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Grub Street

Edited by Josh Ozersky with Daniel Maurer

All Posts Tagged: ‘frozen yogurt’

Mediavore 

7/23/08

10:00 AM

Sara Lee Suffers; Soft-serve, Fro-Yo Battle for Dominance

• Sara Lee may sell pies, but these days it’s starting to sound like an investment bank. The company will reportedly post a $1 billion write-down for the fiscal fourth quarter, due to the rising cost of wheat and the weak economy. [WSJ]

• Meanwhile, and unsurprisingly, McDonald’s is faring well in these times of economic hardship. [WSJ]

• Those special ingredients used to make molecular gastronomic creations, as magical as they are, also show up in everything from sexual lubricants to imitation crabmeat to laxatives. [TONY]

Read more»

More: Mediavore  »country, doh, frozen yogurt, mcdonalds, molecular gastronomy, per se, pinkberry, sara lee, sous vide

Openings 

7/18/08

5:00 PM

16 Handles (Open Today) + 8 Coupons = 2 Good 2 B True!

ice cream

You know, instead of candles?Photo: Daniel Maurer.

Self-serve fro-yo newcomer 16 Handles opened today in the East Village — right across from a Tasti D-Lite! No insane lines, despite the fact that 8 Coupons is offering a two-for-one special until the place closes at midnight — these folks really need to work on their marketing. Ok, so what about the yogurt?

Read more»

More: Openings  »16 handles, east village, fro-yo wars, frozen yogurt, pinkberry

Openings 

7/ 9/08

11:00 AM

Eskimix: Would You Like Your Fro-Yo With Barley Juice?

eskimix

Another fro-yo stand (er, “flavor boutique”) has hit the city, and we’ll give this one credit for being somewhat original. Eskimix offers its probiotic yogurt flavors in sweet and tart, and in addition to dozens of fruit, candy, and nut toppings, lets you add in vitamin and protein boosters and other good stuff such as barley juice and aloe vera (they also offer dairy-free tofu as a yogurt substitute). As you can see from the menu, you can either mix your own flavor combos or try suggested ones like Cheesecake Crescendo (fruit, light cream cheese, and graham crackers) or Sedona Wellness (green apple, prickly-pear cactus, and lime). A limited breakfast menu offers an açaí bowl and Greek yogurt. Obviously, the lawyers who opened this place are banking on this being the Jamba Juice of fro-yo stands.

Eskimix, 318 Bleecker St., nr. Grove St.; eskimix.com

More: Openings  »eskimix, frozen yogurt, greenwich village

NewsFeed 

6/30/08

1:30 PM

Is Yoberry ‘Single White Fro-Yoing’ Pinkberry?

yoberry and pinkberry

No photographing your dog.Photos: Daniel Maurer

First rule of fro-yo: Ban something from the store. A window curtain similar to Pinkberry’s prevented us from seeing the interior of Chinatown newcomer Yoberry the day before it opens, but the “no dogs” sign on the window definitely reminded us of a certain “no cameras” sign. To paraphrase Pink Floyd’s “Welcome to the Cigar,” “By the way, which one’s Pinkberry?”

Earlier: Yoberry Enters Fro-Yo Fray in Chinatown

More: NewsFeed  »chinatown, frozen yogurt, pinkberry, yoberry

NewsFeed 

6/30/08

11:30 AM

Fro-Yo Wars and Waffle Wars Converge

yolato, paris sandwich, and oko

Fro-yo-waffle sandwiches, anyone?Photos: Daniel Maurer

It was only a matter of time before the cutesy waffle trend converged with the cutesy fro-yo trend — like a scoop of fro-yo hitting, well, a waffle cone! Paris Sandwich, the swankest of the Chinatown bánh mì shops (which isn’t saying a lot) now boasts a Yolato Express, meaning you can now get green-tea fro-yo with the green-tea waffles the shop has always sold. And Öko — recently opened in the East Village at 137 First Avenue near St. Marks Place — is offering, per a sign, “homemade Belgian waffles, mmmm.” We predict a fro-yo-waffle truck in three, two, one…
More: NewsFeed  »belgian waffles, frozen yogurt, oko, paris sandwich, yolato

