Frozen Yogurt

The old proverb states that there is nothing new under the sun, so I am never surprised when old ideas are recycled and presented as the fresh new thing. This time, frozen yogurt is back.  Twenty years ago, frozen yogurt was the rage, and in our own retail stores we used to sell a lot of it. And as quickly as it arrived, it disappeared, leaving a few companies such as TCBY to sell the idea and the product to a skeptical public. It has seemed a lonely struggle. Now, though, frozen yogurt has returned with a vengeance. Red Mango, Pinkberry, Yogurtland and Yogilicious are among the companies trying to make fro-yo, as it is called, popular. Each has a different claim, from tart flavors to active cultures to self-serve stores and kiosks. Fresh fruit toppings cover the yogurt, exotic flavors are offered, and in the self-serve sites one simply pays by the ounce. I enjoy frozen yogurt and hope that this time is different for the segment and category that needs to reinvent itself. And this time might be different. After all, the last time people said something was a fad, a small coffee company named Starbucks had only a few stores in Seattle…