Business & Tech

FroYo Trend Still Blooming In Philadelphia, Western Suburbs

More than a dozen frozen yogurt shops have popped up over the last 18 months, are more are slated to open soon.

Frozen yogurt is nothing revolutionary. 

But the concept of the FroYo bar has become all the more commonplace, providing yearlong spots for the sweet dairy treat. Dozens have popped up over the region, filled with bright, cheery colors, cups and spoons and equally vibrant topping. The self-serve, "weigh and pay" stores allow customers to pick  their flavor and then go to town on an array of syrups, candies, fruits and crunch coats to top off their creations.

The Dollar Signs
Frozen yogurt is a lucrative business, and stores accrued $1.6 billion in revenue in 2011, according to a report from IBISWorld.

Over the past 18 months, 18 frozen yogurt venue have opened in Northwest Philadelphia and the western suburbs, with more slated to open soon.

Kiwi Yogurt, initially named Sprinkles, appears to have been the first in the area with a West Chester store debuting in  late 2009. Since then, Kiwi has grown into the biggest regional chain in our area with locations open in Haverford, West Chester, Exton and Wayne, and a Malvern spot coming soon.

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There are some independent stores and a number of chains, but most don’t have too many locations in this area. Whirled Peace has locations in Manayunk and Paoli.

Red Mango has one location in Wayne and another in Philadelphia, but the chain that started in 2007, according to its website, now has more 200 locations nationwide. It also has some locations in India, according to The Economic Times.

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Royal Cafe of Wayne replaced Yogo Sano in May of this year. Though the venue does not offer the self-serve, pay by the ounce option, its organic soft-serve is available in a variety of flavors with toppings.


The Health Factor

How long you crank the self-serve FroYo handle determines your caloric, sugar and fat intake. The attractive "fat free" label on many of the yogurt options does not automatically translate to healthy.

Whether a yogurt company chooses to qualify for the National Yogurt Association's (NYA) Live & Active Cultures seal can signal just how healthy their yogurt is, and many specify whether they obtained the seal on their websites. The seal guarantees that the product comprises at least 100 million cultures per gram during manufacture, and that the frozen yogurt product contains at least 10 million cultures per gram during manufacture. The seal essentially provides a gauge that ensures certain health attributes in the yogurt.

Nonetheless, there are certain steps that consumers can take to make the FroYo experience the most beneficial to the body.

  1. Just because the cup is big, doesn't mean that you should top it off. Half a cup, the equivalent of a baseball, is an adequate portion.
  2. Fresh fruit and raw nuts, such as almonds or walnuts, win over sugary candies and syrups.
  3. Look for the live and active culture seal, ensuring the intake of probiotics.
  4. The appropriate amount of sugar should not exceed seven grams.
  5. Choose Greek, which contains less sugar, more protein and a more long-lasting effect  than ordinary yogurt.


Current Locations

Use the interactive map above to find directions and opening dates of the following frozen yogurt spots near you.


Coming Soon


Do you like frozen yogurt? What flavors do you like best? Which toppings are the best? Do you prefer topping it  yourself or have someone do it for you? What do you think of the newest frozen treat craze? Share your opinions in the comments.



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