New Menchie’s Spring for a Treat! Mellow Spoon

 

Fro-yo girl here. Menchie’s just launched a new spring collectible froyo spoon! The new magenta colored spoon features Menchie’s Sweet Friend, Mellow (he looks like a marshmallow creature) holding a cup of froyo. The froyo cup has Menchie’s face on it and the froyo is adorned with flowers. The spoon says “Spring for a treat!”

I heard that stores didn’t get many of these spoons, so try to get yours soon. Better yet, call first to see if your Menchie’s has the new Mellow spoon.

Spoons are available for a limited time only, while supplies last.

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.

AWAN Plant-Based Ice Cream

Fro-yo girl here. It feels weird to be writing about ice cream but AWAN is something special. AWAN is a vegan, plant-based ice cream made with Indonesian coconut cream and coconut water. It manages to taste even more decadent than dairy-based ice cream. When it comes to developing flavors, Chef Zen Ong is inspired by the best seasonal produce at farmer’s markets as well as collabs with chefs. They’ve made some of the most inventive flavors like strawberries & caviar, blue corn tortilla, and Nicole Rucker’s rhubarb pie. 

AWAN opened a walk-up window in late 2021, next to Dayglow Coffee. The founder of Dayglow, Tohm Ifergan, became a founder of Ong’s business partner and investor. They serve scoops ($5 - $9 per scoop) and sell pints from the window. AWAN is also available at specialty grocers like Sesame LA, Cookbook Market, LA Farmhome, and Wine + Eggs.

When I visited I encountered the following flavors:

• Balinese vanilla bean
• Chocolate mint chip
• Valencia orange: Super rich, dense, and creamy with bright fresh orange flavor and a coconut cream finish, like creamsicle but better
• Strawberry Meyer lemon & graham: Made with Harry’s Berries. Tasted like juicy, tangy, sweet strawberries with a bit of coconut. I didn’t notice the graham though.
• Black sesame & coffee
• Dayglow coffee
• Gaviota strawberry

The service was super friendly. The scoops are lovely and topped with a piece of freeze-dried fruit. Parking in this part of town is just about impossible unless you have a permit or the business you visit has parking.

It's not uncommon for them to sell out of flavors, so follow @enjoyawan on Instagram for flavor drops and sign up for the mailing list to get early access codes for the online store. You can also schedule a pickup, delivery, or shipment from the website.

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

5 out of 5 stars.

* AWAN: 866 Huntley Dr, West Hollywood, CA 90069

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 in Brentwood, Los Angeles

 

Pinkberry, Brentwood, Source: Yelp

Fro-yo girl here. Years ago, I used to live in Brentwood, a neighborhood on the Westside of Los Angeles. This was long before the froyo craze. When I lived in Brentwood, there was no froyo in the neighborhood. Even back then, it was one of the most desirable neighborhoods in LA. Most of the shops and restaurants are on San Vicente Blvd. The current population of the neighborhood is 35,853.

Since Yogurtland closed earlier this year, there’s just one place to get froyo now in Brentwood: The Yogurt Shoppe, 11726 Barrington Ct. in Brentwood Village. The Yogurt Shoppe Brentwood opened in 2016. Their first shop was in Pacific Palisades and it’s still open. Actress Marcia Gay Harden was one of the owners. They just took over the Menchie's location on Ocean Park in Santa Monica. The Yogurt Shoppe is self-serve.

Former Froyo Shops

• Brentwood Yogurt Café, 11677 San Vicente Blvd, Ste 300, mix-in style froyo opened in 2007, closed in 2010
• Moo Greek, 11753 San Vicente Blvd, was inspired by a traditional Greek yogurteria. They served fresh Greek and frozen Greek yogurt. They opened in 2016 and closed in 2016. It reminded me of Go Greek.
• Pinkberry, 11711 Gorham Ave, opened in 2007 and closed in 2016. Reese Witherspoon, Courtney Thorne-Smith, and Heidi Klum were spotted getting froyo there.
• TCBY, 11740 San Vicente Blvd, existed but I’m not sure when it opened or closed. I would have noticed it if it were open when I lived the neighborhood in the late 90’s.
• Twist, 11870 Santa Monica Blvd, was a self-serve froyo shop that opened in 2008 and closed in 2015. I remember they had many flavors of mochi back when most people only had plain mochi.
• Yogurtland, 11706 San Vicente Blvd, opened across the street from Pinkberry in 2010 and closed in 2023.

