Yo-Chi Singapore co-owner taps hot wellness trend to sell frozen yogurt

[SINGAPORE] Australian frozen yogurt brand Yo-Chi is already planning for more overseas outlets, less than a year after opening its first international store at Orchard Central in Somerset last August. 

The Melbourne-based soft-serve chain has secured in-principle confirmation for two new Singapore outlets to open this year – one at Star Vista, which is set to open in May, and another targeted to launch around mid-2026. The brand is also exploring opening more outlets in Singapore within the year, though no locations have been confirmed yet.

Beyond Singapore’s shores, Yo-Chi is in the process of opening more international stores. It aims to expand its global footprint to 400 stores by tapping the growing post-pandemic demand for wellness-focused offerings.

Riding the wellness wave

Yo-Chi Singapore co-owner Amy Bell told The Business Times that the brand’s entry into the Singapore market was “well-timed” amid a rising focus on healthier, feel-good food options.

“Australia has been on a wellness trend for many years, but what I’ve observed in Singapore… is people really paying attention to what’s on their plate. Where is the food I’m eating coming from? How is it going to make me feel?”  

With a focus on ingredient quality, the Yo-Chi brand speaks to this growing demand, said Bell. Its frozen yogurts are made with fresh Australian milk rather than powder. Its acai is organic with toppings that include fresh fruits, and most of its yogurts are gluten-free. 

These features appeal to Yo-Chi’s younger customers who are more health-conscious, said Bell. She noted that Gen Zs are the “biggest drivers” of footfall for the brand. 

Yo-Chi’s self-serve concept also sets it apart from other frozen yogurt brands. Customers may pour and customise their own yogurt bowls and pay by weight. The self-serve concept provides a degree of control and customisation that is not afforded by most other frozen yogurt chains, Bell said.

Entrepreneur with a wellness track record

Yo-Chi Singapore is the latest in a string of wellness-focused F&B ventures by Bell.

SEE ALSO

From heartlands to Hanoi: Summer Acai set to bring its recipe for success overseas

The Australian, who has lived in Singapore for around 13 years, is the founder of The Meat Club – an online grocer platform that focuses on bringing quality meat and fresh produce from Australia and New Zealand into Singapore.

The former lawyer and her husband also brought the Mexican food chain Guzman y Gomez to Singapore, after her husband acquired the franchise rights for the Sydney-based chain in Asia.

Bell said her passion for health and wellness, along with growing up on the Gold Coast, where fresh food was readily available, has shaped her entrepreneurial pursuits.

After moving to Singapore in September 2013, Bell struggled to find affordable meat of the quality she was used to in Australia. She soon realised other Australian expats faced the same problem.

With knowledge of Guzman y Gomez’s supply chain, she knew that quality meat could be brought into Singapore at prices below what was commonly sold in stores, and decided to start The Meat Club to address the gap in the market.

While the online grocer’s initial customer base was significantly expat-driven, it is now more evenly split between locals and expats, Bell said.

Mindset shift in Singapore

A mindset shift around wellness in Singapore after Covid-19 presented an opportunity to reintroduce frozen yogurt, Bell said.

“Post-pandemic, there has been a renewed demand for ‘feel good’ food and ‘feel good’ experiences,” she said.

Bell was introduced by a mutual friend to the Allis family behind the Yo-Chi chain in Australia. The family is also behind the famous Australian smoothie brand Boost Juice.

Yo-Chi Singapore was eventually established as a joint venture between Bell, her Singaporean business partner and the Allis family.

Bell said: “I think (the Allis family) had seen what Yo-Chi was capable of in Australia, and there were a number of attractive talking points for Singapore.”

Singapore’s friendly import and export rules and vibrant food scene made it the preferred choice for Yo-Chi’s first overseas outlet, ahead of the UK and the US, added Bell.

“Singapore is obviously very much a foodie nation, and there was an interest in making sure that we tapped into that dessert culture and ... adventurous mind when it comes to eating.”

Moreover, Yo-Chi is already familiar to many in Singapore who have lived or studied in Australia, supporting its brand awareness here, Bell said.

In line with Yo-Chi’s ambitions to have a global footprint of 400 stores, the brand has secured in-principle confirmation to open outlets in the UK and the US.

Yo-Chi has also garnered “strong interest” from South-east Asia markets, with its team “actively exploring” opportunities, Bell said.

Said Bell: “Singapore is a vibrant and multicultural hub that sits within a very strategic location because obviously, it’s a gateway not just to South-east Asia, but to the rest of the world. And for that, I think it’s the perfect launch pad for the brand to go to other countries around the world.”