About two weeks ago, the American Frozen Yogurt chain Pinkberry landed in Edmonton and opened in one of the highest traffic locations the city has to offer: West Edmonton Mall. With their prime location set in a busy food court right outside of the waterpark, it seemed like it would be guaranteed tons of traffic from froyo hungry Edmontonians.

Pinkberry - West Edmonton Mall Food Court Phase 3 - Edmonton AB

Luckily I had some time in my schedule to check out the Grand Opening party on July 12th. From 5PM til close, curious customers were given a chance to try out a small sized yogurt with three toppings free of charge. While the media event was going on, I chose to stand in line to get the 'real' (or as close to real as can be) Pinkberry experience by interacting with the staff behind the counter.


The unit occupied by Pinkberry is quite spacious (previously occupied by Gelati Napoli), and lit in a variety of different ways. However, it isn't brightly lit like Tutti Frutti, and features dimmer lighting giving the space a relaxed vibe. The brightest lighting in the space is actually the case where the toppings are stored. I personally prefer brighter spaces, because it exudes an energetic environment, especially when the staff are friendly and enthusiastic.


Unlike Tutti Frutti and Twisted Yogurt here in Edmonton, Pinkberry chooses to serve yogurt in set sizes, and the staff behind the counter create it for you. You choose the base flavour and toppings, and that's all the control you have. The toppings are organized into four different categories: daily fresh cut fruit, liquid toppings, premium dry toppings, and luxe toppings (which have an additional cost to them). All the toppings are placed in bins right next to one another, so I'm a little worried about cross contamination between them, especially since there are nuts available as a topping. If staff accidentally drop any nuts into adjacent bins, there is the possibility of serious allergic reactions, so I would love to see the nut related toppings placed in a separate area if possible.


At any one time, six yogurt flavours will be available, and on opening day there were (and still currently are): original, strawberry, chocolate, coconut, pomegranate & mango. For myself, I like the tartness of yogurt and typically get plain with fresh fruit toppings and mochi. This way the yogurt is a healthier treat! I did try the mango and coconut flavours, and found them to be quite sweet and not too creamy, but without that tart taste that I like. I'm going to safely assume that chocolate and strawberry are creamy flavours as well, without the typical tartness.


Now I do have to mention that I'm not really a big fan of this service system, because I like to control my own portion sizes and the proportion of toppings that I place on my yogurt. You will also only get to have one flavour of yogurt in your bowl, unlike the system at Tutti Frutti where you are able to mix and match the colours in your bowl to your liking. For yogurt with three toppings of your choice, you're looking at $5.70 for a small, $6.65 for medium, and $8.70 for large (all prices before tax). If you're not a fan of toppings, that isn't a problem either, with the prices set at $3.95, $4.95 and $6.95 respectively. Looking at the prices, they are a bit more expensive for their sizes compared to the price per ounce system utilized by other frozen yogurt establishments in Edmonton.


Something that does set Pinkberry aside, however, is the range of yogurt options available. Staff are able to serve up fresh fruit parfaits, yogurt in cones, fresh fruit bowls, and even blended smoothies. I think health conscious consumers will also appreciate the caloric count associated with each product that they serve. Despite the crazy rush of customers for the opening event, the staff behind the counter remained calm and were so friendly! For the first day of service, things seemed to be under control and ran smoothly, making the experience for the first time customer a pleasant and memorable one.