Did I miss any Brentwood 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.

Mother’s Day Froyo Specials (US and International)

Fro-yo girl here. Mother’s Day is this Sunday, May 14 in the US. Many countries recognize the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Italy, Japan, South Africa, and others. In Mexico and most of Latin America, Mother's Day is celebrated on May 10. In the United Kingdom, Mother's Day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday in Lent, which was March 19 this year.

We know how much moms love froyo and so we’ve put together the most comprehensive list of Mother’s Day froyo specials you can find. It doesn’t look like much right now but most shops don’t announce Mother’s Day specials till the day before or on Mother’s Day.

The shops are listed in alphabetical order. We will update this list many times over the next few days.

ICYMI, TCBY’s Mother’s Day promotion is back. Moms get the first 6 oz free on Mother’s Day.

Shops with Mother's Day Froyo Specials:

• Active Culture (CA, OR): First 30 customers on 5/14 will get a rose
• Aspen Leaf (Farmington, NM): Moms get free froyo on 5/14 (up to $5)
• Chiller Bee (TX): Moms eat free on 5/14
• Chilly Billy's (Duluth, MN): Moms get 10% off on 5/14
• Cool Spot (Brentwood, CA): On 5/14 starting at 5 PM, moms get 50% off their froyo
• Cuppa Yo (Bend, OR): Spend $10 at Cuppa Yo and mom gets a free cup on 5/14. Offer good at both locations.
• Cuppa Yo (Buckeye, AZ): Bring mom on Mother's Day and when buy yourself a froyo, mom's froyo is free
• Fat Yeti Froyo (Port Angeles, WA): Bring mom on 5/14 and she gets a free 10 oz froyo with purchase
• Fill N Chill (Slinger, WI): Mothers get half off on 5/14
• Frost (Kailua, HI): Free froyo for moms on 5/14
• FrostBites Froyo (Philippines): Free KitKat with every froyo order on Mother's Day
• FROYO (India): Buy one bubble waffle, get one free May 12 - 14
• FroYo 2 Go (Fort Belvoir, VA): Treat mom to froyo and get 10% off, for loyalty members (it's free to join the loyalty program)
• Froyo Factory (Lavale, MD): Buy one cup of froyo and get one 50% off, for moms only, one discount per family
• Goji's (Canada): Bring mom to Goji's on 5/14, first 100 moms get a free flower
• Greenfrost (Cayambe, Ecuador): Bring mom in on 5/14, make a purchase and get her froyo for free
• Grooveberries (Coeur d'Alene, ID): Show offer post on 5/14 for 15% off your transaction, IG @grooveberriescda
• Happy Days Frozen Yogurt (Colombia): Mom's froyo is free on 5/14
• Hello Frozen Yogurt (Malaysia): Get 2 froyos for RM 14.00 on 5/14
• Jamms Frozen Yogurt (Coeur d'Alene, ID): Buy a 16 oz cup on 5/14 and get mom's 16 oz cup of froyo for free
• Kiwi Spoon (Rocky Hill, CT): Free froyo for moms on Sunday, May 14
• Lizzy's Premium Frozen Yogurt (Desert Hot Springs, CA): Bring mom in for 20% off on Mother's Day
• Mamaca Frozen Yoghurt (Philippines): Buy 1 froyo, get the second for P20 off, large froyos only, on May 14
• Menchie's (Fontana, CA): 20% off for moms on 5/14
• MOOD (Abilene, TX): Moms get a free 10 oz cup with purchase on 5/14
• Nella's Froyo (Littleton, CO): Moms get a free rose while supplies last on 5/14
• Ocean Yogurt (Bolivia): Bring mom in for a free froyo from May 10 - 15 (minimum purchase of 2 froyos)
• Peachwave (Holland, MI & Fairfax, VA): Loyalty members get $3 off on Mother’s Day, must be registered by May 10
• Peachwave (Greenbrier, AR): 10% off on Mother's Day
• Peachwave (Cayman Islands): Moms get a free cup of froyo on Mother's Day
