by Melissa Barringer
Froyo Earth is the self-serve frozen yogurt shop that allows every person to fill their yogurt cups to their heart’s desire. Now Whitworth students do not have to travel downtown to dish up the buffet style of flavors and toppings. Since June, Froyo Earth has been serving at a new location at 12519 N. Division St. in the Wandermere shopping center.
Stephen Kraft, the owner of Froyo Earth, wanted another location in addition to the downtown shop in order to be closer to Whitworth and north- side residents.
Froyo Earth is a family-owned business that originated in Spokane. Kraft came up with the name in order to incorporate their environmental values through the use of earth-friendly cooling systems and compostable dishes.
Being able to provide a healthy snack was one of Kraft’s goals when he first opened Froyo Earth. The health benefits associated with yogurt were the appealing factor for his business.
Kraft said there are three grams of protein within every four ounces of frozen yogurt and half the calories of some ice creams. Yogurt flavors with the highest fat content still have about one-tenth the amount of some ice creams.
“There is a reason health-conscious people eat yogurt daily,” Kraft said.
Froyo Earth sells National Yogurt Association Live & Active Culture sealed yogurt that certifies the healthy bacteria cultures that aid in maintaining a healthy digestive system are not removed from the product during production. The yogurt is also low in sodium and provides calcium.
Yogurt at Froyo Earth also carries the YoCream brand. YoCream yogurt has a list of its own benefits at yocream.com, including Kosher certification and 100- calories-or-less flavors.
Froyo Earth supplies non-dairy sorbet, no-sugar-added, low-fat and nonfat yogurts to provide customers with options to fit their lifestyle. Being able to self-serve gives customers the ability to control his or her portion and allows multiple flavors and toppings to fit their cravings.
“I like the self-serve,” senior Jenna Hansen said. “You make it what you want it to be.”
Hansen has noticed other Whitworth students eating there during her visits and likes the closer location.
Another novelty of this frozen yogurt eatery is the ever-changing variety of flavors and the fresh fruit toppings that are cut daily. Every few weeks 10 flavors rotate through the machines with more than 20 toppings to choose from at each Froyo Earth location. Red velvet cake, raspberry, cable car chocolate and one of Froyo Earth’s most popular flavors, cake batter, are just a few on rotation this week. Customers can top off the flavors with a variety of candies, fresh fruit, cookie dough bites and much more.
If an interesting flavor catches a customer’s eye, they don’t have to put it into their dish in order to try it. Being able to grab a sampling cup to test out a flavor is junior Kaylee Beltz’s favorite part about Froyo Earth.
Froyo Earth is not just a place to test out different combinations of flavors and toppings. If you are looking for a place to be with friends this may be the place you want to go. There are no clocks on the walls or televisions to be found throughout the shop which is a part of Kraft’s design.
“I wanted a place for people to come and talk to each other,” Kraft said.
Kraft likes the idea of Froyo Earth being a place for students to come who not only want to eat frozen yogurt, but want a place to hang out and relax.
Beginning this fall Froyo Earth will have “Tuesday Stuesday” where Whitworth students can bring in their ID cards for a discount on frozen yogurt. Two new flavors have just been put into rotation and as fall sneaks around the corner be ready for seasonal flavors such as peppermint stick and eggnog.
If you are interested in the nutritional facts of Froyo Earth’s yogurt, check out the website While you’re there, also check out the list of flavors and specials to keep up to date in order to be prepared for any future sweet tooth craving.