BURLINGTON, Vt. -
A cold treat on a hot day can really hit the spot.
"I don't know. There's just something about it. I'll never get sick of it," said Ryder Manske, 8.
And believe it or not, he's not talking about ice cream. Welcome to SOYO in Burlington, which stands for South End Yogurt.
"We've really become part of this community and wanted to reflect that in the name of the business," owner Hans Manske said.
Hans Manske and his family opened the Pine Street shop just over a month ago, crafting small batches of frozen yogurt.
Reporter Gina Bullard: What's the difference between SOYO and a creemee?
Hans Manske: The consistency is similar, but the taste is very different. This has a very tart and tangy flavor.
You might remember frozen yogurt from the 1980s and 90s with franchises like TCBY, but SOYO is part of the new trend where the tangy treat tastes like yogurt and doesn't try to be ice cream.
"I don't know, just sometimes it makes me be in a good mood," Ryder Manske said.
SOYO dishes up three yogurts, changing the flavors every two weeks, using many local ingredients, like milk from Kingdom Creamery in East Hardwick and coffee from Speeder and Earl's.
The new shop is filling a void-- it's the only frozen yogurt shop around and it's serving up 500 cups a day, far exceeding the owners' expectations.
The yogurt is all fat-free, but you might want to be careful with your toppings. There are 25 to choose from and let's just say they're not all fruit. The combos might seem endless.
"Toasted coconut Oreo," Ryder Manske suggested.
But actually there's a limit to the options-- about 33,000. Hans Manske should know, he used to be a math professor.
Something you won't find anywhere at SOYO is a trash can. That's because everything from the spoons to the bowls are compostable.
"We have an opportunity to have an impact on the environment positively or negatively and trash is a big deal for me," Hans Manske said.
Adding a new twist to the idea of a guilt-free treat.
The frozen treats range from $2-$5. Toppings start at $1 each.
