Pinkberry
Encyclopedia
Pinkberry is a franchise of upscale
frozen dessert
restaurants headquartered in Los Angeles, California
. There are currently over 100 stores, mostly located in Southern California, 14 in New York City, New York, two in New Orleans, Louisiana
, two in Denver, Colorado
, one in Colorado Springs, Colorado
, one in Atlanta, Georgia
, one in Nashville, Tennessee
, two in Charlotte, North Carolina
, five in Massachusetts
, four in Texas
, two in Connecticut
, one in Fairfax, Virginia
, three in Orlando, Florida
, two in Tampa, Florida
, one in Miami, Florida
, two in Hawaii
and one each in Chicago, IL, Cranston, RI, Washington, D.C.
, Ann Arbor, MI and one located on the Bowling Green State University campus. International locations include one in Mexico City
, ten in the Middle East
, four in Lima
, Peru
, two in Moscow
, Russia
, one in Vancouver
, Canada
and one in London
, United Kingdom
, which opened on August 3, 2011.
The first store opened in January 2005 by Korean American
s Shelly Hwang and Young Lee. The tart, frozen dessert has a groupie
-like following who sometimes refer to it as "Crackberry". The company acknowledges its cult-like following by maintaining a "groupie corner" on its website.
Hwang's first business venture was to open a formal English teahouse on a tiny residential street called Huntley Drive in West Hollywood, California. However, after the city refused to approve a permit for Hwang and her business partner, architect Young Lee, they decided to go with their second plan, which was a frozen yogurt concept reviving the craze of the 1980s. People were soon driving across town and standing in line for up to 20 to 30 minutes to get their fix of "the taste that launched 1,000 parking tickets." The second store opened in September 2006, and since then, stores began springing up all over Southern California and also branches in New York. In October 2009, Pinkberry opened its first overseas branch in the State of Kuwait at the Avenues shopping mall, and in November it opened a branch in Dallas.
On October 16, 2007, the firm took in a $27.5M investment from Maveron, the venture fund founded by Starbucks
founder Howard Schultz
, to expand the firm's concept nationwide. Beginning in late 2007, Pinkberry began appearing in advertisements for American Express
' new Plum Card, with Pinkberry and the card described by actress Lauren Graham
in a voiceover. In an attempt to add an air of exclusivity to its new product, Amex claimed to create an initial run of only 10,000 of these cards. Pinkberry (according to the ad) was issued card #1170.
On May 1, 2009, Pinkberry announced its plans to expand its market both internationally and domestically, after receiving $9 million in second-round funding
from investors. As part of its plans, Pinkberry has partnered with Kuwaiti retail conglomerate M.H. Alshaya Co.
to open stores in several countries in the Middle East and signed with HMSHost to open locations in airports nationwide, the first of which will open in the late summer 2009. In 2010, the company will start to expand in the Southern United States
. In April 2010, the original Pinkberry store in West Hollywood, still lacking adequate parking, was closed and converted into an administrative building for the chain.
Pinkberry's menu consists of Original, Green Tea, Pomegranate (introduced on November 11, 2008), Chocolate, Mango, Watermelon, and Peanut Butter flavored frozen yogurt style desserts, in four sizes: Mini (3 USfloz), Small (5 USfloz), Medium (8 USfloz), and Large (13 USfloz). Other products offered include Shaved Ice, with fresh fruit or green tea, a fruit parfait (introduced on June 27, 2009), and two types of smoothies. (Note that their "shaved ice" is not the same as the Hawaiian "shave ice.")
As of September 7th, 2011, Pinkberry dessert contains per 1/2 cup (100 g) 100 calories for Original, 120 calories for Pomegranate, 100 calories for Mango, 120 calories for Chocolate, and 170 calories for the seasonal Peanut Butter.
Fruit toppings, cut fresh on-site, include: strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, banana, kiwi, mango, and pineapple. There are also a variety of dry toppings to choose from, including: almonds, carob chips, chestnuts, chocolate chips, Cap'n Crunch, Cocoa Pebbles, coconut shavings, cookies 'n cream, Fruity Pebbles, granola, mochi (rice cakes), shaved milk chocolate, shaved white chocolate and yogurt chips. Three wet toppings were introduced June 26, 2009: Italian caramel, honey and pomegranate juice. Pinkberry has introduced seasonal toppings like pomegranate
seeds, lychee
and bing cherries
for holiday and summer seasons.
