Their product starts with real yogurt.
EAST LONGMEADOW — Craving something sweet and cold to eat without losing that beach body you've worked all winter and spring to perfect? Then stop by Let's Yo in East Longmeadow.
Let's Yo, in the Stop & Shop Plaza , promises more than just tasty self-serve frozen yogurt.
"We offer a unique experience for our customers," said Michael Sobon Jr., of New Jersey, who co-owns the shop.
Upon entering the business, located at 436 North Main Street in the Stop & Shop plaza, you are first greeted by rows of tables each decked out with its own individual iPad.
The walls are decorated with chalkboard art, created by area artist Rachel Saloio, and you're hit with the sweet smell of waffle cones, which are rolled daily right in front of customers.
"We want our customers to come here and feel comfortable and relaxed," Sobon said.
He added it was "really important to my brother and I to offer a product that we would want to eat ourselves."
"We wanted high quality ingredients and yogurt that maintained all of the active cultures and probiotics," Sobon said of the fact their products do not start with a mixture of powdered yogurt and water.
Rather, the company gets yogurt in two-gallon containers. The yogurt thaws and then is placed in the soft-serve dispensers. The shop rotates among 36 flavors, and features five to seven different others in addition to their weekly staples.
The shop also has dozens of topping options from fresh cut fruit to nuts and trail mixes, cereal and, of course, cookies and candy.
"We have a variety of Whole Food cereals including some gluten-free options as well as custom-made dispensers for our nut toppings and trail mixes," he said.
Sobon opened the original Let's Yo in New Jersey, where he lives, in conjunction with a Pudsters specialty burger franchise, which Sobon said he hopes to bring to Western Massachusetts as well.
"The idea is that you eat a great meal and then you can walk right into the yogurt shop for dessert," he said.
Sobon opened both the New Jersey locale and the one in East Longmeadow with his brother Mark, who lives in South Hadley.
Let's Yo offers a wide-range of soft-serve flavors from traditional ones, like cookies and cream, to fun flavors like candy bar smash and dreamsicle.
The shop offers sweet as well as tart yogurt options and sorbets for the lactose intolerant folks who want to enjoy a cold summer treat.
Several popular flavors at the moment include salted caramel pretzels and mocha choca latte.
Christian L. Escalona manages the store and said he is proud of the product and the service they provide to customers.
"The yogurt is delicious, the atmosphere is friendly and inviting and we keep everything very sanitary," he said.
This reporter sampled about 10 different flavors.
Both the Pink Lemonade and Blue Daqueri sorbets are fresh and perfect for a hot summer day.
The Dreamsicle flavor has a nice citrus burst with the rich, creamy undertone of vanilla.
Speaking of vanilla, the Tahitian vanilla flavor offered is soft and subtle and amazing, while wild strawberry tastes like fresh fruit, because there is a strawberry puree mixed right into the yogurt.
Salted caramel may not be for everyone despite its popularity, while the coffee flavored options are rich, but may be a bit strong for the average palate.
Employees are stationed at the topping bar to ensure choice options at the self-serve stations stay pristine. All of the fruit is fresh and sweet and the candy options are endless, from gummy bears to traditional sprinkles. There are even crumbled blueberry pie pieces available.
The shop carries the typical chocolate, peanut butter and butterscotch toppings as well as Nutella which is kept warm in a warming device.
Let's Yo is at 436 North Main St., East Longmeadow. Other area soft-serve yogurt options include:
AMHERST
FroyoWORLD
23 North Pleasant St.
LONGMEADOW
Peachwave, Longmeadow Shops on Bliss Road
NORTHAMPTON
Go Berry, 80 Main St.
SPRINGFIELD
The Nerdy Spoon, 455 Breckwood Blvd.
Yogurt City, 296 Cooley St.
WESTFIELD
MoFroyo, 617 East Main St.