News

TCBY earns Excellence in Innovation Award

September 13, 2011

TCBY received the Prepared Foods' Excellence in Innovation Award this week for its development of Super Fro-Yo. The award was presented at the Prepared Foods' New Products Conference in Naples, Fla.

Co-sponsored by Prepared Foods and the American Egg Board, the Excellence in Innovation Awards recognize innovative new products introduced nationally during 2010 through 2011, and the creativity that made those new products possible.

Past winners of the award include Kraft Foods, Tyson's Foods and Mrs. Fields Cookies.

"We are very excited to receive the Excellence in Innovation recognition, which is a reflection on our continued investment in research and development and the impressive team behind it," said Tim Casey, CEO of TCBY. "With Super Fro-Yo, we marry impressive nutritionals with that classic TCBY taste profile, and the consumer loves us for it. It's very rewarding."

Judges for the Excellence in Innovation Awards were made up of a panel of industry experts including those in the culinary field and food and beverage writers at Prepared Foods.

The judges chose TCBY as the first place award winner in the foodservice industry category due to "its commitment to creating a healthy, good for you, great tasting treat ... the 'Holy Grail' for food developers and marketers."

Prepared Foods cited the research, led by Craig Bennett and Dr. Wayne Geilman of the TCBY Research and Development team, which contributed to the advancement of several proprietary technologies that could elevate the nutritional benefits of TCBY products.

Bennett and Dr. Geilman were supported by three other members of the TCBY team. In addition, TCBY suppliers allowed the brand to use their labs and pilot plants to produce test products and provide technical support. Super Fro-Yo took almost two years to refine and focused on components that would not only boost the health benefits, but also improve the richness, texture, flavor and overall taste appeal.

To qualify as TCBY's Super Fro-Yo, frozen yogurt nutritionals must meet the following guidelines per serving:

• Must have a minimum of 3 grams of Fiber
• Must have a minimum of 4 grams of Protein
• Must have a minimum of 7 types of Probiotics
• Must meet a minimum of 20 percent DV of Vitamin D
• Must meet a minimum of 20 percent DV of Calcium

Additionally, TCBY's Super Fro-Yo contains 120 calories or less, a minimum of 10 percent DV of Vitamin A, 1 gram or less of saturated fat and a minimum of 20 billion live and active cultures per serving at manufacturing.

The product was launched nationally in May.

Read more about health and nutrition.