The following nutrition information applies to a half-cup of original Pinkberry frozen yogurt:
Pinkberry's Original Frozen Yogurt is 100 calories per serving and fat-free. Chocolate is 110 calories with 1 gram of fat, and Peanut Butter is 170 calories and 7 grams of fat for the same size. The addition of toppings also adds calories, sugar, and fat.
from South Korea, which has been established since 2002. Red Mango
is also successful, having opened stores in Chicago, Westwood Village, Venice, Northridge, Irvine, San Diego, Palo Alto, Las Vegas, Seattle, Omaha, Evanston, and New York City. Also, Pinkberry itself is considered a copycat of Iceberry that originated from South Korea in 1999 before Pinkberry was created, with flavors such as Original, pomegranate, Coconut, Chocolate, Passionfruit and green tea.
The company stores are standardized with designer Philippe Starck
furniture and lighting by Le Klint. A pastel color palette is used for the walls and natural pebbles line the floor.
Elements include the official Pinkberry website and all print campaigns.
Pinkberry was also featured in an episode of HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm during season 8.
because it does not contain the necessary amount of bacterial cultures per ounce. The Los Angeles Times
sent samples of Pinkberry's product to a lab and revealed that Pinkberry did contain active yogurt cultures, but it does not contain the minimum amount of culture to call itself frozen yogurt, according to California state law. According to the Los Angeles Times, Pinkberry's product had 69,000 bacterial cultures per gram, compared to 200,000 for Baskin-Robbins. The National Yogurt Association (NYA) established its own criteria for live and active culture yogurt. In order for manufacturers to carry their Live and Active Culture seal, refrigerated yogurt products must contain at least 100 million cultures per gram at the time of manufacture, and frozen yogurt products must contain 10 million cultures per gram at the time of manufacture. This level was based on a survey of leading research scientists involved in clinical studies of the health attributes associated with live and active culture yogurt.
Pinkberry appears to have altered its dessert recipe and has now earned the right to call its product real yogurt. Pinkberry officially received the Live and Active Cultures Seal from the National Yogurt Association on April 17, 2008, almost 3 years after the initial "real yogurt" lawsuit was filed.
The Pinkberry jingle heard on its Web site is sung by the 1980s musician Tigra, from L'Trimm
. Apparently in response to the recent lawsuit against Pinkberry claiming that its product is not "real yogurt," for a while Pinkberry had removed all lyrics to this jingle on its Web site except for the word "Pinkberry," which repeats over and over again at the chorus (prior to this change, the jingle had lyrics that characterized Pinkberry's product as "yogurt," and compared its product as better than ice cream). The original jingle is now playing again on the Web site.
The unproven health benefits attributed to yogurt that were previously posted on the walls of Pinkberry (e.g., cures colon cancer, fights yeast infections) have been removed.
Luxury good
Luxury goods are products and services that are not considered essential and associated with affluence.The concept of luxury has been present in various forms since the beginning of civilization. Its role was just as important in ancient western and eastern empires as it is in modern societies...
frozen dessert
Frozen dessert
Frozen dessert is the generic name for desserts made by freezing liquids, semi-solids, and sometimes even solids. They may be based on flavored water , on fruit purées, on milk and cream , on custard , on mousse , etc. In the UK and Ireland, where the term "dessert" is uncommon,...
restaurants headquartered in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. There are currently over 100 stores, mostly located in Southern California, 14 in New York City, New York, two in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, two in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, one in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
, one in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, one in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, two in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, five in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, four in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, two in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, one in Fairfax, Virginia
Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....
, three in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, two in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, one in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, two in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and one each in Chicago, IL, Cranston, RI, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Ann Arbor, MI and one located on the Bowling Green State University campus. International locations include one in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, ten in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, four in Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, two in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, one in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and one in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, which opened on August 3, 2011.
The first store opened in January 2005 by Korean American
Korean American
Korean Americans are Americans of Korean descent, mostly from South Korea, with a small minority from North Korea...
s Shelly Hwang and Young Lee. The tart, frozen dessert has a groupie
Groupie
A groupie is a person who seeks emotional and sexual intimacy with a musician or other celebrity. "Groupie" is derived from group in reference to a musical group, but the word is also used in a more general sense, especially in casual conversation....
-like following who sometimes refer to it as "Crackberry". The company acknowledges its cult-like following by maintaining a "groupie corner" on its website.
