Two budding young Bristol entrepreneurs set out this week to challenge the British love affair with ice cream by setting up the UK’s first AngelBerry frozen yogurt shop/factory in the city.
Former Bristol Grammar School boys Ryan Pasco and James Taylor hope to build on the huge success of the US frozen yogurt market where annual sales are already worth $200m (£127m).
Innovative flavouring and a consumer drive for healthier treats is fuelling frozen yogurt growth there – and although the UK market is embryonic sales are expected to reach £4m in 2012, according to market researchers Mintel.
James and Ryan, both aged 21, have developed the business from branding through to opening their first premises at Imperial Park in Hartcliffe thanks to financial backing from their families and also using their own resources.
Their AngelBerry concept is based on a factory ‘PYO’ experience, allowing customers to experiment with a vast array of flavour combinations and toppings that they select and mix themselves.
With a fat content of 0.5-2.7%, frozen yoghurt has up to a third the calories of ice cream and is typically high in quality protein, calcium, riboflavin and other essential vitamins and minerals.
Ryan said: “During a trip to the States, I was aware of how popular frozen yogurt shops were with consumers of all ages. It was something the UK didn’t have. Working with James – and using his operational experience – we want to be the market leaders, staying ahead of all of our competition both in terms of product quality, customer experience and growth.”
The pair are confident that AngelBerry will serve at least 6,000 portions of ‘fro-yo’ in the first month and early consumer trialling indicates that white chocolate is expected to top the flavour charts.
“We’re finding our flavours such as bubblegum and Jaffa cake have retro appeal, which entices parents and children alike,” James. “Our aim is to offer the most flavours, toppings and to offer our customers the best customer service and experience. Our flavour range is almost never ending as we can make any flavour you could imagine, this means we can interact with our customers and see what they would like from us.
“The same goes for toppings and we can change them quickly from feedback we get to work out what people really want.”
The enterprising partners hope to open their second shop on The Centre opposite The Hippodrome in April.
