Self-serve yogurt is hot stuff

Self-serve frozen yogurt is another national trend just now taking off in Baton Rouge.

Customers choose from a dozen or more flavors of low-fat yogurt, top them with fresh fruit, candies and other toppings then pay for their creations by weight.

Marlana DiVincenti got the idea for her dessert café, Splendido!, from a fro-yo spot she and her boyfriend fell in love with in Dallas. When she moved back to Baton Rouge, she also moved on the concept—a have-it-your-way dessert with dozens of tasty flavors and toppings.

Want to swirl peanut butter and acai berry and top it with kiwis? Feel free—it’s just 39 cents per ounce.

DiVincenti sweated the details, testing the wares of dozens of suppliers, before settling on her current product. The tart taste of Splendido!’s frozen yogurt varieties is owing to the live yogurt cultures—four times more than typical frozen yogurt. The cultures present are probiotic, healthy microorganisms that can improve digestion and boost the immune system.

Although they’ve been open less than six months, Splendido! has built a loyal fan base. Energy-rich flavors proved popular in the store’s first week as LSU students preparing for exams dropped in for dual treat-boosts.

Micah Moore has opened two Menchie’s locations offering self-serve yogurt and myriad toppings. The stores offer a rotating selection of nearly 100 flavors, and the national brand enjoyed a marketing boost thanks to early Hollywood celebrity fans.

“Since opening the first Baton Rouge Menchie’s store, we’ve enjoyed an overwhelmingly positive response from the community as they clearly love our unique self-serve frozen yogurt model,” Moore said in a prepared statement.

Splendido! Frozen Yogurt Bar: 5263 Highland Road, 456-5743

Menchies Frozen Yogurt: Two locations—Mall of Louisiana (6401 Bluebonnet Blvd, 763-6244) and 3260 Highland Rd