IFYA’s mission is to promote the quality and success of the frozen yogurt industry. With that mission in mind, the IFYA created the Swirl of HonorTM program to recognize quality frozen yogurt stores based on stringent IFYA criteria. It is our belief that raising the quality of frozen yogurt stores will benefit the frozen yogurt industry. But what is frozen yogurt store quality?
IFYA believes frozen yogurt store quality is determined by four factors:
Quality Product: IFYA believes that high quality frozen yogurt is made with all natural, high quality ingredients and meets the National Yogurt Association’s standard for live and active cultures (i.e., frozen yogurt should contain at least 10 million cultures per gram at the time of manufacture). The frozen yogurt should taste fresh, natural, and flavorful and be good for you. The frozen yogurt should be stored under proper conditions and frozen yogurt machines are maintained properly; the frozen yogurt texture should be spot on (i.e., smooth, firm, not too airy, not too icy).
Customer Service: Customer service is an important part of the frozen yogurt shop experience. Well-trained employees should be friendly, respectful, efficient, and well informed. The store should be adequately staffed to reduce wait times and ensure that a staff member is always available to assist customers. Customers should be greeted immediately and offered samples.
Store Cleanliness/Atmosphere: A clean shop is an indicator that the shop is well managed and the employees are actively taking part in keeping the shop clean. The shop should be comfortable with pleasant lighting, attractive signs, appropriate music and a comfortable temperature. The kitchen/prep area should be spotless, food properly stored, and frozen yogurt machines should be cleaned, preferably once a day.
Eco-friendliness: Businesses that care about conserving resources deserve to be recognized. They seek to conserve energy and water, reduce waste through recycling and composting and use less toxic products. The necessary infrastructure to support formal recycling and composting programs should be in place at the local level to allow the frozen yogurt shop to adopt eco-friendly business practices.
Swirl of HonorTM applicants are assessed on all four quality factors. The IFYA examines lists of ingredients, health department inspection scores, photographs of the shop and yogurt, and more. This behind the scenes examination gives the IFYA a unique insight into the quality of the frozen yogurt shop.
Additional information about the Swirl of HonorTM program can be found on our website.