NewsFeed 

6/20/08

5:00 PM

Health-Food Logos Get a Makeover

pump energy food and tasti d-lite logos

Two local chains are freshening up their looks with new logos. A press release informs us that Adam Eskin, the new CEO at ten-year-old muscle-head favorite Pump Energy Food, will unveil a new aesthetic with the opening of its sixth midtown location, at 275 Madison Avenue (at 40th Street), on June 30. Former Chipotle branding exec Dan Fogarty came up with the logo you see here, designer Garrett Singer (also of Hill Country) worked on the store's interior, and the sprawling menu will be abbreviated (no word on whether “nature burgers” or “protein muffins” will get the axe). Meanwhile, Serious Eats tells us that Tasti D-Lite has come up with a slick new logo in an attempt to look as cool as Pinkberry. But will it be able to hold a candle to Yoberry?
More: NewsFeed  »frozen yogurt, midtown, pump energy food, tasti d-lite

Openings 

6/17/08

11:30 AM

Yoberry Enters Fro-Yo Fray in Chinatown

Yoberry

Will Yoberry start an East Coast–West Coast rivalry?Photo: Daniel Maurer

This fro-yo shop, opening soon at 48 Mulberry Street, near Bayard, seemingly compounded the names of Yolato and Pinkberry (the interior totally resembles the latter) to come up with the name Yoberry, and yet it has boldly put a trademark next to its name, so that nobody opens a store called, say, Red Yoberry. It remains to be seen whether the place is related to the Yoberry in San Jose, California — that store has a different logo, but also claims a trademark. We predict a last-second Santa's–Santos' Party House–type switcheroo in Chinatown, home of the knockoff.
More: Openings  »chinatown, frozen yogurt, yoberry

NewsFeed 

6/11/08

12:05 PM

Fro-Yo Shops Fight ATMs in Taking Over the City

frozen yogurt

Photo: Mark Peterson

A Crain's article about fro-yo mania points to why Yolato’s Greenwich Village store may have closed. With yogurt production up 15 percent nationwide in the past seven years, and 30 storefronts having opened in the past twenty months in the city alone (and counting — Öko opens its first Manhattan location today on First Avenue between 8th and 9th streets), competition is so fierce that Yolato is focusing on the prepackaged product we told you about earlier, though founder Tony Park says he does plan to keep his current stores open and possibly franchising the brand. More fun facts: Red Mango sees about 1,000 customers a day, Murray Hill’s Berrywild sells $2,000 of fro-yo a day, and Tasti D-Lite has introduced a green-tea variety in an effort to keep up with Pinkberry. No word on whether they also plan to make their coffee flavor cloyingly tart to the point of Sour Patch Kid.

Yogurt Shops Sweet on City [Crain's NY]

More: NewsFeed  »frozen yogurt, murray hill, pinkberry, red mango, tasty d-lite, wildberry, yolato

NewsFeed 

6/ 6/08

5:45 PM

Meltdown at Yolato’s Greenwich Village Location

Yolato, away?eater.com

All may not be well in Yolato land — Eater has it that the Greenwich Village location has closed (a bizarre photo shows mattresses in the windows, rather than the usual newspaper). This is just a couple of weeks after a press release bragged that Yolato was planning to overtake Pinkberry and Red Mango by installing express locations all around town — just the sort of imperial arrogance that usually leads to the fall of an empire. When the story of Yolato is told, will there be melting fro-yo on the cover? We’re waiting to get official word — maybe the branch is just getting bigger digs.

The Shutter: Yolato, Costa Del Sol, Rainbow Cafe [Eater]
Related: Yolato Attempts to Freeze Out the Competition in Fro-Yo Wars

More: NewsFeed  »frozen yogurt, greenwich village, pinkberry, red mango, yolato

Mediavore 

5/23/08

10:00 AM

Sam Talbot Finally Has a Menu Ready; Cosmo’s Popularity Not Fading

• Former Top Chef contestant Sam Talbot has put together his menu for the Surf Club in Montauk, and it includes his lobster rolls as well as fish sticks for $22. [Gridskipper]

• Celebrities own a variety of mostly bad restaurants and clubs. [amNY]

• In case you hadn’t already heard, there’s this pizza place called Artichoke and it’s really popular. [Villager]
Related: Passion For Pizza

Read more»

More: Mediavore  »artichoke pizza, barbeque, frozen yogurt, le bernardin, sam talbot, top chef

NewsFeed 

5/21/08

4:15 PM

OMFG! New Chain Giving Out Free Fro-Yo Tomorrow! 2 Good 2 B True!!

yorganic

Step right up.Photo: DanielKrieger.com

Yorganic, the newest company to enter the fro-yo fray, has the cuteness factor down (it was started by childhood friends) as well as the wholesomeness (the milk is organic as are the nut and berry toppings). So does it have a MySpace page like Pinkberry and Red Mango? Totes! And a Facebook page, obvi! In fact the "o" in the logo looks like the perfect merging of the Pinkberry and Red Mango logos. The chain is going to have to step up its game, though — it already has another location coming soon to 3 Hanover Square, but it only has twelve MySpace friends and Tom is one of them. Kinda creepy. The Midtown East store will be attempting to win converts tomorrow by giving away free cups during its grand opening.

