If you love pie and coffee but resist eating it because you also watch fat and calories, TCBY has come to your gastronomical rescue.
TCBY, the nation’s largest frozen yogurt chain, has added gourmet coffee and pies and cakes made from yogurt to its menu of delights.
The chain’s frozen desserts typically have far fewer calories than their ice cream counterparts because yogurt has half the calories.
And if you’re a diabetic, TCBY has sugar-free yogurt, hot fudge and whipped topping.
The company just launched a campaign to woo yogurt lovers to their outlets all yearlong, instead of only during the summer months.
“We’re trying to broaden our appeal. When you sell a single product, you only have one avenue to increase sales,” said Charles Cocotas, president of TCBY Systems Inc. of Little Rock, Ark.
Cocotas, who recently took over the yogurt franchise and is trying to turn its financial fortunes around, was in Modesto last week visiting Eligio and Carol Davini, owner of TCBYs at Lincoln School Center, Tully Road and Standiford Avenue, Oakdale Road and Floyd Avenue, and the cart in Macy’s, all in Modesto.
Adding coffee, a variety of desserts, including special occasion yogurt pies, cookies and brownies, is part of Cocotas’ plan to make TCBY a year-round shop.
He and the Davinis, who opened their first shop in 1987, are hoping that people will think of TCBY in the winter, as well as the summer.
TCBY, with 1,850 locations nationwide, ran into trouble about three years ago, Cocotas said.
“We really defined and created the yogurt business, but when you got a good thing, it’s natural that people are going to imitate you,” he said.
