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August is Smoothie Month

Smoothie Love!

Smoothies are a perfect anytime treat; they are refreshing and delicious! They are also a great addition to any frozen yogurt shop or cafe. Smoothies are simple to make. All you need is a blender, ice, fruit, and Nanci’s Smoothie Base Mix. Nanci’s smoothies are made with natural ingredients and sweetened with pure crystalline fructose instead of corn syrup, so they are a healthier way to boost your energy! You can even add nutritional supplements like protein or immune booster to any smoothie to increase the health benefits.

How to Make Nanci’s Smoothies:

 

Step 1: Prepare Nanci's Smoothie Base Mix by adding 1 cup powder base to 3 cups water.
Step 1: Prepare Nanci’s Smoothie Base Mix by adding 1 cup powder base to 3 cups water.
Step 1: Stir powder and water mixture and store in refrigerator.  Prepared base is good for 2 weeks in fridge.
Step 1: Stir powder and water mixture and store in refrigerator. Prepared base is good for 2 weeks in fridge.
Step 2: Add ice and Nanci's prepared smoothie base to blender.
Step 2: Add ice and Nanci’s prepared smoothie base to blender.
Step 3: Add fruit, juice, and boosters.
Step 3: Add fruit, juice, and boosters.
Step 4: Blend for 45 seconds.  Enjoy!
Step 4: Blend for 45 seconds. Enjoy!

 

Here at Nanci’s we’ve been working on some new recipes for you to try. Let us know what you think!

MANGO MANIA

6 oz Nanci’s Smoothie Base

2 oz orange juice

4 oz mangos

2 oz strawberries

12 oz ice

Blend

Yield: 20 oz

 

PEANUT BUTTER BONANZA

6 oz Nanci’s Smoothie Base

2 spoonfuls creamy peanut butter

½ banana

12 oz ice

Blend

Yield: 20 oz

 

PINEAPPLE PUNCH

6 oz Nancis’ Smoothie Base

2 oz strawberry

2 oz blueberry

2 oz pineapple

¼ banana

12 oz ice

Yield: 20 oz

 

SUMMER CHILL

4 oz Nanci’s Smoothie Base

2 oz apple

1 peeled kiwi

12 oz ice

Yield: 20 oz

 

PEACH-BERRY COLADA

6 oz Nanci’s Smoothie Base

2 oz strawberry

4 oz peach

1 oz coconut

12 oz ice

Yield: 20 oz

 

Nanci’s smoothies are simple, even for those who have no experience making them. A bag of Nanci’s Smoothie Base Mix will yield over 150 smoothies following the recipes above. All you need is a blender, ice, fruit, and Nancis’ Smoothie Mix. They are tastier and healthier since Nanci’s smoothies are sweetened with pure pure crystalline fructose instead of cane sugar and the recipes utilize real natural fruit. Using a smoothie base mix is important because it sweetens and enhances the natural fruit flavors along with also providing a smooth and creamy texture.  Including smoothies and boosters in your shop is a great way to expand your menu and your customer base.  Visit the Nanci’s Smoothie page for more information and www.FroCup.com to place your order.

 

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Which Ice Cream Cup Size is Best?

cups 10 14 16 black  

So, which size cup should I be using in my ice cream store?

When faced with the decision of what size ice cream or frozen yogurt cup to use in your store, several options probably come to mind. Cup sizes range anywhere from a small 4 ounce (oz) size cup to an enormous 32 oz cup. Surely there has to be an optimal size to make it easier on you as the business owner and to satisfy your customers. Nanci’s experience with soft-serve over several decades has lead us to just the answer: the 10 oz cup and the 14 oz cup. These are two new shapes pioneered by Nanci’s and available exclusively at FroCup.com. They are a perfect fit for self-serve customers! Both the new 10 oz and the new 14 oz cups have a fun and modern light swirl design around the outside and are made of a strong, durable paper material that doesn’t tear or seep at the seams. So why are these new sizes better than what you’re currently using?

