In 2026, the froyo comeback hit Los Angeles in a new way. The world is witnessing a renaissance of frozen yogurt, moving from a low-calorie gimmick to a high-performance gut food characterized by a focus on gut flora and bacteria.
On the Westside of Los Angeles, pop-up businesses like Lillies, a local favorite with a focus on seasonal fruits and probiotic yogurt, are fueling this epicenter for froyo. This renaissance is also being shaped by Asian influences, where ingredients like house-made mochi and black sesame are being used to elevate the tartness of their yogurts.
By utilizing these pop-up models, these companies are rebranding froyo to focus on sophistication, organic ingredients and community hype over mass-produced products of the past.
This shift is largely driven by the digital world, as Frederick Muth ’13, an AP Latin teacher, noted, “Social media is a large driver of trends. That’s why you see a lot of trendy food places prioritizing beautiful aesthetics. Some become a long-lasting business while some become just a TikTok trend.”
The revival of froyo comes after a decade-long story of financial struggle within the industry. In 2015, the froyo bubble burst as giant companies like Yogurtland and Menchies faced market oversaturation and the sudden rise of competing treats such as boba. By 2018, the lack of demand led to hundreds of closures across the country, marking the end of what many believed to be the froyo era.
Yet, Jacob Diaz ‘28 said regarding the repeated nature of these brands, “I think food trends can revive themselves because they never go extinct, they always exist in people’s cravings. It just keeps rising and falling in popularity.”
Today, this renaissance is sustained by key drivers that are fueled by modern culture around student athletes swapping empty sugars for healthier alternatives. By pivoting, these businesses have tapped into a trend of organic, freshly sourced and probiotic nutrition.
For the Loyola community, this shift represents an evolution in how students approach their lifestyle rather than just a new snack option. This move toward a new standard of froyo demonstrates that a treat can meet a high nutritional standard without sacrificing its experience.
