TCBY

TCBY
Subsidiary
Industry Chain restaurant/Franchise
Founded 1981 (1981) in Little Rock, Arkansas
Headquarters Broomfield, Colorado, United States
Number of locations
 More than 470[1]
Area served
 Americas, Eastern Asia
and Middle East
Key people
 Neal Courtney CEO
Products Frozen Yogurt
Parent Mrs. Fields
Website tcby.com
Logo previously used by TCBY.

TCBY (The Country's Best Yogurt, formerly This Can't Be Yogurt) is a U.S.-based chain of frozen yogurt stores. It is one of the largest U.S. retailers of soft-serve frozen yogurt.[2]

History

The first TCBY store was opened in Little Rock, Arkansas, by Frank D. Hickingbotham in 1981. TCBY began franchising the following year, and by 1984 there were over 100 stores.

Prior to 1984, the company's name was "This Can't Be Yogurt," but a lawsuit from a competitor named "I Can't Believe It's Yogurt!" forced TCBY to create a new name from its initials.[3][4] TCBY began co-branding with Taco Bell, McDonald's, Subway, and Burger King in 1995.[5]

Mrs. Fields acquired TCBY in early 2000 and became Mrs. Fields Famous Brands.[6]

In the summer of 2010, the company opened a prototype store in Salt Lake City, Utah, operating under a different business model. Instead of customers ordering and being served in a traditional fashion, they serve themselves using any combination of available yogurt flavors, add their own mix of fruit or candy toppings, and pay by the ounce. In late 2011, TCBY opened its first outlet in Pakistan.

Products and promotions

TCBY offers frozen yogurt in a variety of flavors. The chain typically serves hard scooped and soft serve yogurt, while newer concept stores only offer soft serve. The new concept stores follow a self-service model, with customers being charged by weight.[7] Soft serve yogurt comes in Golden Vanilla, Chocolate, and White Chocolate Mousse flavors which are available daily, in addition to various rotating flavors. TCBY also serves drinks such as Berriyo yogurt smoothies and Frappe Chillers.

In September 2010, TCBY announced the test launch of breakfast and lunch meal replacement bowls, parfaits and smoothies made from non-frozen "fresh" yogurt called Yovana-Simply Yogurt in two self-service company stores in its headquarters of Salt Lake City.[8]

In May 2011, TCBY launched Super Fro-Yo, a reformulated version of its yogurt with a more nutrient-rich profile. The company brought down the fat content of its yogurt to below 2 percent, so it can be labeled low fat. On January 10, 2012, TCBY launched a Greek frozen yogurt product.[9] TCBY is the first frozen yogurt chain to offer Greek frozen yogurt.[10]

Every year, TCBY offers mothers across the nation a free frozen yogurt on Mother's Day,[11] and fathers a free frozen yogurt on Father's Day.[12]

Store giveaway

In October 2009, TCBY launched the "This Could Be Yours: The Great TCBY Store Giveaway," a contest that rewarded one person with his or her own TCBY store. To enter, contestants submitted a video, no longer than two minutes, explaining why they should be the recipient of their very own TCBY, why their town is the perfect location, and what they have to offer the brand. Submissions were judged on creativity, a sense of business acumen and originality. Originally, videos were accepted until November 30, 2009,[13] but the deadline was extended until March 31, 2010.[14] On May 26, 2010, it was announced that the winners of the contest were Jared and Sarah Greer of Fayetteville, Ark.[15] The Greers opened their store in April 2011 in Rogers, Ark. with TCBY’s new self-serve prototype and store design.[16]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "TCBY Offering Its Own Stimulus Package in Store Giveaway". Yahoo! Finance.
  2. ↑ Chasan, Emily (August 15, 2008). "Cookie chain Mrs. Fields to file for Chap. 11 bankruptcy protection". Reuters.
  3. ↑ Seth Stevenson (May 3, 2004). "Alphabet Soup: Now what does KFC stand for?". Slate. Retrieved November 16, 2008.
  4. ↑ Michael Barreir (1988). "Cold product, hot company: TCBY frozen yogurt". BNET. Retrieved November 5, 2010.
  5. ↑ Williams, Jeff (January 20, 1997). "TCBY tries to thaw profits; overhaul includes co-branding, efficient distribution.". Journal Publishing, Inc.
  6. ↑ Cooke, Lynne (February 11, 2000). "Mrs. Fields to Buy TCBY". Lakeland Ledger.
  7. ↑ TCBY unveils a new self-serve prototype Retrieved February 6, 2011
  8. ↑ Liddle, Alan (September 28, 2010). "TCBY launches breakfast, lunch product test". NRN.com.
  9. ↑ "TCBY to serve up Greek Fro- Yo". USA Today. January 10, 2012.
  10. ↑ "In a First, TCBY Adds Greek Fro Yo To Lineup". QSR Magazine. January 10, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Mother's Day Givaway" (PDF). TCBY press release. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 21, 2009. Retrieved May 8, 2009.
  12. ↑ "TCBY to Celebrate Father's Day with Free Frozen Yogurt". Chain Leader.
  13. ↑ "TCBY opens store giveaway contest to video submissions". QSR.
  14. ↑ "Still Time to Own your Own TCBY, Chain Extends Contest Deadline". Restaurants and Institutions.
  15. ↑ Greer Family Chosen as Winner of the TCBY Store Giveaway Contest
  16. ↑ "TCBY Returns to Its Arkansas Roots With a Vision for the Future". RestaurantNews.com. April 11, 2011.

External links

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