Frozen yogurt franchise’s unique name draws from a rich tradition

Sweet. Delightful. Positively thrilling.

These were the words swirling in Danna Caldwell’s mind during her first date with her future husband in 2004. But it wasn’t the guy sitting next to her that sent her into a tailspin. It was the yogurt shop he took her to.

“Unfortunately for Adam, I didn’t pay much attention to him,” Danna said. “I was so excited to get three flavors of yogurt in one cup — each flavor could get its own toppings, including my favorite, rainbow sprinkles.”

The same words were in Adam’s head, too. But about the girl. From day one, she was his mensch.

“Mensch” means “someone full of honor and integrity.” Adam gave the name to Danna for her great personality and compassion toward others. There was one problem. Though flattered, Danna thought the word ‘mensch’ referred to an older man. So Adam started calling her “menchie.”

The pair married three years later and opened their first self-serve frozen yogurt shop shortly thereafter. The shop was just as they’d dreamed of during their first date: lots of self-serve toppings to customize your frozen yogurt choices and an atmosphere so smiley, fun and vibrant that guests couldn’t help but return.

The Caldwells doubted “Menchie’s” was a memorable enough name, so Adam tested it at the University of California, Irvine, where he was going to school. He included it in a list of potential names he distributed to 200 fellow students.

The result made Adam’s jaw drop. “It was by far the most popular name on the list,” Adam said. “The Menchie’s name stuck, and it was the right decision.”

The Caldwells recruited me to help franchise and grow the business, and Menchie’s soon became the largest self-serve frozen yogurt franchise in the world.

We’re so glad the Menchie’s name stuck. Even more, we’re happy that our guests have come to know and love our product and quality service. Interested in joining the Menchie’s family? Download our free executive summary to learn more.