It's the first 'fro-yo' brand to make the leap from kiosk to shopping trolley.
The frozen yoghurt bandwagon continues to roll on with the news that yoomoo has become the first brand to fully make the transition from kiosk to supermarket in the UK.
It’s a big move for a company founded just 18 months ago by friends Samantha Pyser and Amanda Gestetner after they discovered ‘fro-yo’ on a trip to LA.
They opened their first kiosk in Harrods in Knightsbridge and now have eight in shopping centres around the UK and one in Athens. The premise is simple: you pick a size, a flavour and some toppings. The Beckhams, Harry Potter star Rupert Grint and DJ Fearne Cotton are said to be fans.
Now, seven yoomoo flavours are going on sale in our supermarkets, with Tesco the first to start stocking the 150ml pots and 750ml tubs. Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose will be following suit later this month.
There are a host of frozen yoghurt brands vying for a share of this growing market, including Snog, Yog (which has a take-home version already available in Waitrose), Ben & Jerry’s and Yeo Valley.
A brief history of frozen yoghurt
Frozen yoghurt (or yogurt, as our transatlantic cousins would prefer) is an American invention that became huge in the 1980s. It was initially promoted as a low-fat alternative to ice cream, although some experts continue to dismiss this. Then along came, guess what, low-fat ice cream.
The revival began in 2005 with the arrival in Los Angeles of Pinkberry, a re-booted version of the old frozen yoghurt shops. By the following year, people were queuing round the block and scores of rival stores were opening across the length and breadth of the US.
Most brands contain yoghurt, sugars and flavouring, although yoomoo say their version contains no artificial colours or preservatives.
But whether frozen yoghurt is here to stay in the UK remains to be seen…
Do you love frozen yoghurt? Or is it just a fad? And who makes the best 'fro-yo'? Let us know in the Comments section below.