National Frozen Yogurt Month 2019: Reflections on Frozen Yogurt Trends

Fro-yo girl here. Happy National Frozen Yogurt Month 2019! TCBY declared the first National Frozen Yogurt Month, National Frozen Yogurt Week (the first week of June) and National Frozen Yogurt Day (the first "Sundae/Sunday" in June) back in 1993.

Every June I like to take a look at the popularity of frozen yogurt according to Google Trends. Google Trends captures how often people search for a particular term using Google Search, the #1 search engine in the world, over a period of time.

Interest in frozen yogurt in the United States has been quite steady, with seasonal declines, over the past 5 years. It’s currently trending upwards, since interest peaks in June/July. While I can think of many frozen yogurt shops have closed around the country, even in sunny California, the search volume does not show a significant drop. Of course, people search for frozen yogurt for a variety of reasons, not just to find the nearest frozen yogurt shop. Google Trends has this covered too.

The top frozen yogurt queries in the US for the past 12 months are:

1. Frozen yogurt near
2. Yogurt near
3. Frozen yogurt near me
4. Ice cream
5. Yogurt ice cream

The most popular queries show that people are looking for frozen yogurt when they use Google Search. One can also look at rising queries to see a rise in interest in keto frozen yogurt and frozen yogurt robots.

Interest by subregion refers to the percentage of inquires about frozen yogurt compared to total searches, not the total number of searches for frozen yogurt. Using this measure, interest in frozen yogurt over the past 12 months was highest in:

1. Idaho
2. Oregon
3. Arizon
4. Utah
5. Nevada

Looking at the past 12 months at worldwide searches for frozen yogurt, the following countries showed the most interest in frozen yogurt:

1. United States
2. Canada
3. Australia
4. Singapore
5. Norway

In 2018, frozen yogurt as a search term is the most popular in #1. United States, #2. Canada, #3. Australia, #4. Greece, #5. Denmark. The top two positions have stayed the same for years. The Australian frozen yogurt pictures look amazing. Their shops are stylish and focused on quality and creativity. 

Froyo Trends and Musings

Frozen yogurt shops continue to open and to close as prices rise. I’ve personally cut back on portion sizes. Also, since there aren’t as many new froyo spoons (e.g., there have been NO new collectible froyo spoons so far this year) and new froyo flavors, I haven’t had as many reasons to eat froyo. I’ve also seen more flat rate cup specials but those encourage me to get a lot more froyo than I really want.

I really fear for Pinkberry. Locations keep closing and some of the ones that are open have quality and consistency issues. I hope they can turn things around before it’s too late. In terms of consistency and quality control, I’d have to say Yogurtland is best at this though I can think of some locations that need additional oversight. Menchie’s has been the most active in terms of promotions in recent years, surpassing Yogurtland.

On a brighter note, I have found excellent froyo at non-froyo shops (e.g., Souvla, Pita GR, Spread Kitchen, Foodhall) and I’m eating plant-based, lower sugar soft serve more often.

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.

25th Anniversary of National Frozen Yogurt Month

Fro-yo girl here. Happy National Frozen Yogurt Month. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the first National Frozen Yogurt Month. TCBY declared National Frozen Yogurt Month, National Frozen Yogurt Week (the first week of June) and National Frozen Yogurt Day (the first "Sundae/Sunday" in June) back in 1993.

Search Trends

It’s the time of year that I like to geek out and look at frozen yogurt search trends. That is, how often is frozen yogurt searched for on Google. This is roughly speaking, Google’s way to measure interest over time.

Before looking at the trends, my guess is that interest over time in frozen yogurt is still gradually declining since the peak in July 2012.

Guess what? I was right. The decline is pretty gradual since the frozen yogurt category is now mature and mainstream in the largest market, the US. As in previous years, the search volume is seasonal. Fewer people search for frozen yogurt during the winter.

In 2017, the top 5 countries by interest were #1. United States, #2. Canada, #3. Denmark, #4. Greece and #5. Australia. In 2018, frozen yogurt as a search term is the most popular in #1. United States, #2. Canada, #3. Australia, #4. Greece, #5. Denmark. The top two positions have stayed the same for years.

The top search queries in 2018 were #1. “frozen yogurt near me” and #2. frozen yogurt ice cream. People are using Google to find frozen desserts in their area. By US subregion, the number of searches for frozen yogurt was greatest in Washington (particularly the Seattle-Tacoma area), followed by Massachusetts and Arizona. 