Yorganic, 805 Third Ave., nr. 50th St.; 212-832-9800

More: NewsFeed  »frozen yogurt, midtown east, pinkberry, red mango, yorganic

NewsFeed 

5/13/08

5:15 PM

Yolato Attempts to Freeze Out the Competition in Fro-Yo Wars

bacon

Operation White Tiger.Photo: Courtesy of Yolato

Yolato is going on the offensive in the battle of the ice-cream substitutes and calling out its competitors. We received a press release that not only acknowledged the “fro-yo wars,” but went on to boast that “Yolato is about to blast past Pinkberry and Red Mango in total number of locations” thanks to its secret weapon — Yolato Expresses located in delis and gourmet shops around the city.

Read more»

More: NewsFeed  »frozen yogurt, pinkberry, red mango, yolato

NewsFeed 

4/25/08

11:00 AM

Punk’d by Pinkberry

Pinkberry

Clockwise, from top left: Benny Tagliareni, Vanessa Rosario, EZ Delarosa, and Ligia Mathias.Photos: Tim Murphy

Back in those heady days when the small-screen Sex and the City reigned over New York, it was all about skinny girlie-girl Miss Charlotte York and her tasteless Tasti D-Lite. Let’s hope that this summer’s big-screen SATC has caught up with the times, because any body fat–phobic New Yorker knows that today it’s all about that tangy frozen yogurt Pinkberry. "All natural!," its makers initially bragged. But now, the dollop is out of the cup: A class-action lawsuit accusing Pinkberry of deceptive marketing has forced the company to reveal that its all-natural concoction is amply propped up by, as the Times reported, “three kinds of sugar,” “at least five kinds of additives,” “four acidifiers,” and “two ingredients...that were characterized as fillers.” (Fillers!?!?!? Run!!!) So we popped around the corner to our favorite Lucite-happy Pinkberry-fix clinic (uh, franchise) to ask the warm-spring-day Pinkaholics if they felt devastated and betrayed. They do, kind of. —Tim Murphy

Read more»

More: NewsFeed  »frozen yogurt, pinkberry, red mango, tasti-d-lite

Openings 

11/30/07

9:30 AM

Red Mango to Open December 6 With a Veritable ‘Free-Fro-All’

Official word has come that Red Mango’s first NYC location at 182 Bleecker — long a source of fascination — will open at 4 p.m. on December 6 with “FREE FROZEN YOGURT, GIFT CARDS, GIFT BAGS, MUSIC PRIZES” (emphasis theirs). Obviously they’re trying to trump Yolato which promised free fro-yo at their recent opening only to dole out sample sizes. So will Red Mango be fudging it, too? The publicist assures us “free frozen yogurt” means an honest-to-God half-cup (small-size) serving. We have this on tape (kidding). Gifts, meanwhile, will go to the first 50 people in line and will also be given to people throughout the day, especially people who can answer trivia questions like, “How many calories are in Red Mango?” That we’re not kidding about — so study up!

Earlier: Cold War: Yolato Now, Red Mango in December, and MySpace Forever

More: Openings  »frozen yogurt, red mango, west village, yolato

NewsFeed 

11/14/07

11:20 AM

Cold War: Yolato Now, Red Mango in December, and MySpace Forever

Photo Illustration: WireImage (Leo); Mark Peterson (Yolato)

When we mentioned that a new Yolato store is opening today, we wondered when exactly the Red Mango would open across from Pinkberry on Bleecker Street. Now a rep tells us it probably won’t be till mid-December, with stores to follow in Chelsea (63 W. 14th St.), the theater district (723 Eighth Ave.) and Flushing (136-53 Roosevelt Ave).

[Ed: Disclaimer — what follows is where we start to lose it a little bit.]

