Aniimo’s Froyo Truck Pop-Up in Downtown Los Angeles

Fro-yo girl here. Aniimoi s a new creature-catching game that just launched. To celebrate the global launch of Aniimoi, the Aniimo froyo truck visited Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles on September 16 – 17. Guests enjoyed a free mini cup of White Vanilla Aniimazing frozen yogurt. The yogurt was pale blue in color but tasted like a very sweet vanilla. It was adorned with a custom wafer with the Aniimo image.

They were also handing out postcards with codes for a special gift (to be redeemed in-game).

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.

Van Leeuwen’s New Flavors: Pumpkin Spice and Vanilla

Fro-yo girl here. It looks like Van Leeuwen is planning a monthly flavor drop at their froyo-serving scoop shops. This month, there are two new flavors: Pumpkin Spice and Vanilla froyo. Neither are tart.

Vanilla froyo: I was surprised to find that it had a icier texture. It did not taste like frozen yogurt but it did taste like vanilla. Recommended toppings: any crumble, any sauce

Pumpkin spice froyo: Definitely creamier in texture than the vanilla froyo, the pumpkin spice froyo tasted like pumpkin ice cream. The texture was off though – there were some large ice crystals. It also melted fast. Recommended toppings: speculoos cookie crumble, honey slivered almonds, whipped cream.

What’s up with all the texture issues at Van Leeuwen?

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

* VAN LEEUWEN, 321 N San Fernando Blvd, Burbank, CA 91502

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.

Frozen Labneh from Milk Cult at Café Tropical

Fro-yo girl here. One of the (new) owners of Café Tropical also founded Milk Cult ice cream in Washington DC. It looks like they started serving soft serve earlier this year. They usually offer one sorbet and one dairy flavor.

I was excited to see that they launched a labneh soft serve, but then I had to question whether labneh soft serve is froyo. Labneh is strained yogurt. It’s called labneh in the Middle East. Labneh is usually strained for a longer period than Greek yogurt, so more of the whey is removed.

However, according to the picture that Café Tropical posted, they used Byblos Lebni, which is a kefir-based labneh (and different from labneh made with yogurt).

Anyway, the labneh soft serve was quite tart (they added malic acid to boost the tartness) and very creamy. It was looser (more air), softer, and not as smooth as an ideal froyo but the flavor was very tasty.

Café Tropical currently doesn’t offer toppings. A mini cup or cone is $5.

* CAFE TROPICAL, 2900 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

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.

Hokkaido Gelato Milk from 99 Ranch Review

Fro-yo girl here. 99 Ranch recently started carrying small cups of Hokkaido Gelato, made with Hokkaido milk. A cup is 2.99 oz. Manufactured by Naganuma Ice Cream in Hokkaido, Japan, the product is imported from Japan. One cup was $2.99. The cups are sold individually.

Available Flavors:

• Apple
• Caramel
• Akaniku Melon
• Cream Cheese
• Milk

The cup has cute black and white illustrations and says Icenoie on it. The gelato was firm, dense, creamy, and tasted like a good milk ice cream. It was chewier. One cup is 170 calories, 12g total fat, 14g total carbs, 14 total sugars, and 2g protein. It’s made with milk, palm oil, sugar, locust bean gum, guar gum, and artificial flavoring.

The cup does not come with a spoon. The size was perfect for a small treat or dessert.

4 out of 5 stars.

* 99 RANCH MARKET, 400 S Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA

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.

Lunara, a Thick Yogurt Shop, Opens Inside Kara Bento in Rosemead

Fro-yo girl here. Thick yogurt — the strained, spoonable kind that’s become a popular snack across Asia — is still surprisingly hard to find in the United States. Let Eat Yogurt in Buena Park, Orange County, was the first thick yogurt shop to open in Southern California back in 2020, and since then several thick yogurt spots have opened in the San Gabriel Valley. Lunara is the newest place to join the scene.

Lunara operates inside Kara Bento in Rosemead, CA, and specializes in Asian style dry/thick yogurt bowls, chia yogurt cups, and protein bowls. The menu isn’t very descriptive, so you’re mostly relying on the photos and the names of the bowls to figure out the contents of each bowl. It looks like they offer different yogurt flavors, though there’s no build your own option listed. They did accommodate my request to leave out the bananas, which I appreciated.

Ordering is done by scanning the QR code at your table or using the self-serve kiosk. The bowls are made to order.

Ocean Yogurt Bowl ($15.99): I wasn’t sure what would be in it, but I ended up liking the combination of fresh blueberries and blackberries with crunchy chocolatey cereal (similar to Cocoa Pebbles), coconut pieces, and chewy oat pearls. The big scoop of yogurt was thick, creamy, and plain, but a pretty shade of blue — likely from butterfly pea flower. Because it’s strained, the yogurt wasn’t sour; it had a mild natural sweetness. I’ve had thicker, drier versions elsewhere, but I liked that Lunara’s wasn’t quite as dry. The mix of textures and flavors worked well.

It did feel a bit pricey at $16 plus tax and tip, especially since it’s something you could easily recreate at home. Still, it’s nice to have another thick yogurt option in the SGV.

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

* LUNARA. 3365 Walnut Grove Ave, Suite B, Rosemead, CA 91770

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.

Matcha Ren Rebrands as United Matcha, New Menu Includes Greek Froyo

Fro-yo girl here. Frozen yogurt is back at the Shops at Santa Anita! It was last spotted inside Kirin Buffet which closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I noticed the Matcha Ren shop changed names. It’s the same business but they rebranded as United Matcha and changed the menu. The new menu has matcha mochi crepes, kakigori shaved ice, parfaits, and shiratama ice cream.

Plain Greek frozen yogurt replaced Hokkaido milk soft serve on the menu. The only toppings listed on the menu were three drizzles (strawberry, mango, Kuromitsu), and mochi (these are big Japanese rice balls, not the packaged Korean mochi).

Prices:

• Cup or cone, $6.90
• Drizzles, $0.50 each
• Mochi, 3 pieces for $1

The cup was small – what I would consider to be a mini. The yogurt was better than I expected – creamy, smooth, with a milky flavor, mild tang, and sweet finish. Personally, I would prefer a stronger yogurt flavor and more tang. It wasn’t crazy sweet. The rice balls were nice and chewy.

The parfaits come with other toppings like tea jelly, toasted rice cereal, red bean paste, and matcha castella. I wonder why these aren’t available as soft serve toppings. Or are they?

Westfield Santa Anita, rebranded as the Shops at Santa Anita, was once the home of Nubi Yogurt, Tutti Frutti, Cefiore, and Sweet XO.

Matcha Ren in San Jose and Costa Mesa are now known as United Matcha (and serve Greek froyo).

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

* UNITED MATCHA: 400 S Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007

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.

Save the Date: National Spoon Day at Yogurtland

 

Fro-yo girl here. National Spoon Day is October 7 and Yogurtland will be offering a free Cappuccino giant spoon with every minimum $15 in store purchase. There’s a maximum of two spoons per transaction.

The Cappuccino spoon is the newest addition to the giant spoon lineup — the color feels cozy and fall appropriate. It’s exactly 12 inches long, with Yogurtland printed on the handle. The design commemorates Yogurtland’s 20th anniversary.

In case you’re wondering, the previous National Spoon Day giant Yogurtland spoons were: pink and green (2020), raspberry (2021), turquoise (2022), dark blue (2023), apricot (2024), and midnight plum (2025).

Will you be collecting the Cappuccino giant spoon?

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.