10 oz – Small

This new shallow/wide shape is perfect for families with children. As you can see in the picture above, the 10 oz cup fills quickly and, due to the height of the cup, the yogurt spirals above the top to give it a nice and full look where the yogurt seems to be brimming to the top. As the yogurt melts and the customer digs in, the width will catch any running liquid or toppings from making a mess. Since it has the same width as a standard 16 oz cup, you can actually fit both your small and large cups in the same cup holders if desired.

According to our research, we have found the 10 oz cup is the ideal ‘small size cup’ to carry in your store. It has enough volume to hold yogurt for a customer who may just want a few bites – perfect for kids. It is the best of both worlds – wide enough to handle all the toppings your customer wants to add yet shallow enough to still look full. This perception of a full cup is key to a customer making their way back to your store in the future; you want them to feel as if they are getting the best ‘bang for their buck’.

Cups Comparison 10 14 16 white green
Comparison of the new 10 and 14 oz cups next to the 16 oz on the right.

14 oz – Large

The 14 oz cup is a deeper cup. It has a large volume and can hold a full pound of yogurt. And it has the same wide diameter as a standard 16 oz cup so it can easily handle all the toppings your customer wants to add. What makes the 14 oz superior to the 16 oz is the shorter height of the 14 oz. As you compare the 14 oz and the 16 oz cups, you see a clear difference in the presentation of the yogurt. The yogurt in each cup is the same amount, however it stands up much taller in the 14 oz and it looks much fuller. The 16 oz cup drowns the yogurt a bit, and the customers may feel they aren’t getting as much product as they really are getting. A full 16 oz cup of yogurt is a lot even for those with the biggest appetites and we have found that it is often not necessary to have that large of a cup in stock. A hungry customer will fill the 14 oz cup to a swirl above the rim and be satisfied with their eyes, tummy and wallet.

The 10 oz and the 14 oz are the perfect sizes whether you are just starting up a new shop, or you have owned a shop for years. FroCup has 4 vibrant colors to choose from: orange, blue, green, and pink.  The swirl design is popular among both young and old alike. Also available is a convenient one-size-fits-all clear dome lid for the 10 oz, 14 oz, and 16 oz cups. It’s easy to make the switch and increase your store’s customer satisfaction and perceived value. Give Nanci’s a call at 1-800-788-0808 or order online today at www.frocup.com.

Cups - all 12 new skus
The popular Swirl design is available in 12 color/size combinations.
Cups 10 14 16 newsletter
Note the more appealing and satisfying look of the swirl in the shorter height cups.

16 oz, 20oz and Larger

The 16 ounce, 20 ounce, or larger cups give you more options for your frozen yogurt shop. You can use these cups for ice cream, gelato, soft-serve, parfait, or really anything. Paper cups are a great option for both dine-in or take-out customers. Ice cream cups are also available in a range of materials – from thick, durable paper to plastic. Cups for ice cream sundaes or gelato parfaits can even include lids to keep the toppings and sauces contained until the moment of serving. Ice cream cups are really versatile, and as a result you’ll likely want to stock up on more than one type. These larger sized ice cream cups allow your customers to take larger amounts home. You’ll want to make sure you have lids available.

How to buy ice cream shop cups at wholesale pricing?

Nanci’s Frozen Yogurt sells cups, lids, and spoons in a variety of sizes, colors, and materials on FroCup.com. This includes brands like UNIQ and desirable options like bio-degradable cups and eco-friendly spoons. You can try our best selling color cups in a variety of sizes including 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 20 oz options.

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Nanci’s Awarded President’s “E” Award for Exporting

WudelEAwardPhoto

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today presented Wudel International with the President’s “E” Award for Exports at a ceremony in Washington, DC. The President’s “E” Award is the highest recognition any U.S. entity can receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports.

“The President’s ‘E’ Award winners are outstanding American businesses and organizations that have played a crucial role in strengthening and growing our economy through increased U.S. exports,” said Secretary Pritzker. “By selling Made-in-America goods and services internationally, winners are creating jobs in Arizona and their local communities. Congratulations to Wudel International. Exports are critical to our nation’s competitiveness in the global marketplace and solidify our country’s economic leadership across the globe.”

