A cult-favourite frozen yogurt chain has expanded on the Sunshine Coast, with Yo-Chi opening its third local store and creating nearly 40 jobs.
The Kawana Waters venue marks the brand’s 69th Australian store and 70th globally, with one location in Singapore.
It’s the latest addition to a significant upgrade of the dining precinct at Kawana Shoppingworld, which has welcomed new retailers, refurbished eateries and improved public spaces.
Positioned next to Grill’d, which recently refreshed its fit-out, Yo-Chi joins new food operators Mediterranean-style Stavros Restaurant & Bar and Thai venue 86 Bangkok.
Yo-Chi co-CEO Brooke Rodger said the Sunshine Coast location had long been on the radar, driven by strong local demand.
“We’re so happy to join the Kawana community. There are a lot of students and families in the area that have been asking for Yo-Chi for a while now,” Ms Rodger said.
“Coastal areas where the weather’s great and people spend a lot of time outdoors are generally perfect for frozen yogurt. We’ve got some lovely neighbours too, the casual restaurants around our venue are great for a night out.”
The store officially opened over the weekend, with Ms Rodger describing the early response from locals as overwhelmingly positive.
“We’ve been so warmly welcomed. The reaction from guests when they visit for the first time has been amazing,” she said.
“They’re loving the double-sided toppings bar because it makes the queues move a whole lot faster. There’s plenty of seating so we’re seeing big groups come in and hang out.”
Yo-Chi has surged in popularity in recent years, particularly among younger Australians, with its self-serve model and highly customisable offerings becoming a staple of social media feeds.
“We deliberately create spaces where people of all ages feel welcome, the team are super-friendly and the atmosphere is fun and upbeat,” Ms Rodger said.
“The fact that people can create their own Yo-Chi with whatever combination of yogurts and toppings they want has played a big part in growing our online presence through social too – people love sharing their creations.”
Despite growing competition in the dessert and frozen yogurt market, Ms Rodger said Yo-Chi’s point of difference remained simple.
“We’ve got the ‘Chi’ … it all comes down to the positive energy,” she said.
The Kawana opening is part of a broader expansion strategy across Australia.
“We’re stoked to have three venues on the Sunny Coast now, so people don’t need to travel as far to get their Yo-Chi,” Ms Rodger said.
“We’re opening a number of new venues across broader Queensland and NSW this year, and maybe even a few more overseas. Watch this space.”
