FROZEN YOGURT (SOFT-SERVE)
What? 1990s: The Country's Best Yogurt (TCBY) opens in SM Megamall as well as New Zealand Naturals. November 1990: Better Than Ice Cream (BTIC) Frozen Yogurt opens in Makati. 2006: Yoh-gurt Froz company is established, followed later on by Yogurbud. 2008: Red Mango, which started the craze in South Korea in 2002, and other brands open.
How it started: Frozen yogurt has been in the country since early '90s but its popularity picked up only in the last couple of years in soft serve form. Taste and variety of toppings contribute to the fro-yo craze's success.
At its peak: In the market today are 13 brands (in alphabetical order): California Berry Frozen Yogurt, David's Pure Frozen Yogurt, FYI: Frozen Yogurt Indulgence, Green Mango, I Love Berries, Lulu belle, Red Mango, The Ice Cream Bar: Flavors by FIC, The White Hat Italian Frozen Yogurt, Yogurbud, and Yoh-Gurt Froz. Two are based in Pampanga: Cold Spoon Frozen Yogurt and Haven Yogurt.
What's left of the craze: The craze is "still gaining critical mass" as food writer and blogger Lori Baltazar puts it. Until Red Mango's closest U.S. competitor, Pinkberry, conquers our shores, it's too early to say which brands will survive the frozen yogurt wars.