“Exports are an essential part of the U.S. economy and Wudel Intl. is a leader in the field, serving as a great example of success in exporting from Arizona,” said Arizona Congressman Matt Salmon. “I’m proud of what they’ve accomplished in their business as well as the recognition they’ve received through this award, showcasing the growing role exports play in Arizona businesses.”

Wudel Intl., based in Gilbert, Arizona, manufactures and distributes soft-serve frozen yogurt mixes and flavorings under the Nanci’s Frozen Yogurt brand, as well as private label brands. Wudel Intl. exports to more than 40 countries in six continents. Countries that Wudel Intl. ships to include China, Vietnam, Denmark, Australia, and South Africa. Exports have increased significantly within the last four years as the frozen yogurt trend that started in the U.S. expands across the world.

“We are honored to receive this award and see incredible potential to grow exports even more in international markets,” said John Wudel, CEO of Wudel Intl. “The focus by the U.S. government in supporting exports is a game changer for us. Improved trade agreements and expanding into new markets is a huge boost for our export business, which flows back to the U.S. economy and our local economy.”

About Wudel International
With more than 25 years of frozen yogurt experience, Wudel Intl. has perfected its products for optimal taste, texture, and nutritional value. Sold under the brand Nanci’s Frozen Yogurt, each product is designed to be a stand-alone mix that you can put directly into a soft serve machine or a neutral base that you can flavor with one of 100+ flavors. With convenient flexibility, Nanci’s dry frozen yogurt mixes are perfect for self-serve frozen yogurt stores. Nanci’s mixes are sold across the United States and in more than 40 countries across six continents.

Nanci’s products are made with the highest-quality, gluten free ingredients, including pure crystalline fructose, a natural sweetener found in fruit, berries, and sweet corn. Nanci’s also uses PowerPro Active Cultures, encapsulated probiotic cultures that are protected in the dry form and deliver all the health benefits you expect from frozen yogurt.

With research and development done in house, Wudel Intl. can provide custom formulas and private label mixes. Wudel Intl. is family owned and operated, and prides themselves on providing unparalleled customer service. They help with everything from product choice to business strategy. For additional information, please visit www.nancis.com.

About the President’s “E” Award

In 1961, President Kennedy signed an executive order reviving the World War II “E” symbol of excellence to honor and provide recognition to America’s exporters. Today, Secretary Pritzker honored 45 U.S. companies with the President’s “E” Award for their outstanding work to reduce barriers to foreign markets and to open the door to more trade around the world.

U.S. exports of goods and services hit an all-time record of $2.34 trillion in 2014, accounting for 13.4 percent of U.S. GDP, compared to 7.5 percent 30 years ago. Nationally, jobs supported by exports reached an all-time high last year with more than 11.7 million jobs, up 1.8 million since 2009.

American companies are nominated for “E” Awards through the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service office network, located within the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. Record years of successive export growth and an applicant’s demonstration of an innovative international marketing plan that led to the increase in exports is a significant factor in selecting the overall winners.

For more information about the “E” Awards and the benefits of exporting, visit www.export.gov.

http://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2015/05/us-secretary-commerce-penny-pritzker-presents-us-companies-presidents-e

http://salmon.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-salmon-recognizes-president-s-east-valley-e-award-winners

Eaward

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5 Ways to Be Creative Like Johnny Cupcakes

Here’s a secret of how to be creative in your business…name your business something that you don’t even sell! Johnny Cupcakes has nothing to do with cupcakes. They don’t even sell food items. I saw the Johnny Cupcakes logo about a dozen times before I actually figured out what they do. But I’ll save you some time…they sell T-shirts. I attended a presentation by Johnny Earle, the founder of Johnny Cupcakes, and he is hands down one of the most creative guys around. I’d like to share a few things I learned about creativity…but not about cupcakes.

Earle started in 2001 selling shirts out of a suitcase while he toured with his heavy metal band. Now Johnny Cupcakes is a multi-million dollar business with 40+ employees and multiple retail locations. At openings and product launches, hundreds of customers show up and the line often wraps around the block. At the heart of Earle’s success is CREATIVITY.

