Yogen Fruz
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Yogen Früz | |
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| Type | Franchise |
| Founded | Markham, Ontario |
| Headquarters | Canada |
| Key people | Aaron Serruya, President |
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Products | Frozen Yogurt Smoothie Yogurt |
| Website | yogenfruz.com |
Yogen Früz is a world-wide chain of frozen yogurt and smoothie stores. Yogen Früz serves a variety of other treats focusing on healthier alternatives. Yogen Früz is the largest franchisor and licensor of stores and other location serving primarily frozen yogurt, through company owned, franchised and non traditional partnership locations.
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[edit] History
Since opening the first Yogen Früz outlet in 1986, at the Promenade Mall, in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada, Yogen Früz has enjoyed 23 years of continuous viability and profitability in Canada and around the world. Yogen Früz was founded in 1986 by brothers Aaron and Michael Serruya. Aaron Serruya had witnessed the success of frozen yogurt dessert shops in the United States. With such businesses as I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt (ICBIY) as models, the Serruya brothers decided to open a frozen yogurt franchise in Canada. They first approached several U.S.-based yogurt businesses, hoping to establish an American franchise in Canada, but for a variety of reasons were rejected. So, Aaron, then age 19, and Michael, then age 20, put their resources together, including a loan from their father, and proceeded to develop their own franchise concept. Aaron worked with a food technician to develop the frozen yogurt, while Michael consulted with a Canadian design firm on the brand concept.
The brothers came up with the name Yogen Früz and opened their prototype store at a suburban Toronto shopping mall in August 1986. Offering frozen yogurt in cups, as well as in frozen shakes mixed with fresh fruit, made to order, the shop flourished. The brothers repaid the loan from their father within six months, and within a year the first of many franchises opened in London, Ontario. The frozen yogurt dessert shops were soon opening in shopping malls across Canada, and in 1989 Yogen Früz franchised its 100th store. A younger brother, Simon, joined the company in 1989 at age 18, while their father sold his typesetting business to oversee offices in Europe.
The company’s founders never expected to experience this type of global success, but feel privileged that they have been given the opportunity to touch so many lives in offering their healthy products and helping people get themselves set up in business. When you think that Yogen Früz was just an idea in their heads, it really is overwhelming, but that’s also what keeps the drive going. The company is focused on providing consumers with healthy and “better for you” products as part of an effort to cope with the stresses of modern living in an active lifestyle.
Today with its new assortment of proprietary Probiotic frozen yogurt[1] and its dairy and non-dairy smoothies, Yogen Früz continues its strong tradition of market innovation and leadership. Yogen Früz’s program aims to continue brand presence as a healthy choice lifestyle product, for every member of the family, by providing customers with a healthy alternative to fast food that’s great tasting and nutritious, making it a great product for today’s active lifestyle.
Yogen Früz is the largest franchisor of stores serving primarily frozen yogurt, with over 1,100 locations operating in more then 20 countries worldwide. The company is focused on their global expansion plans and are seeking franchise partners to grow with them.
[edit] Franchising
As Franchisors, the Serruya brothers have used international agreements to cover an entire country as master franchisees obtained the rights to open stores either directly or through the sale of franchise licenses to others. Master franchisees are usually required to open a minimum number of outlets each year. Master franchises are granted for periods varying between ten and twenty years, and are usually renewable for an additional period of ten to twenty years.
The Serruya brothers sought expansion overseas rather then compete in the United States, because frozen yogurt dessert shops had already neared market saturation in the United States back in the 80’s and the consumer was not familiar nor did they accept the tart tasting of yogurt, which has become a following today.
A non-traditional method of expansion employed by Yogen Früz involved co-branding, which provided for the mingling of Yogen Früz product with other known food services by way of Yogen Früz mini-counters in establishes stores.
In early 1995 Yogen Früz franchisees operated 170 outlets in Canada, which comprised an impressive 80 percent of the frozen yogurt food service market in Canada. In total the company had 250 outlets in 13 countries, including Taiwan, Venezuela, Chile, Thailand and Guatemala back in 1995.
Master Franchise Agreements and co-branding remained the Yogen Früz business strategy.
[edit] Brand Identity
Yogen Früz stores help build brand identity as they are placed in the most carefully selected, high-traffic locations. The stores, with their well known design, have evolved into models of efficiency. The Yogen Früz concept is highly flexible, and can be applied to small and large outlets, in malls and free-standing stores. Constantly under development are new retailing ideas, from portable cart-type merchandisers to cross-promotion arrangements with large international franchisors in related businesses.
[edit] Organization
Today, Yogen Früz has grown to a world leader in the frozen dessert category, with over 1,100 locations operating in over 20 countries around the world. In 2007, Yogen Früz is set for expansion into the United States, starting with the states of California, Florida and Illinois. The company has also recently announced a master franchise deal for Virginia and Washington D.C.
[edit] Awards
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[edit] References
- ^ Sugar, Fit. "Latest Healthy Dessert Craze: Yogen Früz", Sugar Publishing Inc., 2007-05-22.
- ^ Tiffany, Laura. "Freeze Fame: How this year's No. 1 franchise, Yogen Früz, is getting its just desserts.", Entrepreneur Magazine, 1999-01-01.
- ^ Mulhern, Charlotte. "The Big Chill - The brothers behind Yogen Früz turn up the heat on a cool concept.", Entrepreneur Magazine, 1998-01-01.
