TCBY turns 25 with flair
In a culture where sweet shops come and go like so many sugar-laden varieties of cereal or candy, one franchise, built upon the rock of "The Country's Best Yogurt," has stood the test of time. TCBY is celebrating its 25th birthday this year and is, like any 25-year-old, full of life and the creative spirit.
TCBY's soft-serve frozen yogurt is its stock in trade, along with its sorbet. There are over 60 flavors, in nonfat, no-sugar-added or 96-percent fat-free varieties of yogurt, and seven flavors of nonfat, nondairy sorbet. In observation of its silver anniversary, TCBY has launched a new line of hand-scooped frozen yogurt, available by the scoop or in pre-packed quarts. Made with either 96-percent fat-free or no-sugar-added frozen yogurt, the new product line offers consumers with a sweet tooth an alternative to calorie-crammed confections.
Compared to leading brands of ice cream, TCBY's hand-scooped frozen yogurt has as much as 54 percent fewer calories (including 79 percent fewer calories from fat), up to 78 percent less total fat and 80 percent fewer saturated fats, up to 77 percent less cholesterol and 27 percent fewer carbohydrates, not to mention up to 14 percent less sodium. It also provides a healthy dose of calcium, as well as protein, vitamin D, and seven "live active cultures," which studies have suggested may provide benefits such as improved digestion and better absorption of nutrients. Calcium, of course, plays a role in strengthening bones, and may also help promote weight loss.
In short, TCBY is not only good, it's good for you. To top it off, TCBY offers some three-dozen toppings for its yogurt, from peaches and bananas to Reese's Pieces.
Fruithead Smoothies, also a relative newcomer to the menu, are a combination of fresh fruit and frozen yogurt, a 20-ounce meal on the go. In the company's Tempting Treats category, there are sundaes, chillers, waffle cones, malts, parfaits, shakes, splits and shivers. There are deep-dish pies in six varieties, cakes in four, all made with yogurt. The Kids' Menu includes such favorites as the Dandy Candy Supreme and Psychedelic Sorbet.
Based in Salt Lake City, TCBY has been a frozen-treats innovator from the day its first shop opened in Little Rock in 1981. The great-tasting and low-fat frozen yogurt concept has enjoyed an ever-more enthusiastic response from an increasingly health-conscious public. In Middle Tennessee, Nainesh Shah owns three of TCBY's more than 1,000 national and international locations. A U. S. citizen for 15 years, the native of India has a degree in electrical engineering; he worked for Wal-Mart for ten years before venturing out on his own with the purchase of a store in Brentwood in 2002. He bought the Cool Springs location in 2003 and the Bellevue TCBY in 2004. He was initially impressed with the company's longevity and reputation for honesty and customer service - and its nutritional line of products - and he's worked hard to uphold that reputation here. He plans to open one or two more stores.
"I'm enjoying giving people the best," he says.
TCBY stores are located at 1945 Mallory Lane in Cool Springs (615-778-1942), 330 Franklin Road #47B in Brentwood (615-370-0402) and 8163 Hwy. 100 in Bellevue (615-662-8333). Hours are 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Mon.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri. and Sat. and noon-9 p.m. Sun.
For more information about the company, visit www.tcby.com.