Here are a few examples of how he mixes things up:

  • Packaging. Packaging for their T-shirts have included a cupcake box, an ice cream carton, push up popsicle package, takeout Chinese food container, fake VCR case, playing cards box…you get the idea. He’s been known to write personal notes on orders or even randomly include batteries or a doll’s head in the box. Yes, a doll’s head. He views each order as an experience for the customer, and the packaging is a big driver of that experience. Earle’s believes that customers talk about these kind of strange experiences and become evangelists of his brand.

cupcakes_packagejohnny-cupcakes-frosting-can-tshirt-wired-design-660x326johnny-cupcakes-push-pop-tee

 

 

 

  • Retail store experience. Johnny Cupcakes’ retail stores are another huge part of the crazy experience. The stores are designed to look like bakeries with shirts in glass bakery display cases and vintage baking equipment as decor. They often have people stand in line to buy actual cupcakes, only to find out after 45 minutes of waiting that there are no cupcakes to be had. On April Fool’s Day one year, they switched one of the stores over to an actual bakery and sold cupcakes all day instead of shirts. If someone came to purchase a shirt they wouldn’t sell it to them — because for that one day they were a cupcake store.

StoreJC_london1

 

 

 

 

  •  Scarcity. Product scarcity is another tool Earle uses effectively. He runs limited edition prints of shirts that create a frenzied demand. At their retail stores, they sold a limited-time breakfast shirt and the only offered it during breakfast hours. If you showed up at 2 pm, you couldn’t buy the breakfast shirt — just like the fast food places that cut off breakfast 5 minutes before you get there.
  • Cross promotions. Johnny Cupcakes does cross promotions with various other brands to create unique products and T-shirts designs. They’ve done cross promotions with The Simpsons, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Looney Tunes. When they posted on Facebook a promotion with Hello Kitty, their website crashed. Not every business can partner with Hello Kitty and Looney Tunes, but there are local brands or personalities you could do cross promotions with.
  • Brand identity. Johnny Cupcakes has created fierce brand loyalty — to the point that people even get tattoos of the Johnny Cupcakes logo. They foster this loyalty by creating a unique and unpredictable brand in a consistent way. Unpredictability and consistency may seem to be opposites, but Johnny Cupcakes has consistently been unpredictable, unique, and bizarre — creating a solid brand identify that people can rely on.
  • Attention to detail. Some of the best ways to leverage creativity is attention to detail. Johnny Cupcakes uses every little detail of their store, packaging, and the actual T-shirts to create a unique customer experience. Attention to detail doesn’t necessarily mean higher costs. It just takes more effort.

Breakfast_blog1hello_kitty_johnny_cupcakesjohnny-cupcakes-tattoo-billy-starbucks-wired-design

 

 

 

“Make your customers feel like it’s their birthday every time they make a purchase.” – Johnny Earle

How can you apply these learnings to your small business?

Every business can surprise their customers and every business can have excellent attention to detail. Creativity is not copying what Johnny Cupcakes has done. It’s coming up with your own ideas. Things that will be consistent with your brand and will bring a smile to your customer’s face.

Here are a few creative ideas you could use in a frozen yogurt shop:

  1. Tape a $5 bill to the inside of one of the yogurt cups with a note that says “Enjoy one on me” and signed by the owner. Then put it back in the stack up cups for a lucky customer to find.
  2. Use collectible spoons. Find unique spoons that people will want to take home. Switch out colors and varieties so people will keep coming back for the next spoon. Orange Leaf stores used to melt spoons into a bracelet for kids to wear and take home. I know my kids wanted to go there just for the spoons.
  3. Impromptu pizza party. Randomly bring in pizza for everyone in your shop. Just give it away for free. If there is a pizza shop near you, buy it from them and leverage cross promotion. Maybe they’ll be willing to do an impromptu frozen yogurt party at their shop.
  4. Unique toppings and flavors. What if you served chocolate covered grass hoppers as a topping. Even if nobody bought them, they would definitely tell their friends about it. You could switch out a strange topping or flavor every week to keep the intrigue alive.
  5. Create a unique store experience. The boom of frozen yogurt stores has resulted in a cookie cutter approach to designing and running self-serve frozen yogurt shops. Don’t be afraid to break the mold and be DIFFERENT. Use details to be creative: floor mats, flavor names, decorations in the bathroom, staff T-shirts, napkins, etc. Customers spend 5-20 minutes in your store – make their visit bigger than just eating frozen yogurt. Make it an experience that they’ll tell friends about.