Froyo Trends and Musings

Frozen yogurt shops continue to open and to close. It feels like the industry hasn’t come up with anything innovative in awhile and that prices continue to rise. I don’t want to pay over $6 for a snack. I keep my portions small at self-serve shops but I often see people paying $8-$10 for one cup of frozen yogurt. Portions are out of control and there are too many sweet, indulgent flavors inspired by cookies and candy. I like shops that provide small portions of nicely swirled frozen yogurt – yes, I’m talking about Pinkberry’s model. Soft serve ice cream places are following that model but froyo is stuck in a self-serve rut.

In the end, the places that I want to return to are the higher quality shops. I’d like to see healthier options (lower sugar) too. The best frozen yogurt is made in small batches with the best ingredients, from scratch. That said, I’ll always have a weakness for Yogurtland’s Plain Tart, Peanut Butter, and Sumatra Coffee and Pinkberry’s tart flavors.

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 Frozen Yogurt Month 2017: Reflections on Frozen Yogurt Trends

Fro-yo girl here. It’s June which means it’s the 24th annual National Frozen Yogurt Month. The first National Frozen Yogurt Month was declared by TCBY. National Frozen Yogurt Day is the first Sunday in June, or June 4, 2017. It’s also the time of year that I like to look at frozen yogurt trends.

Looking at Google Trends, one sees the continual slow decline in the number of searches for the term, frozen yogurt. The peak occurred in July 2013. The number of searches for frozen yogurt shows a cyclical pattern, with fewer searches during the winter months and localized peaks in the summer months.

Interestingly, the number of searches for the term "Greek yogurt" also peaked in 2013 and have been declining since. The search pattern there is different because the number of searches peaks in January, when people are presumably thinking about New Year’s resolutions like eating healthier. The number of searches for the term acai bowl is definitely on the rise though more so in Australia than in the US.

It's interesting to look at the searches by region. The top 5 countries by interest in frozen yogurt are #1. United States, #2. Canada, #3. Denmark, #4. Greece and #5. Australia. These were also the top five countries last June though tiny Denmark (population 5.676 million) has overtaken Greece (population 10.82 million). The two most popular related queries were “yogurt near me” and “frozen yogurt near me.” Consumers are clearly looking for frozen yogurt shop locations. A couple of years ago, they were searching for Pinkberry but now they're searching for Menchie's.

Everyone that I’ve spoken to has mentioned the number of frozen yogurt store closures. I’ve seen many frozen yogurt stores that didn’t have anything unique to offer. Even some frozen yogurt chains lack personality. This is the time that the shops that survive should be sure that they have established a distinct brand identity and that they’ve actively cultivated the loyalty of their customers. It’s a good time to emphasize product quality and customer service. In the end, the places that I want to return to are the higher quality shops. I’d like to see healthier options (lower sugar) too. Places like Yoga-urt in Glendale, CA, Easy Breezy Frozen Yogurt in San Francisco, CA and Culture in New York that make frozen yogurt in small batches, from scratch.

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 Frozen Yogurt Month: Reflections on the froyo industry

Fro-yo girl here. It’s June which means National Frozen Yogurt Month is back! In fact, National Frozen Yogurt Month is now celebrating its 23rd year. Frozen yogurt is far from new and it’s not a fad either. A fad peaks early and declines very quickly; it is short-lived like the cronut, roti buns or shaved snow/ice. As you can see from Google Trends, interest in frozen yogurt does peak during the summer months but that interest is gradually falling as the frozen yogurt industry has reached the maturity stage of the product category life cycle. The peak occurred in 2012-2013. Note how the cronut has the classic pattern of a fad. It peaked and faded quickly.

Interest in frozen yogurt as measured by search volume remains greatest in the US, followed by Canada, Greece, Denmark, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Consolidation began in the frozen yogurt industry a few years back and it’s continuing today as larger players buy regional and smaller chains and competitors leave the market. In the maturity stage, the industry mostly has larger, well-established competitors. For frozen yogurt, that’s Menchie’s, Yogurtland, Orange Leaf, sweetFrog, Yogen Fruz, etc. Companies can encourage frozen yogurt consumption by targeting new users like the vegan/dairy-free crowd or increasing consumption among current customers through promotions and loyalty programs. It’s also a good time to improve product quality. I’ve noticed that in Australia, many of the frozen yogurt shops are emphasizing the quality of their frozen yogurt.

