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TCBY

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TCBY
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryChain restaurant/Franchise
Founded1981 (1981) in Little Rock, Arkansas
Headquarters
Broomfield, Colorado
,
United States
Number of locations
More than 470[1]
Area served
Americas, Eastern Asia
and Middle East
Key people
Dustin Lyman CEO
ProductsFrozen yogurt
ParentMrs. Fields (2000–present)
Websitetcby.com
Logo previously used by TCBY.

TCBY (The Country's Best Yogurt) is an American chain of frozen yogurt stores. It is one of the largest U.S. retailers of soft-serve frozen yogurt.[2]

History

In 1981, Frank D. Hickingbotham opened the first TCBY in Little Rock, Arkansas. TCBY began franchising the following year, and by 1984 there were over 100 stores.

Prior to 1984, the company's name was "This Can't Be Yogurt," but a lawsuit from a competitor, I Can't Believe It's Yogurt!, forced TCBY to create a new name from its initials, eventually using "The Country's Best Yogurt".[3][4] TCBY began co-branding with Taco Bell, McDonald's, Subway, and Burger King in 1995.[5]

In 1991 TCBY moved into the tallest building in Arkansas, Simmons Tower located in downtown Little Rock, and the building was renamed The TCBY Tower until 2000 when TCBY vacated.[6]

Mrs. Fields acquired TCBY in early 2000 and became Mrs. Fields Famous Brands.[7]

In the summer of 2010, the company opened a prototype store in Salt Lake City, Utah, operating under a different business model. Instead of customers ordering and being served in a traditional fashion, they serve themselves using any combination of available yogurt flavors, add their own mix of fruit or candy toppings, and pay by the ounce. In late 2011, TCBY opened its first outlet in Pakistan.

In 2001, there were 1,777 TCBY locations across the country. By 2011, there were just 405.

  • Pct. of stores closed: 77.2%
  • Total stores: 405
  • Stores closed: 1,372
  • 2011 sales: $98 million
  • Pct. decline in sales: -60.4%[8]

Products and promotions

TCBY offers frozen yogurt in a variety of flavors. The chain typically serves hard scooped and soft serve yogurt, while newer concept stores only offer soft serve. The new concept stores follow a self-service model, with customers being charged by weight.[9] Soft serve yogurt comes in Golden Vanilla, Chocolate, and White Chocolate Mousse flavors which are available daily, in addition to various rotating flavors. TCBY also serves drinks such as Berriyo yogurt smoothies and Frappe Chillers.

In September 2010, TCBY announced the test launch of breakfast and lunch meal replacement bowls, parfaits and smoothies made from non-frozen "fresh" yogurt called Yovana-Simply Yogurt in two self-service company stores in its headquarters of Salt Lake City.[10]

In May 2011, TCBY launched Super Fro-Yo, a reformulated version of its yogurt with a more nutrient-rich profile. The company brought down the fat content of its yogurt to below 2 percent, so it can be labeled low fat. On January 10, 2012, TCBY launched a Greek frozen yogurt product.[11] TCBY is the first frozen yogurt chain to offer Greek frozen yogurt.[12]

Every year, TCBY offers mothers across the nation a free frozen yogurt on Mother's Day,[13] and fathers a free frozen yogurt on Father's Day.[14]

Store giveaway

In October 2009, TCBY launched the "This Could Be Yours: The Great TCBY Store Giveaway," a contest that rewarded one person with his or her own TCBY store. To enter, contestants submitted a video, no longer than two minutes, explaining why they should be the recipient of their very own TCBY, why their town is the perfect location, and what they have to offer the brand. Submissions were judged on creativity, a sense of business acumen and originality. Originally, videos were accepted until November 30, 2009,[15] but the deadline was extended until March 31, 2010.[16] On May 26, 2010, it was announced that the winners of the contest were Jared and Sarah Greer of Fayetteville, Ark.[17] The Greers opened their store in April 2011 in Rogers, Ark. with TCBY's new self-serve prototype and store design.[18]

See also

References

  1. ^ "TCBY Offering Its Own Stimulus Package in Store Giveaway". Yahoo! Finance. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ Chasan, Emily (August 15, 2008). "Cookie chain Mrs. Fields to file for Chap. 11 bankruptcy protection". Reuters. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  3. ^ Seth Stevenson (May 3, 2004). "Alphabet Soup: Now what does KFC stand for?". Slate. Retrieved November 16, 2008. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ Michael Barreir (1988). "Cold product, hot company: TCBY frozen yogurt". BNET. Retrieved November 5, 2010. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ Williams, Jeff (January 20, 1997). "TCBY tries to thaw profits; overhaul includes co-branding, efficient distribution". Journal Publishing, Inc. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  6. ^ "Simmons Tower, Little Rock | 122472". Emporis. Retrieved 2017-11-16.
  7. ^ Cooke, Lynne (February 11, 2000). "Mrs. Fields to Buy TCBY". Lakeland Ledger.
  8. ^ Alexander E.M. Hess and Michael B. Sauter, 24/7 Wall St. (2012-12-12). "America's disappearing restaurant chains". USA Today. Retrieved 2017-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ TCBY unveils a new self-serve prototype Retrieved February 6, 2011
  10. ^ Liddle, Alan (September 28, 2010). "TCBY launches breakfast, lunch product test". NRN.com. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  11. ^ "TCBY to serve up Greek Fro- Yo". USA Today. January 10, 2012. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  12. ^ "In a First, TCBY Adds Greek Fro Yo To Lineup". QSR Magazine. January 10, 2012. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  13. ^ "Mother's Day Givaway" (PDF). TCBY press release. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 21, 2009. Retrieved May 8, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ "TCBY to Celebrate Father's Day with Free Frozen Yogurt". Chain Leader.
  15. ^ "TCBY opens store giveaway contest to video submissions". QSR. Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ "Still Time to Own your Own TCBY, Chain Extends Contest Deadline". Restaurants and Institutions. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)[permanent dead link‍]
  17. ^ Greer Family Chosen as Winner of the TCBY Store Giveaway Contest
  18. ^ "TCBY Returns to Its Arkansas Roots With a Vision for the Future". RestaurantNews.com. April 11, 2011. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
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