Read more»

More: NewsFeed  »frozen yogurt, perez hilton, pinkberry, red mango, yolato

NewsFeed 

11/13/07

9:30 AM

Yolato Founder Donald Park Doesn't Sweat Pinkberry

Yesterday we reported that Yolato is poised to infiltrate the Empire State Building and other strategic locations around the city. Now none other than founder Donald Park tells us that he’s aiming for a minimum of fifteen to twenty outlets in the next year, including at least one Downtown Brooklyn outlet. The outer boroughs, people! The guy means business! What’s more, he’s planning to announce “a very large deal with a very large company” in the next few weeks. You know what that means — Yolato is going national.

Read more»

More: NewsFeed  »frozen yogurt, gro, pinkberry, yola's cafe

NewsFeed 

11/12/07

4:15 PM

Cold War Continues: Bigger, Badder Yolato Opens Wednesday

On guard: On Wednesday a 50 percent larger Yolato (the first one under a partnership with Lenny’s Sandwiches) opens at 145 Park Avenue between 41st and 42nd with free fro-yo gelato for all. You might want to make note of that. And the invasion will continue! By the end of the year, freestanding stores will also come to the Empire State Building (which will serve as the flagship, opening in mid-December) and 180 Lafayette in Soho, plus there are plans for a large store in the Lenny’s at 9th Street and Sixth Avenue and nine other “express” stores in other Lenny’s locations. That's THIRTEEN Yolatos for you; hope it's enough.

Meanwhile, on the Bleecker Street front, Red Mango still has not opened, giving the new Pinkberry a solid two-month head start. Ritual suicide may be in order.

Related: The New Cold War: Frozen Yogurt Invades New York

More: NewsFeed  »frozen yogurt, greenwich village, pinkberry, red mango, soho, yolato

Mediavore 

11/ 7/07

10:00 AM

Citywide Truffle Shortage; A New Eastside Fro-Yo Foe

A citywide truffle shortage can explain why “the Waverly Inn jacked up the price of its infamous truffle-topped mac & cheese from $55 to $85. The dish was an amusing punch line at $55; at $85, it's just obscene.” [NYP]
Related: Le Cirque Bids High for Monster Truffle

Bruni eschews all the courtesies one suffers at the dinner table, which he refers to as restaurantspeak: “Would I ‘enjoy coffee with dessert?’ I don’t know; it depends how good the coffee is. I’ll have some, yes, then we’ll see.” [NYT]

FR.OG has now lost Jean Georges alum chef Didier Virot to the Plaza’s new restaurant-to-be, the Palm Court, set to open later this year. [Diner’s Journal/NYT]

Read more»

More: Mediavore  »allen and delancey, ben pollinger, bobo, borough food and drink, cookshop, didier virot, frog, frozen yogurt, jacques torres, jean-georges vongerichten, mariebelle, oceana, palm court, truffles, very berry, vosges haut-chocolat

Mediavore 

10/16/07

10:04 AM

Pinkberry Domination Continues Apace; Chumley's in Trouble Again

Pinkberry’s quest for world domination becomes more tangible: Its founders have raised $27.5 million in the company’s first round of venture capital. [NYT]
Related: The New Cold War: The Battle for Bleecker Street
Hear the Pinkberry Jingle, Attempt to Get it Out of Your Head

Chumley’s prospective opening date of October 1 has come and gone, possibly because of certain “surprises” the engineers have found, including asbestos and an eroding foundation. [NYP]

Read more»

More: Mediavore  »chumley's, dos caminos, franklin becker, frozen yogurt, ivy stark, mario batali, pinkberry, stephen hanson

Mediavore 

9/19/07

10:00 AM

Return of Dévi; It's the Year of the Deli

After all the hullabaloo over Dévi's closing, its chefs, Suvir Saran and Hemant Mathur, have purchased the spot and will reopen it next month. [Diner’s Journal/NYT]
Related: Debriefing Dévi: Suvir Saran’s Suspected Side Projects

Yolato takes a swing at the fro-yo competition by opening three Manhattan shops this week. [NYS]
Related: The New Cold War: Frozen Yogurt Invades New York

Del Posto's Nicole Kaplan says it straight: "I don't really like innovations." [amNY]

Read more»

More: Mediavore  »cheap wine, devi, eric asimov, frozen yogurt, hemant mathur, suvir saran, yolato

