Red Mango was founded in 2007 in Los Angeles. Since then, the store has opened over 200 chains across the US and won numerous awards, including being named the number 1 smoothie and frozen yogurt chain in America by Zagat in 2011. In addition, it has received Nation’s Restaurant News’ renowned “Hot Concepts!” award.

The chain prides itself in offering completely natural low fat or non-fat, as well as gluten-free and kosher yogurt. Their products generally do not contain any artificial colors or ingredients and are full of live active cultures in addition to calcium and protein. In particular, Red Mango adds special “Super Biotics,” a strain of probiotic bacteria which supports digestion and boosts the immune system.

History

Red Mango was founded by Daniel J. Kim who now serves as the Chief Concept Officer. Kim was born in Seoul, South Korea and grew up in Southern California where he eventually attended UC Berkeley. He opened the first frozen yogurt chain in Los Angeles close to the UCLA campus.

The company’s name reportedly derives from the color of a mango when it is at the peak of ripeness — the moment when it is most nutritious and delicious. According to the company’s website, this name shows that it is committed to using the best and most natural ingredients for its products.

In short, Kim’s main aim was to create a frozen yogurt with health benefits that would cater to an increasingly health-conscious niche. It quickly became successful within a more upscale crowd, opening up over 100 chains within the first 3 years. After the initial store, Kim expanded store chains to Nevada, Washington, Utah and New York, and it is now available in over 25 states.

The Red Mango chain has become one of the best and fastest growing chains in the past decade. Apart from planning to open in a number of countries outside the US, the chain is also expanding its menu, having added a number of smoothie varieties and yogurt flavors.

Review

The chain offers a choice between tart and sweet yogurts as well as a range of toppings which are all self-serve. Some of the more popular flavours are Red Velvet, Taro, Ginger and Nutella. The price of the yogurt varies depending on the weight, but in general an average-sized cup with toppings can be purchased for about $4-5 a cup.

Although the chain is most famous for its frozen yogurt, the fruit and yogurt parfaits are also a very popular choice with two different options available — the mixed berry and the tropical. Customers also enjoy the fruit smoothies, fro-yo mashups, skinny sorbets as well as the fresh juices.

Overall, the stores are clean, well-kept and the seating space is tidy although it sometimes gets cramped when it is crowded. In addition, while Red Mango generally offers good customer service, some customers have reportedly had issues with rude cashiers and redeeming rewards points.

In general, however, Red Mango is perceived as a healthy frozen yogurt option. Even though it is pricier, customers prefer this brand to similar ones because of the added health benefits and better taste.