Farewell, Frozen Yogurt

By Christopher St Cavish, Jul 17th, 2009 | In Nightlife

In our maddening rush to the future, we don't stop, pause, and reflect nearly enough on the ideas we've got to trample to get there. I'm proposing we all take a moment out of our day today and reflect on the Great Frozen Yogurt Cull of 2008.



This time last year, frozen yogurt was IT. There were, what?, seven wanna-be chain stores trying to cash in, with varying degrees of success and IPR violations -- Cefiore, Yodio, Berryfresh, SweeTart, California Balance, Aloha, and Froyo Farm.



But where are they today, when it's four hundred degrees outside and we could all use a little froyo-by-the-pound? Done, gone, melted. Yodio is the only one left standing, which is cool, because along with Berryfresh -- a faithful and complete rip-off of Pinkberry -- they were the best. But even they've closed their flagship store, near Xintiandi, and exist solely in Pudong now. Berryfresh died in an unfortunate fire. The owner didn't try to call it a comeback. I think he sells textiles in Jiaxing now. Maybe not.



So what happened?



Well, for a start, the frozen yogurt at SweeTart, Aloha, and Froyo Farm was terrible. They went the cheap, local route but cheap locals didn't like their harsh, chemical flavors. California Balance and Cefiore were much better, but here's the thing about selling froyo: Winter. Rent isn't so easy to make in winter, when people want hot pot and hot chocolate, not frozen yogurt. You know where the frozen yogurt trend germinated in America? Southern California. There's no five-month expanse of Shanghai winter in sunny SoCal. So when the Big Grey Damp came last year, and just about everyone was already in a dicey situation, it was the final blow.



Let's all just think about that for a second. Frozen Yogurt is dead. Long live Frozen Yogurt.

Tagged: No Tags

E-Mail this article


Please sign in or register to E-Mail articles

No comments yet

Post a Comment
Signed in with: Not signed in


Please sign in or register to comment

MP3 Monday: Immanu El / Jorma

Feb 6th, 2012 by Morgan Short

Best Laid Plans: Part II

Feb 3rd, 2012 by Morgan Short

Best Laid Plans: Part I

Feb 2nd, 2012 by Morgan Short

MP3 Monday: Locals Spotlight

Jan 30th, 2012 by Morgan Short

All Nightlife Articles » All Articles »

  • Jan 31st, 2012 - Skeletons and the Closet
  • Jan 11th, 2012 - Ponderous Matters
  • Nov 9th, 2011 - Italo Just-Go
  • Oct 11th, 2011 - Worlds Apart
  • All of AskMatsume

    Hassle free ticket purchasing and delivery for Shanghai's cultural and concert events:

    Lacrimas Profundere: Goth Night

    March 1
    at Mao Livehouse


    IL DIVO in Shanghai

    Feb 28
    at Shanghai Grand Stage


    Roxette Back in China

    March 14
    at Shanghai Grand Stage


    David Garrett

    Feb 27
    at Shanghai Concert Hall


    ERA

    Daily 7.30pm
    at Shanghai Circus World



    Calvin Harris

    Feb 17
    at G-Plus


    Westlife: Greatest Hits Farewell Tour

    Feb 25
    at Shanghai Grand Stage


    Sven Väth

    Feb 18
    at Boom


    Formula 1 GP

    April 13-15
    at Shanghai International Circuit


    Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

    Feb 16+17
    at Shanghai Oriental Art Center


    HERRO! featuring Justin Martin

    Feb 17
    at The Waterhouse at South Bund


    More on SmartTicket »