here. Happy Froyo New Year! Pinkberry just launched its first new flavor of 2026, Matcha Strawberry froyo. They recommend pairing it with fresh strawberries, mochi, matcha, and strawberry sauce.

I love matcha froyo and strawberry froyo, so this flavor did catch my attention. Strawberry matcha drinks have been a thing for awhile now. Yogurtland introduced a Strawberry Matcha froyo in April 2024.

Matcha Strawberry froyo: The color looked like a murky greenish-brown and it tasted much more like a tart strawberry froyo than a matcha froyo. I could taste the matcha, but there wasn’t enough matcha flavor. The texture was smooth and silky though. Recommended toppings: mochi, strawberries, pie crust or waffle cookie

Matcha Strawberry froyo is available for a limited time, in stores or online.

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 Featured Flavors in January

 

Fro-yo girl here. It’s January, and that means that Menchie’s has new featured flavors. First up, the NEW Iced Hazelnut Latte froyo is made with instant coffee. It’s nonfat, gluten-free, kosher and made with no high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors ,or artificial flavors. The coffee flavor was strong, but the hazelnut flavor was not. It was also on the icier side. Recommended toppings: chocolate chips, almonds

Cinnamon Roll froyo is made with real cinnamon. The froyo is nonfat, kosher, and made with no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, and no high fructose corn syrup. It’s a returning flavor. This flavor was creamy and rich. I could taste the icing and the cinnamon. I did find it too sweet though. If you get it, I recommend getting vanilla or cake batter with it to cut down on the sweetness. Recommended toppings: Cool Whip, Golden Grahams, and Nilla wafers.

I was excited to see the signs for NATIONAL FROZEN YOGURT DAY. It’s happening on February 6. Menchie’s will offer a buy one, get one free offer. You can also earn double points when you scan the Menchie’s app in-store from February 7 – 13.

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.