Being different is better than being better.

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Contest: “If Your Flavor Dreams Came True”

Frozen yogurt shops are invited to submit their dream frozen yogurt flavors for a chance to win the grand prize, 3 cases of Nanci’s Frozen Yogurt mix, with a retail value of $2,430.

Enter the Flavor Contest: /contest

What is your dream frozen yogurt flavor? Nanci’s Frozen Yogurt, a leading manufacturer and international wholesaler of soft serve mixes, and the International Frozen Yogurt Association (IFYA) are launching a new contest to help make your flavor dreams come true.

Grand Prize: 3 cases of Nanci’s Frozen Yogurt mix

The “If Your Flavor Dreams Came True” contest runs from March 30 through April 22, 2015. The winner will be selected at random from all eligible entries.

Nanci’s Frozen Yogurt is a manufacturer and international wholesaler of soft-serve mixes including Frozen Yogurt, Fruit Freezer Sorbet, Non-Dairy Soft Serve, No Sugar Added mixes, Smoothie base mix, Granita mixes and more than 100 flavors. Based in the western United States, the family owned company has been in business since 1979, when the first line of healthy dessert products entered the market. Nanci’s is an industry leader in soft-serve product Research & Development and was the first to include a beneficial probiotic that will stay alive in dry mixes.

Nanci’s frozen yogurt mixes are made with the highest quality, healthy ingredients, including no table sugar. The products are low calorie, gluten free, Kosher and Halal, and contain live probiotic yogurt cultures.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Nanci’s Frozen Yogurt to bring this contest to frozen yogurt shops. Nanci’s has been providing superior, innovative frozen yogurt mixes with live and active cultures and all natural sweeteners for many years,” said Susan Linton, President of the IFYA. “This contest is a way for frozen yogurt shops to share their flavor ideas and other feedback directly with Nanci’s. The outcome could be another Nanci’s innovation.”

“One of the things that makes Nanci’s different from other frozen yogurt mix suppliers is our huge variety of flavors. With the Dream Flavor contest we are excited to see what flavors the market is requesting but can’t find,” said Johny Wudel, Vice President of Nanci’s Frozen Yogurt. “IFYA has been a great partner in promoting frozen yogurt and expanding the market. Working with the IFYA we are able to offer promotions and contests like this one that create value for customers.”

Eligibility and Rules

The contest is open to all legal residents of the United States who are members of the International Frozen Yogurt Association and current owner/operators or employees of a frozen yogurt shop. Entrants must be 18 years or older. To become a member of the IFYA, visit internationalfrozenyogurt.com. Membership is free.

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER

To participate in the Contest, entrants must complete an online survey at /contest or via email to info@internationalfrozenyogurt.com

The contest rules can be found at: http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/official-rules-if-your-flavor-dreams-came-true-contest/

About Nanci’s Frozen Yogurt

With more than 25 years of frozen yogurt experience, we’ve perfected our mixes for optimal taste, texture, and nutritional value. Each product is designed to be a stand-alone mix that you can put directly into your soft serve machine or a neutral base that you can flavor with one of our 100+ flavors. With convenient flexibility, our dry frozen yogurt mixes are perfect for self-serve frozen yogurt stores. Nanci’s mixes are sold across the United States and in more than 25 countries, including India, Australia, Greece, South America, Africa, and Europe.

Our products are made with the highest-quality, gluten free ingredients, including pure crystalline fructose, a natural sweetener found in fruit, berries, and sweet corn. We also use PowerPro Active Cultures, encapsulated probiotic cultures that are protected in the dry form and deliver all the health benefits you expect from frozen yogurt.

With research and development done in house, we can provide custom formulas and private label mixes. Nanci’s Frozen Yogurt is family owned and operated, and we pride ourselves on providing unparalleled customer service. We’ll work with you on everything from product choice to business strategy. For additional information, please visit www.nancis.com

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Daily Opening Procedures

Every frozen yogurt operator asks how they can make fantastic and consistent frozen yogurt. They want their product to come out of the machine with the same creamy, smooth texture every day. The key to achieving this is doing two daily procedures every morning before opening.

