For Los Angeles residents frozen yogurt has long been about much more than grocery stores stocking T.C.B.Y. products. Companies such as Pinkberry and Red Mango have been offering low-calorie frozen yogurt combined with a flashy cafe atmosphere.
D.C.’s options until recently have been fairly limited – salad provider Sweetgreen offers a tangy yogurt option with toppings, as does Iceberry in Reston Town Center.
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Last week, a new provider, Tangysweet, opened in Georgetown. And today, Toronto-based Yogen Früz announced plans to open 16 franchises in the Virginia and D.C. area beginning the first of next year.
“I think it’s taken off for a couple of reasons,” said John Kane, president of YF Atlantic LLC, which will own the D.C.-area franchises of Yogen Früz. “America is now really starting to get focused on truly being healthy, and not just thinking they’re healthy and tricking themselves.”
The new yogurts have a few things in common – a tangier taste (more like traditional yogurt), optionsfor toppings such as berries or cereal, and a price point frequently above $5 a serving. Tangysweet’s offerings range between 20 and 30 calories an ounce, making a small serving 125 calories before toppings. Unlike frozen yogurt of the 1980s, the tangy yogurts don’t add a lot of sugar to make the substance taste more like ice cream, according to store owners.
Aaron Gordon of Tangysweet opened his shop not long after his L.A.-based sister introduced him to the Pinkberry craze. His shop is in Dupont on P Street, not far from Georgetown, and is capturing the late night crowds from both areas, as it’s open until 2 a.m. on weekends, Gordon said.
The first Yogen Früz locations will likely open in D.C., Georgetown, Arlington and Alexandria, according to Kane. Gordon plans to open two new locations next year, and is investigating areas such as U Street and Columbia Heights. What happens when Pinkberry and Red Mango decide to come to D.C.?
“Obviously, I’ve had some trepidation,” said Gordon. “But I’m a hometown boy, and people already seem to be loving it, so I’m hoping to establish myself.”