• Pinkberry (US): Buy one swirl, get one 50% off on 5/13 - 5/14, use code MOMSDAY for online order or show offer on your mobile device for in-store purchases, IG @pinkberryswirl
• Scoop B (Malaysia): Purchase two regular cups of froyo and get a free small cup of froyo from May 12 - 14
• Smooy (Singapore): Get a free love card with every purchase on Mother's Day
• Spoon Frozen Yogurt (Williamstown, MA): Buy one, get one free for moms on Mother's Day from 2 PM - 6 PM
• SummerSweet Frozen Yogurt (Colorado Springs, CO): Moms get a free cup of froyo o  Mother's Day
• Suzy's Swirl (IL): Moms get a free mini cup on Mother's Day
• Sweet CeCe's (Nolensville, TN): $1 sweet cups for mom on Mother's Day
• Sweet Street (Kamloops, Canada): Free chocolate covered strawberries for moms on 5/14
• Sweet Susie's (Branson, MO): moms receive $10 off with a minimum purchase of $30 on Mother's Day, mention FB offer
• SweetFrog (Schererville, IN): Bring mom in on Mother's Day for a free treat
• Sweetspot Frozen Yogurt (Longview, WA): Purchase a cup and mom's small cup is free on 5/14
• Swirls Yogurt (Parker, CO): Buy a froyo for yourself and get mom's free on 5/14
• TCBY (US): First 6 oz free for moms on Mother’s Day, 5/14
• TCBY (Village Road, Bahamas): Free slice of cake with hand scoop or soft serve purchase on 5/14
• Top It Yogurt Shoppe (Snohomish, WA): 20% off Mother's Day weekend, mention IG ad
• Tutti Frutti (Australia): On Mother’s Day, buy one cup of froyo and get the 2nd cup 50% off
• Tutti Frutti (Jamaica): 10% off for moms on Mother's Day
• Tutti Frutti (LA): Moms enjoy 20% off on 5/14
• Twisted Bliss (Kalispell, MT): Moms get 10% off on 5/14
• Twisterz (Mesa, AZ): Bring your mom & get 20% off your order, moms get 20% off on 5/14
• Yo-Gainz (Australia): Buy one froyo, get mom's free on 5/14
• Yo Mama (WI): Free froyo for moms on Mother's Day
• The Yogurt Bar (Beaumont, TX): Free carnation for moms on Mother's Day while supplies last
• Yogurt Beach (Kennewick, WA): Buy one froyo, get one free (equal or lesser value) for your mom on 5/14 
• Yogurt Beach (Naperville, IL): Moms get 50% off on 5/14
• Yogurt Lab (MN): Buy a large froyo and get a small one free on Mother's Day
• Yogurt Mountain (US): Buy 1\, get 1 free on Mother's Day when you scan the app at checkout
• Yogurt Republic (Indonesia): Mums eat free on Mother's Day when the family orders more than mum
• The Yogurt Shop (McMinnville, OR): Moms get a free cup of froyo with one topping on 5/14
• Yum Frozen Yogurt (Hornell, NY): Moms get first 5 oz free on 5/14
• VeriBerry (Penticton, BC, Canada): 10% off purchases on Mother's Day from 12 PM - 6 PM
• Yogurtini (Plaza, Overland Park, Shoal Creek): Buy a cup of froyo and get a free cup of froyo (up to $5) for mom

Check back for updates or call your local shop to see if they have any special deals. Plus, check out all the Mother’s Day pins on https://www.pinterest.com/froyogirl/mothers-day-froyo/

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.

Gelatys Gelato Bites Review

Fro-yo girl here. While I was at Pavilions in South Pasadena looking for Gelatys gelato on a stick pops, I spotted another Gelatys product, Gelato Bites. Surprisingly, I found them in the bakery area near the ice cream cakes and not in the area with the ice cream and frozen novelties.

One box was $10.99 and 8.11 oz. Each box contains 12 bites and each bite is dipped in chocolate. The bites are not individually wrapped. One bite has a circumference of slightly under 2 inches. Pavilions had three different flavors. 