User's Guide 

8/30/07

1:20 PM

The New Cold War: Fro-Yo Standoff in Flushing

Fro-Yo Map

It's like the Gettysburg of fro-yo battles.Image: Google Maps

The Frozen-Yogurt Wars have intensified in Flushing. We spotted two new stores going up a mere 85 feet from each other on Roosevelt Avenue. Does Pinkberry have the advantage, being so close to the heavily trafficked Main Street stop on the 7 train? Or will the discriminating dessert aficionado bypass the throngs (by walking about 40 steps) to Red Mango? Too soon to tell, but we fear New York’s post-apocalyptic future where the only structures standing are bank branches and frozen-yogurt stores. Oh, and the Arepa Lady. —Aileen Gallagher

Earlier: Our coverage of the frozen-yogurt invasion

Read more»

More: User's Guide  »flushing, frozen yogurt, pinkberry, red mango

User's Guide 

8/22/07

9:00 AM

Frozen-Yogurt Wars: We Have Not Yet Begun to Flurt

Flurt

A new soldier in the fro-yo war.Photo: Melissa Hom

Last week, Grub Street compiled a comparison chart of different frozen yogurts (and one gelato) found in New York City. We asked readers for thoughts and you responded with frozen gusto. The most popular response was “You missed Flurt!” Indeed we did; the chain (now with two locations) opened in July. So here’s what you need to know:
FLURT
Country of Origin: New York City
Social Aesthetic: Tundralike minimalism.
Product Pitch: We’re cheaper than Pinkberry!
NYC Locations: Two: Gramercy and Battery Park City.
Critical Reception: Unofficial just yet, but commenters on Chowhound offered a “better than Pinkberry” consensus. One reader concurred: “Flurt is a takeoff of Pinkberry, but the yogurt has much better texture. Plus, they offer smoothies and Greek yogurt parfait.”

Read more»

More: User's Guide  »flurt, frozen yogurt, oko, pinkberry

User's Guide 

8/16/07

2:15 PM

The New Cold War: Frozen Yogurt Invades New York

When Fro-Yo Attacks

Know your frozen enemy. Photo illustration: Everett Bogue/Map by Jason Lee

Now that Red Mango — the first big Korean fro-yo chain, and thus the progenitor of the new wave started by Pinkberry, which hails from LA — is coming to New York, it's time to take stock of the ever-growing number of frosty options. Since Pinkberry first opened its doors here last year, the dessert has descended across the city like a cold curtain. It was only in June that Rob and Robin shortlisted the new frozen-yogurt options, and since then /eks/ and, soon, Red Mango have been added. How to separate the Pinkberrys from the Yolato from the gelatos? We had to make up a chart to parse it all (full disclosure: We cheated a little by including Grom, which isn't strictly fro-yo — but it is an excellent new gelato spot). Below, our guide to the new yogurt culture. What’s your favorite? Email us and we'll print the results.

Read more»

More: User's Guide  »/eks/, frozen yogurt, grom, oko, pinkberry, red mango, yolato

Neighborhood Watch 

8/ 2/07

3:20 PM

Rayuela Brings More Brunch to the LES

Dumbo/Fulton Ferry: Friday night at Rebar promises “free partial-nude drawing.” [Dumbo NYC]
East Village: Simone on First Avenue is closed, but let’s pray not for good. [Down by the Hipster]
Lower East Side: Rayuela has launched a weekend brunch with arepas and poached eggs, churros and Mayan chocolate, and guanabana mimosas plus live salsa music Sundays. [Grub Street]
Midtown West: Just when you thought he'd had enough of the limelight, Rocco DiSpirito will be the guest chef tomorrow at the Condé Nast cafeteria. [Eater]
Times Square: Ruby Tuesday will sidle up next to Red Lobster but may fare better with New York diners thanks to “fully upholstered chairs.” [Lost City]
Williamsburg: New fro-yo destination /eks/ whips up fresh organic yogurt and incorporates recycling holes into its cartoon-covered walls. [Gridskipper]

More: Neighborhood Watch  »/eks/, conde nast, dumbo, east village, frozen yogurt, lower east side, midtown west, rayuela, rebar, red lobster, rocco dispirito, ruby tuesday, simone, times square, williamsburg

 

 

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7/25/08

NewsFeed

6:00 PM

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NewsFeed

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7/24/08

NewsFeed

5:25 PM

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NewsFeed

4:30 PM

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4:00 PM

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3:30 PM

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Neighborhood Watch

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