Prime the MachineYogurtInCup

Priming the machine refreshes the product in the freezing cylinder and hopper. Here are the steps:

  1. With the machine on Standby (or Overnight) Mode, remove the air tube (carburetor tube) from the hopper.
  2. Stir the mix in the hopper with a small whisk.
  3. Dispense 1-2 quarts of liquid mix from the machine (by pulling the handle on the front).
  4. Pour the mix back into the hopper and stir with a whisk.

The machine is now primed and ready to have the air set.

Set the Air

With gravity machines, the mix is poured into a hopper on the top of the machine and gravity pulls the mix into the freezing cylinder. On a gravity machines you need to manually set the air, for a maximum of 35% air.

One very important piece on the machine is the carburetor tube or air tube. The air tube is a skinny tube – usually stainless steel – that you insert into the intake hole in the bottom of the hopper. Once inserted, the top of the tube sticks up out of the product allowing air to get down into the product. All air tubes have some way to shut off the product intake – either by flipping the tube over or by closing off the intake hole using a sleeve that fits around the tube.

Here are the steps to set the air:

  1. After you’ve primed the machine, insert the air tube with the feed hole at the top of the tube (sticking out of the mix) to stop the product from flowing into the freezing cylinder.
  2. Keeping the intake closed, dispense 8-10 ounces of frozen yogurt into a clean cup. This product can be put back into the hopper.
  3. Turn on the soft-serve machine and wait for it to freeze down and for the motor turn off.
  4. Once the motor turns off and the product is frozen, open the air intake either by flipping the air tube around so the feed hole is now at the bottom (submerged in the mix) or sliding the sleeve on the tube (depending on your style of air tube).
  5. The overrun is now set and the product should come out smooth and creamy. As long as you leave the air tube in place it will stay this way. You can repeat this process as needed.
Another important factor in dispensing a great product is the temperature of the frozen yogurt coming out of the machine. Nanci’s regular mixes are best served at 17 degrees F, and the stevia and non-dairy mixes are best served at 24-25 degrees F.
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Recent News: Article about Nanci’s Frozen Yogurt

Check out this article about us: https://www.sintelsystems.com/blog/2014/08/28/nancis-frozen-yogurt-takes-charge-supplying-just-froyo/

It was written by the folks at Sintel Systems — they sell Point of Sale Systems for frozen yogurt stores and restaurants.

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SmoothYo Frozen Yogurt Launches First Store

May 15, 2014, Dominican Republic – SmoothYo Frozen Yogurt, an international frozen yogurt concept, opened its first location and is poised for rapid expansion. The first store is located in the Dominican Republic and has disrupted the traditional frozen yogurt store business model.

With extremely low start-up costs and minimal space requirement, the inaugural SmoothYo store start-up costs were one-tenth of the industry average for frozen yogurt startups. Low start-up costs allow operators to turn a profit more quickly and also charge lower prices that are more suitable to the local market.

“SmoothYo is so easy to set up that you could start a shop literally anywhere in the world,” said Luis Macouzet Zepeda, owner of the SmoothYo store in the Dominican Republic. “And the frozen yogurt mix is incredible. It’s easy to use and customers love it!”

The SmoothYo Frozen Yogurt brand is part of a start-up package offered by Wudel Incorporated, manufacturers and distributors of Nanci’s Frozen Yogurt mixes and flavorings.

“The best part about the SmoothYo licensing concept is the flexibility,” commented Johny Wudel, Vice President at Wudel Incorporated. “We can help you with everything from a full scale frozen yogurt shop to a one machine kiosk.”

About Wudel Incorporated and Nanci’s Frozen Yogurt

Wudel Inc. manufacturers and distributes Nanci’s Frozen Yogurt mixes and flavorings in more than 30 countries worldwide. With more than 25 years of experience in the frozen yogurt industry, Wudel is the leader in powder frozen yogurt mixes in the world. Wudel Inc. offers the SmoothYo Frozen Yogurt brand for licensing around the world.