History
On October 16, 2007, the firm took in a $27.5M investment from Maveron, the venture fund founded by Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
founder Howard Schultz
Howard Schultz
Howard Schultz is an American business magnate. He is the best known as the chairman and CEO of Starbucks and a former owner of the Seattle SuperSonics...
, to expand the firm's concept nationwide. Beginning in late 2007, Pinkberry began appearing in advertisements for American Express
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
' new Plum Card, with Pinkberry and the card described by actress Lauren Graham
Lauren Graham
Lauren Helen Graham is an American actress and producer. She is best known for playing Lorelai Gilmore on the WB Network dramedy series Gilmore Girls and Sarah Braverman on Parenthood.-Early life:...
in a voiceover. In an attempt to add an air of exclusivity to its new product, Amex claimed to create an initial run of only 10,000 of these cards. Pinkberry (according to the ad) was issued card #1170.
On May 1, 2009, Pinkberry announced its plans to expand its market both internationally and domestically, after receiving $9 million in second-round funding
Funding
Funding is the act of providing resources, usually in form of money , or other values such as effort or time , for a project, a person, a business or any other private or public institutions...
from investors. As part of its plans, Pinkberry has partnered with Kuwaiti retail conglomerate M.H. Alshaya Co.
M.H. Alshaya Co.
M.H. Alshaya , is one of the largest retail companies in the Middle East.Alshaya currently manages over 55 international brands and owns and operates 2,000 outlets in 15 countries across the Middle East, North Africa, Russia, central and eastern Europe and Turkey, employing approximately 20,000...
to open stores in several countries in the Middle East and signed with HMSHost to open locations in airports nationwide, the first of which will open in the late summer 2009. In 2010, the company will start to expand in the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
. In April 2010, the original Pinkberry store in West Hollywood, still lacking adequate parking, was closed and converted into an administrative building for the chain.
Menu
As of September 7th, 2011, Pinkberry dessert contains per 1/2 cup (100 g) 100 calories for Original, 120 calories for Pomegranate, 100 calories for Mango, 120 calories for Chocolate, and 170 calories for the seasonal Peanut Butter.
Fruit toppings, cut fresh on-site, include: strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, banana, kiwi, mango, and pineapple. There are also a variety of dry toppings to choose from, including: almonds, carob chips, chestnuts, chocolate chips, Cap'n Crunch, Cocoa Pebbles, coconut shavings, cookies 'n cream, Fruity Pebbles, granola, mochi (rice cakes), shaved milk chocolate, shaved white chocolate and yogurt chips. Three wet toppings were introduced June 26, 2009: Italian caramel, honey and pomegranate juice. Pinkberry has introduced seasonal toppings like pomegranate
Pomegranate
The pomegranate , Punica granatum, is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing between five and eight meters tall.Native to the area of modern day Iran, the pomegranate has been cultivated in the Caucasus since ancient times. From there it spread to Asian areas such as the Caucasus as...
seeds, lychee
Lychee
The lychee is the sole member of the genus Litchi in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae. It is a tropical and subtropical fruit tree native to Southern China and Southeast Asia, and now cultivated in many parts of the world...
and bing cherries
Bing cherry
Bing is a cultivar of the wild or sweet cherry that originated in the Pacific Northwest, in Milwaukie, Oregon, United States. The Bing remains a major cultivar in Oregon, Washington, California, Wisconsin and British Columbia...
for holiday and summer seasons.
Nutrition facts
A single serving of Pinkberry "Original Frozen Yogurt" is 1/2 cup or 100 grams.The following nutrition information applies to a half-cup of original Pinkberry frozen yogurt:
- Calories 100
- Calories from Fat 0
- Total fat 0g
- Saturated fat 0g
- Trans fat 0g
- Cholesterol 5 mg
- Sodium 50 mg
- Total carbohydrate 21g
- Dietary fiber 0g
- Sugars 16g
- Protein 4g
- Vitamin A 2%
- Vitamin C 2%
- Calcium 15%
- Iron 0%
| Size | # of Servings | Cups | Calories | Sugar (g Gram The gram is a metric system unit of mass.... ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini | 0.9 | 0.45 | 90 | 14.4 |
| Small | 1.4 | 0.7 | 140 | 22.4 |
| Medium | 2.2 | 1.1 | 220 | 35.2 |
| Large | 3.6 | 1.8 | 360 | 57.6 |
Pinkberry's Original Frozen Yogurt is 100 calories per serving and fat-free. Chocolate is 110 calories with 1 gram of fat, and Peanut Butter is 170 calories and 7 grams of fat for the same size. The addition of toppings also adds calories, sugar, and fat.
