Healthy competition

A frozen yogurt sits on a table at Cefiore, located on 14th and Lawry Lane. The healthy-option frozen yogurt shop faces competition from new Maiberry around the corner at 15th and Pearl Street. (CU Independent/Molly Maher)

Well-known yogurt shop Cefiore now faces a new competitor in Boulder’s frozen-yogurt culture: locally founded Maiberry.

Recently opened on Pearl Street Mall, Maiberry is a shop that strives to be environmentally responsible, health-conscious and forward-thinking, according to the stores’ Web site.

Trang Mai, owner of Maiberry, said that she believes that by using the freshest produce, there’s no need to sacrifice great taste to provide a healthy product.

“If you look at any of my products, it’s not a simple smoothie or simple frozen yogurt – there’s a twist to it,” Mai said. “I feel like I can make things better: better for you and better tasting.”

When asked about other yogurt shops, Mai said she believes she has a good product.

“Frozen yogurt is really competitive,” Mai said. “Ours is more expensive, but we don’t use sherbet or artificial coloring, and our yogurt has a low sugar and calorie count.  We use all-natural ingredients.  I personally believe that my product is the better product.”

Mai said she sees a frozen-yogurt trend on Pearl Street, and admits that she didn’t do any research before opening around the corner from Cefiore.

Cefiore, a chain frozen-yogurt shop from California, offers a nonfat and all-natural yogurt as well, which is also low in sugar and calories. It has recently received the Real Dairy Frozen Yogurt and Live & Active Cultures seal, certifying their product has the required amounts of live active cultures.

Michelle Luu, owner of the Boulder Cefiore, said that she was flattered that Maiberry liked Cefiore’s concept enough to open a similar shop and that the owner of Maiberry was very nice. However, she said she does have one disagreement with Maiberry.

“We don’t agree with their decision to open a frozen yogurt store in such close proximity to ours because Boulder is not a large city nor densely populated,” Luu said. “It was an impact to both businesses.”

Lauren Schutte, an 18-year-old freshman pre-med MCBD major, said she likes Maiberry.

“I like the flavor of it,” Schutte said. “It’s not your natural ice cream. Like you feel healthy after eating it, you feel refreshed.”

She also said she found Maiberry to be “very chic and posh.”

Sosi Papazian, an 18-year-old freshman English major, also enjoyed her frozen-yogurt treat.

“It’s a pretty good deal–for five dollars, there’s a lot of stuff in here,” Papazian said. “And we just found out that you can take it home with you, too, like a whole pint of it.  That’s great, because the yogurt just tastes really good.”

The frozen yogurt is Maiberry’s most well-known product and the base for many of its other products.  Prepared at the Boulder Ice Cream facility, the yogurt contains Greek-style yogurt, nonfat milk and other natural ingredients, all of which come from local dairies in Boulder County.

“Our frozen yogurt is all-natural, non-fat, and only 112 calories per serving,” Mai said.

To prepare for winter, Maiberry has recently added a few more items to its menu.

“We will have a seasonal menu with waffles, crepes and chai tea,” Mai said.

Along with offering healthy dishes, Mai said Maiberry’s contribution to the green movement started before the store even opened.

“The store was built and decorated using environmentally friendly paint, recycled wood and glass tiles,” Mai said. “We use eco-products for utensils and paper products and cups made of corn-starch.”

Even with the recession, Maiberry has been doing well, especially for a new, locally owned shop Mai said.

“I think the community have been very supportive of us,” Mai said. “I love the entrepreneurial spirit of Boulder. The people here are more adventurous; they give us the benefit of the doubt.”

Mai also said that Boulder deserves its reputation for being healthy and environmentally conscious and that makes Maiberry a good fit.

Mai said she plans to open three more Maiberry shops in Denver, Cherry Creek and Fort Collins. She said she hopes to secure locations for the Denver and Cherry Creek stores by December.

Soon Colorado may not be the only home for Maiberry.

“For now I would like to focus on Colorado, but anything is really possible in the future,” Mai said. “It’s an exciting time for us.”

Contact CU Independent Contributer Maggie Shoonmaker at schoonmm@colorado.edu.