![]() | freshii: DOUBLE STAMP WEEKEND! Starting tomorrow, get double the stamps on your @Freshii stamp-card, when you buy a meal or frozen yogurt. about 2 hours ago |
![]() | stunkcretingurl: with my new food dehydrator and yogurt maker(s) i am poised on the precipice of becoming a certified survivalist or dirty hippie-maybe both? about 3 hours ago |
![]() | lindsaykap: Women in yogurt commercials are always in bridesmaids dresses or yoga poses. Men in yogurt commercials unwittingly enjoy their wives'. about 3 hours ago |
| refectory: DIV: Broccoli Red Pepper or Ham, onion, cheddar Quiche, Soy Yogurt parfaits, Salmon Crab Cakes, Gyros, Rstd red pepper soup, Cheesecake about 6 hours ago |
| By Jeff Sherman OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writer E-mail author | Author bio More articles by Jeff Sherman |
| Published Aug. 21, 2008 at 7:24 a.m. |
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The upscale yogurt stop, Berry Chill, might be looking to open a Milwaukee-area location of its self-coined "yogurt couture" stores.
And since the greater Downtown area, at least in my humble opinion, has rather slim pickings when it comes to yogurt and ice cream; I think it would be a great fit. Plus, I've heard really good things about Berry Chill's Chicago location. The store has some good buzz, so I thought I'd check it out and drop them a line.
I suggest that you also e-mail the company and ask them to come to Milwaukee. Why not? Can't hurt. I did it, although I'm weird this way, I guess. If I see or hear about a cool store or concept, I just call or write the company and tell them to come to Milwaukee.
In this case, guess what? The CEO called me. And, even though he wouldn't spill the beans on his company's exact expansion plans, he did talk to me for a while about Berry Chill's concept and its unique product.
In March, Berry Chill opened its first Chicago-area location on State State, one block from the Magnificent Mile. The funky design of this all-natural yogurt bar includes a self-order kiosk, plasma-screen menus, a mosaic-tiled yogurt bar and indoor / outdoor seating. Five other Chicago locations also are in the works.
Berry Chill founder and CEO, Michael (Mikey) Farah, grew up in North Chicago. He's a Cubs fan, but I told him that I wouldn't let that tarnish my desire to have his store in Milwaukee.
"We're focusing on major Midwestern cities as well as a few international destinations that we are in talks with. There's no city that this doesn't work in. We just have to decide where we go first (after Chicago)," said Farah.
"Because our product is so unique (it's all lactose-free), we have to actually bring our technology with us. It's very labor intensive," he added.
Berry Chill was developed with the help of Dr. Mitchell S. Kaplan, a gastroenterologist. Its yogurt bar offers a daily menu of plain chilled yogurt and rotating flavors made with all-natural ingredients that include pomegranate, green tea and "chilled" hot chocolate. More than a dozen fresh-fruit toppings also are available, such as lychee, papaya and star fruit, and more than 30 dry toppings include milk and honey granola, mochi and several cereal brands.
In fact, as I talked to Farah, he and his team were working on flavors for the fall and winter. "Pumpkin pie, banana walnut bread and ginger bread ... a little more seasonal, with the health benefits of yogurt," he said when I asked for a fall forecast.
Need another reason to want a Berry Chill? When you sign up for Berry Chill's Culture Club program, you get a membership card that remembers your purchases and every time you use it, the company donates three percent of each sale to your choice of one of its partner charities.
Farah promised to keep me updated. I promised to eat plenty of yogurt if he opens in Milwaukee. Stay tuned.
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3 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review. |
Posted by SoCalDrummer on Aug. 22, 2008 at 11:47 p.m. (report)
I live in Los Angeles and we've had Pinkberry foyo for a couple of years now...sounds like this one is another knock-off...Trust me the stuff is killer...Not better than Frozen Custard just different...on any given night the line can be a 20 minute wait...thats if you can find parking...Starbucks has been trying to buy them out! Curtis-
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Posted by buck on Aug. 21, 2008 at 3:32 p.m. (report)
yogurt sucks, give me a custard. tcby is dead for a reason.
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Posted by paperklip on Aug. 21, 2008 at 9:59 a.m. (report)
I just emailed 'em. Milwaukee needs to break away from opening one sandwich shop after the next downtown. We need something fresh and new. Berry Chill sounds perfect. Good call!
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