Frozen yogurt has something going for it that food fads like cronuts, shaved ice and roti buns don’t have. First, it has a health halo thanks to the live and active cultures and lower fat content than ice cream. People can eat frozen yogurt often and not feel guilty about it. Second, frozen yogurt is versatile. It can be a snack or a meal any time of day. Third, frozen yogurt shops are a place to socialize. Frozen yogurt shops are a good place to go for a treat after dinner, on a date or hanging out with friends.

Looking at the future of froyo, I’d like to see:

• a greater emphasis on frozen yogurt quality not quantity
• unique flavors and offerings
• smaller cup sizes for counter serve shops

Shops that survive should offer something unique rather than be just like the frozen yogurt shop down the block. If froyo servings were smaller (e.g., 3-5 ounces), I could have froyo more often, like after dinner or after lunch. Even with the self-serve places I’m tired of HUGE cups.

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 National Frozen Yogurt Month 2013

Fro-yo girl here. It's that time of year, the best month of the year for frozen yogurt, National Frozen Yogurt Month. Thanks to TCBY for declaring and sponsoring National Frozen Yogurt Month, National Frozen Yogurt Week (the first week of June) and National Frozen Yogurt Day (the first "Sundae/Sunday" in June) back in 1993.

Interest in frozen yogurt as measured by search volume, remains greatest in the US. But Greece has come on strong, overtaking Canada for #2. With the surge of interest in Greek yogurt and Greek frozen yogurt, entrepreneurial Greeks have responded by opening frozen yogurt shops in Greece. The top five regions in search volume are: US, Greece, Canada, Hong Kong and Kuwait. Australia, which was #3 last year, fell to #6.

It's no surprise that the city with the greatest search volume is Los Angeles, the city that started the frozen yogurt trend. It's followed by Boston, San Francisco, New York and Seattle. This shows that interest remains high in more mature frozen yogurt markets. It is surprising that by search volume, Boston and Washington DC surpassed California.

In terms of the most popular frozen yogurt search terms, the top three are frozen yogurt recipe, calories frozen yogurt and make frozen yogurt. Many of the most popular search terms relate to making frozen yogurt.

Remember the best way to celebrate National Frozen Yogurt Month is to eat more fro-yo. 

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

Happy National Frozen Yogurt Month

Fro-yo girl here. Happy National Frozen Yogurt Month! With summer around the corner and temperatures rising, it’s the beginning of peak fro-yo eating season.

Google Trends shows that frozen yogurt search volumes continue to climb. Each year, search volume peaks in June. The majority of searches for frozen yogurt continue to come from the U.S., followed by Canada and Australia. California continues to dominate as the metro area with the most searches for frozen yogurt. The popularity of search activity in Denver and Seattle corresponds with the explosion of frozen yogurt shops in those two metro areas.

The best way to celebrate National Frozen Yogurt Month is to eat more fro-yo.

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

National Frozen Yogurt Day, Week & Month

Fro-yo girl here. I was reading through my old posts and I reread the article that explains how TCBY started National Frozen Yogurt Month (June), National Frozen Yogurt Week (first week of June) and National Frozen Yogurt Day - first Sunday/Sundae in June. I plan on having fro-yo on Sunday to celebrate. For you fro-yo fans out there, be sure to up your fro-yo consumption during National Frozen Yogurt Week (this week) and this month. Plan a fro-yo outing this weekend.

I think I found a frozen yogurt sticker - see the cup that says Frozen on it. So cute :-)

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

End of National Frozen Yogurt Month

Fro-yo girl here. It's the last day of June, which means it's the last day of National Frozen Yogurt Month. I hope you ate plenty of fro-yo this month.

In honor of fro-yo, I'd like to look at how frozen yogurt has performed according to Google Trends. Search volumes have been climbing steadily since 2007, though there are strong seasonal patterns. The searches peak during the summer, the favorite time for fro-yo consumption.

The majority of searches come from the U.S., followed by Canada. Australia, Brazil, and Great Britain round out the top 5. The Koreans have probably moved on to the next trend (roti buns?). Within the U.S., most of the searches occur in California (which everyone knows has the most fro-yo shops), followed by Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Hawaii.

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