Competitors
The company's success has led to the launching of several competitors including kiwiberri, fiore and many others including, Yogurberry, Yogurt Land, and Berry Wild. This emergence of competition is fueled in part by companies such as Cielo USA, which manufactures and distributes the Frozen Yogurt Mix to businesses aspiring to be the next Pinkberry. Industry estimates that a single Pinkberry store receives more than 1,500 customers per day and can bring in $250,000 a month. Pinkberry has been thought to be a copycat of Red MangoRed Mango
Red Mango is a frozen yogurt and smoothie brand known for its all-natural frozen yogurt, fresh fruit smoothies, yogurt parfaits, and probiotic iced teas. There are currently more than 145 locations in 25 states in the United States. And in 2011, Red Mango was named the #1 Zagat Rated chain in...
from South Korea, which has been established since 2002. Red Mango
Red Mango
Red Mango is a frozen yogurt and smoothie brand known for its all-natural frozen yogurt, fresh fruit smoothies, yogurt parfaits, and probiotic iced teas. There are currently more than 145 locations in 25 states in the United States. And in 2011, Red Mango was named the #1 Zagat Rated chain in...
is also successful, having opened stores in Chicago, Westwood Village, Venice, Northridge, Irvine, San Diego, Palo Alto, Las Vegas, Seattle, Omaha, Evanston, and New York City. Also, Pinkberry itself is considered a copycat of Iceberry that originated from South Korea in 1999 before Pinkberry was created, with flavors such as Original, pomegranate, Coconut, Chocolate, Passionfruit and green tea.
Store design
Philippe Starck
Philippe Patrick Starck is a French product designer and probably the best known designer in the New Design style...
furniture and lighting by Le Klint. A pastel color palette is used for the walls and natural pebbles line the floor.
Branding
The Pinkberry brand has been designed & managed by LA-based branding firm FERROCONCRETE.Elements include the official Pinkberry website and all print campaigns.
Pinkberry was also featured in an episode of HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm during season 8.
Controversy
Originally marketed as frozen yogurt, Pinkberry has faced complaints that its product does not meet the California Department of Food and Agriculture's definition of frozen yogurtFrozen yogurt
Frozen yogurt is a frozen dessert containing yogurt or other dairy products. It is slightly more tart than ice cream, as well as lower in fat...
because it does not contain the necessary amount of bacterial cultures per ounce. The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
sent samples of Pinkberry's product to a lab and revealed that Pinkberry did contain active yogurt cultures, but it does not contain the minimum amount of culture to call itself frozen yogurt, according to California state law. According to the Los Angeles Times, Pinkberry's product had 69,000 bacterial cultures per gram, compared to 200,000 for Baskin-Robbins. The National Yogurt Association (NYA) established its own criteria for live and active culture yogurt. In order for manufacturers to carry their Live and Active Culture seal, refrigerated yogurt products must contain at least 100 million cultures per gram at the time of manufacture, and frozen yogurt products must contain 10 million cultures per gram at the time of manufacture. This level was based on a survey of leading research scientists involved in clinical studies of the health attributes associated with live and active culture yogurt.
Pinkberry appears to have altered its dessert recipe and has now earned the right to call its product real yogurt. Pinkberry officially received the Live and Active Cultures Seal from the National Yogurt Association on April 17, 2008, almost 3 years after the initial "real yogurt" lawsuit was filed.
The Pinkberry jingle heard on its Web site is sung by the 1980s musician Tigra, from L'Trimm
L'Trimm
L'Trimm was a Miami Bass hip-hop duo composed of Lady Tigra and Bunny D, two women from Kendall, Florida...
. Apparently in response to the recent lawsuit against Pinkberry claiming that its product is not "real yogurt," for a while Pinkberry had removed all lyrics to this jingle on its Web site except for the word "Pinkberry," which repeats over and over again at the chorus (prior to this change, the jingle had lyrics that characterized Pinkberry's product as "yogurt," and compared its product as better than ice cream). The original jingle is now playing again on the Web site.
The unproven health benefits attributed to yogurt that were previously posted on the walls of Pinkberry (e.g., cures colon cancer, fights yeast infections) have been removed.