Childhood friends and co-founders of Yasso, Amanda Klane and Drew Harrington, built a $200 million dollar brand by creating frozen Greek yogurt treats. They faced initial bad reviews and rejection from manufacturers but eventually landed Yasso on the shelves of Costco and BJ's. Despite competition from larger companies, Yasso continued to grow and was recently acquired by a major consumer goods company.
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Quick takeaways
Yasso's founders overcame challenges and landed their frozen Greek yogurt bars on the shelves of major retailers like Costco and BJ's.
Yasso partnered with the University of Nebraska's food science program for affordable product development and faced competition from larger brands like Ben & Jerry's.
Yasso remained committed to their core identity and continuous improvement, leading to profitability and an eventual acquisition by Unilever.
Deep dives
Creating a New Frozen Yogurt Brand
The founders of Yasso, Drew and Amanda, came up with the idea to create frozen Greek yogurt bars as a healthier alternative to traditional ice cream. They decided to target big national retailers instead of starting small, and their first customers included Costco and other Northeast retailers.
Challenges and Setbacks
In the early stages, Yasso faced numerous challenges and setbacks. Their first product iteration did not taste good, their packaging had printing errors, and they experienced a truck accident that caused them to lose an entire shipment. They were also operating with limited cash flow and struggling to achieve profitability.
Growing the Team and Revenue
Despite the challenges, Yasso was able to grow rapidly. They hired additional team members, built out their marketing and sales functions, and expanded their product line. By 2013, their revenue had reached $18 million, although they were still operating at a low gross margin and were not yet profitable.
YASO: From Yogurt Company to Acquisition
YASO, a frozen Greek yogurt ice cream brand, started as a small startup with limited funds. To develop their product, they partnered with the University of Nebraska's food science program, which offered affordable product development utilizing student assistance. Market research on popular yogurt flavors led them to create blueberry, strawberry, and raspberry yogurt bars. Finding a manufacturing partner for their unique product was a challenge. They eventually secured a trial run with a New Jersey facility called Mr. Cookie Face. YASO faced stiff competition from larger brands entering the market, including Ben & Jerry's. However, by continuously improving their product and staying one step ahead, they were able to regain shelf space and expand their distribution. YASO's profitability in 2015 allowed them to grow and raise around $10 million in funding by 2015. The company's success attracted the attention of Unilever, and in 2023, YASO was acquired by the global consumer goods company.
Navigating Trends and Challenges
YASO remained focused on their core identity as a product made with Greek yogurt, despite trends like keto and dairy-free options dominating the frozen aisle. They experimented with introducing pints of frozen Greek yogurt to compete with brands like Halo Top but retreated due to unsustainable pricing practices in the market. While competitors presented challenges, YASO's discipline and dedication to continuous improvement allowed them to maintain their brand reputation. Throughout their journey, YASO faced both luck and hard work, recognizing that being in the right place at the right time played a significant role in their success. In 2023, YASO's co-founders stepped back from day-to-day operations as Unilever acquired the brand, marking a full-circle moment as Unilever was once their competitor.
Amanda Klane and Drew Harrington are childhood friends, and co-founders of Yasso; they defied the advice of experts by creating a recipe for frozen Greek yogurt treats, and building Yasso into a $200 million dollar brand. When Amanda got the idea in 2009 to freeze Greek yogurt into popsicles, she reached out to Drew, who had already started a business selling—and there’s no way you could guess this—inflatable beer pong tables. The two friends set out to make a high protein, low-calorie yogurt bar, and despite initial bad reviews from family, and a series of “No’s” from prospective manufacturers, they eventually landed Yasso onto the shelves of Costco and BJ’s. It wasn’t long before they faced competition from the top players in the freezer aisle, but Yasso continued to grow, and was recently acquired by one of the biggest consumer goods companies in the world.
This episode was produced by J.C. Howard, with music by Ramtin Arablouei
Edited by Neva Grant, with research help from Katherine Sypher.