Menchie’s focuses on creating a fun, family-friendly environment for guests

The armistice has faded into history. From Bar Harbor to La Jolla, combatants are joined on the battlefields of Frozen Yogurt War II, or “The Next Cold War,” as it also has been called.

Frozen Yogurt War I spanned the 1980s and ‘90s, when heavyweights like TCBY and I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt fought for market dominance before decadent premium ice cream stores like Ben & Jerry’s and Haagen-Dazs pushed them aside. But in recent years, guests have returned in droves to frozen yogurt stores, which have sprouted around the world.

What makes Menchie’s so certain that it will win the latest Frozen Yogurt War?

Simple: We offer a guest experience that lasts beyond the last bite.

Frozen dessert is a multibillion-dollar business in the United States. Of course Menchie’s has competitors. Starbucks was not the first establishment selling coffee when it started. So what sets both Starbucks and Menchie’s apart?

Starbucks created an experience. The warm, soothing creams and browns, the sofa and chairs, and the friendly baristas brewed an atmosphere that enticed customers to treat the coffee shop like their “third most familiar place” — home, work and Starbucks. Guests rewarded Starbucks with loyalty and affection, which transformed into sales.

Our mission isn’t just to make frozen yogurt — it’s to make people smile

 

Like Starbucks, Menchie’s has succeeded by becoming the “third most familiar place” for children: home, school and Menchie’s. Our stores are bright and cheerful. Guests are greeted at the door, and everyone is encouraged to chat as they try different flavors. Our guests can easily grab our sample cups, which are out in the open; they don’t have to ask permission.

The mixture of yogurt and toppings is entirely up to the guest, and one of the joys of Menchie’s is watching people mix eight flavors and seven toppings in one cup. It brings out the kid in everyone, regardless of age.

Our “We Make You Smile” mission gives us the flexibility to evolve as consumers’ tastes change. You’ll notice there’s no reference to yogurt in our name — or ice cream, or ice milk or sorbet. We offer a mix of frozen yogurt and non-dairy self-serve options, and Menchie’s will be able to adapt to changes because our brand doesn’t prevent us from serving other frozen treats.

One guest preference, however, never changes: the desire for a friendly, smile-filled atmosphere. Our founders worked hard to create an environment that mimics popular soda fountains from the ’40s and ’50s — the place where you could bring a date, kids or parents, or just hang out with friends; a fun place where you slowed down and enjoyed each other’s company and had a treat. Menchie’s doesn’t look like a soda fountain, but it provides the same fun atmosphere, and it makes people smile.

Making people smile is what we specialize in, and it’s why Menchie’s is winning the Yogurt Wars.