By Allison Abbey

Freshëns, the Atlanta based frozen yogurt and smoothie pioneer, understands that to stay relevant in today’s market, change is inevitable. The brand has continuously evolved since its inception in 1985. As an industry leader, Freshëns was the first retail concept to introduce a fat free, no sugar added soft serve yogurt. Freshëns fresh blended smoothie concept debuted in 1995, and quickly achieved a strong national presence with locations coast to coast. Freshëns “It’s In our Nature” sustainability initiative led to the development of the foodservice industry’s first 100% compostable paper cold cup and lid, as well as a retail store design that uses recycled and environmentally friendly materials .

Never content with “status quo”, this year Freshëns embarked on the most ambitious strategic initiative in its 25 year history. Working closely with Culinary Edge, a premiere culinary development firm based in San Francisco, and Miller Zell, an industry leader in retail design, Freshëns created a product innovation and retail experience strategy that keeps its concept on the cutting edge.

“Our research confirmed that Freshëns has a unique brand characteristic, which is strong equity and credibility in both frozen yogurt and smoothies,” said Aaron Noveshen, founder of The Culinary Edge. “Operators don’t need to make a choice when considering a frozen treats strategy. Freshëns offers a fully integrated smoothie and frozen yogurt program which has the ability to cover multiple dayparts and drive average unit sales.”

Culinary Edge focused on developing authentic, bold, “crave-able” products. Central to the development of the yogurt menu is the introduction of an 18-item toppings bar that, according to Noveshen, energizes the yogurt experience. Fresh fruits, natural nuts and granolas, and splurge toppings like Fruity Pebbles and Cap’n Crunch create flavor profiles that complement both Freshëns “traditional style” creamy yogurt as well as its “new style” tart yogurt, both all-natural , with live active cultures to promoteoverall health. Customers can purchase up to 3 toppings for one price, which encourages the selection of unique flavor combinations.