Frozen yogurt frenzy By Julianna Parker Jones
The newest trend in frozen treats has landed in Norman and people are eating it up. Self-serve frozen yogurt shops have sprung up across the city in the past year and a half. The atmosphere is brightly colored and the stores tout the health benefits of their frozen goodness. The treat is a close cousin to ice cream, but tastes significantly different because of its origin. It includes live and active cultures just like the Yoplait version, but the frozen texture makes it feel a lot more like dessert. Those who take issue with the slimy feeling of yogurt will be able to take advantage of the health benefits of yogurt in a cool way. And those purported health benefits are extensive. Yogurt contains “good” bacteria, called probiotics, that refer to living organisms that can result in health benefits in one’s digestive tract. It’s also a dairy product, so it contains vitamins and calcium. Yogurt also can strengthen one’s immune system. The frozen version found in shops is all low- or no-fat. It still contains sugar, but is lower in calories than ice cream. 10
The first frozen yogurt shop in Norman was Passionberri, 1204 N. Interstate Dr., which was opened in August 2008 by co-owners Michelle and James Wu. The shop has been a success, appealing to many families who live on the west side of Norman. In order to cater to the rest of Norman, Wu opened a store at 1236 Alameda St. in the fall. A third Passionberri opened on Campus Corner in December 2009. Several other frozen yogurt shops have opened since Passionberri was established. “It was just like what we expected,” Wu said. “Because we are the first one and we know we wouldn’t be the last one.” She said she’s not worried about the competition. “We think that we have good products and we have good location and good people who work here,” Wu said. Passionberri had its first local competition starting in October with the opening of Orange Tree, a locally owned frozen yogurt chain at 1808 W. Lindsey St. Unlike Passionberri, which serves smoothies, gelato and crepes along with the fro yo, Orange Tree serves only frozen yogurt. Yummy Berry, a frozen yogurt and smoothie shop, will soon www.silkthemagazine.com