Yogurt Blueberry Gelato Bites: The plain yogurt was thick and tangy. It wasn’t as creamy as the Gelatys yogurt blueberry pop for some reason. And there was barely any blueberry sauce. I was expecting much more sauce based on the photo of the product on the box. The white chocolate shell was thin and sweet but didn’t really add much (other than making it easier and less messy to eat the yogurt). One bite was 50 calories, 3.5g total fat, 4g total carbs, 3g total sugars, and 1g protein.

The gelato bites are made with all-natural ingredients. The bars are better!

Flavors: Blueberry Yogurt, Super Dulce de Leche, Mint Chip, Pistachio Chocotella, White Chocotella, Passion Mango, Chocolate Volcano, Cookies & Cream

You can also use the Product Finder on their website to look for Gelatys near you.

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.

Gelatys, Italian Gelato on a Stick Review

Fro-yo girl here. I recently walked into Pavilions in South Pasadena, CA, and spotted two freezers near the entrance. One freezer had macaron ice cream sandwiches and the other, Gelatys gelato on a stick. Remember when gelato pop places were popular? Popbar, Stick Station, and Enjoyer were gelato pop places in the Los Angeles area back in the mid-2010s. All three of them offered a froyo pop.

Anyway, Gelatys reminds me of those gelato pop shops only it’s a freezer in a supermarket. The gelato pops are $4.99 each and they come in different shapes, like a cat-shaped pop and a paw-shaped pop. One bar is 2.6 oz. Flavors include Passion Mango, Very Berry, Pistachio Chocotella, etc. There’s only one froyo pop, Yogurt Blueberry.

The pops are made in Miami and are all-natural and gluten-free. Gelatys claims to have created “the first gelato pop in the US.” Their recipe is creamy and doesn’t melt as fast as other pops.

Yogurt Blueberry gelato pop: The pop looked as nice as the picture on the packaging. The blueberry sauce is in the center and drizzled lightly on the front of the pop. It’s not blended into the yogurt gelato. The pop mostly tastes like yogurt gelato but it’s really good yogurt gelato in terms of texture (thick and creamy) and flavor (tangy). It didn’t melt quickly. The blueberry sauce added a bit of tang and flavor. It was better than the yogurt gelato pops that I’ve had in the past from Popbar, Stick Station, and Enjoyer. The pop was 3.5 inches x 2 inches x 1 inch.

One pop is 130 calories, 6g total fat, 17g total sugars, 2g protein, and 19g total carbs. It’s made with whole milk, yogurt, and heavy cream.

You can also use the Product Finder on their website to look for Gelatys near you. They're available at most Pavilions locations.

I hope they come out with more yogurt gelato pop flavors!

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.

Yogurtland on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood Has Closed

 

view of Yogurtland Hollywood from Target, before it closed

Yogurtland Hollywood

Yogurtland Hollywood sign removed

Fro-yo girl here. I guess I haven’t been to this part of Hollywood for a few months. The Yogurtland on Sunset closed. The last day was January 27, 2023. I visited that location a few times. Parking wasn’t easy to find but they did have a shared lot. I remember it was temporarily closed for repairs (pipe burst?) maybe two years ago? A few businesses in that shopping center were affected.

Looking at the most recent reviews, it sounds like the shop went downhill and was barely offering any froyo flavors before they closed. Most of the reviews written in 2020 were negative.

They posted the following message on their Facebook page on 2/1/23, “Thanks for all the love and support at our Whittier store throughout the years! Unfortunately, we have permanently closed our doors as of 1/27/23. It was a pleasure to serve you!”

Yogurtland Whittier store closed in December 2022, so they must be referring to the Hollywood Sunset location.

Yogurtland Hollywood opened in 2007. The froyo was $0.30/oz then! While the location has closed and the froyo machines have been removed, it still has the froyo wall and the counter inside. When I tried the peer inside, a security guard opened the door and said potential buyers were looking at the space. The Yogurtland signs are gone though. There was a sign on the door

I liked to look at Yogurtland location from the Target store that’s across the street. You can see Yogurtland, the Hollywood Hills, and the Hollywood sign from there.

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

* YOGURTLAND, 5541 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

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.