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Fro-Yo Throwdown

NOVEMBER 27, 2009

The fro-yo wars still rage over the city's taste for the sweet stuff.

Once upon a time there was Tasti D-Lite. We called it "FrozenYogurt" and it endured and flourished because the no-fat, low-calorie sweet, air-filled treat was a perfect guilt-free indulgence. Then came Pinkberry. The mysterious confection (A lawsuit, which the company later settled, claimed that the stuff couldn't be called yogurt since it came from a powdered mix. Operations were subsequently changed to allow for the proper "live culture" certification.) became known as "fro-yo," and the explosion began in earnest.

Soon a flotilla of fro-yo clones appeared, popping up on what seemed like every street and avenue in the city. Some later arrivals include:

Red Mango (Appeals to a more health-conscious sugar addict–founders say the product contains more immunity-boosting cultures than competitors. Also predated Pinkberry in Asia.) 16 Handles and Yogurtland (they boast a self-serve angle)
Yolato (claims to be "gelato-like")
Berrywild (offers more variety)
Oko (works an eco-friendly vibe)
Crazy Bananas (Yes, this actually exists)

Pinkberry still claims to be the uber-obsession, but snack-trendies are a fickle bunch, and the next big craving could be poised to whip up some serious competition.