Frozen yogurt shops descend on Denver.

• Author: Kaowthumrong, Patricia
• Position: RETAIL

EVEN THE MOST OBLIVIOUS CONSUMER cannot help but notice the frozen yogurt shops popping up on every other street corner in the Denver metropolitan area. Every store or chain has a different colorful sign, playful interiors and gourmet flayors. Howeyer, they all have one thing in common a desire to conquer Colorado's frozen yogurt market. But why the sudden yogurt craze in the Mile High City?

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Melissa Bradley, local operator of Yogurtland, a self-serve yogurt chain from Anaheim, Calif., said it is because Coloradans are so in tune with health and fitness.

"One of the reasons frozen yogurt is so popular is because it is a healthier alternative to other dessert options out there," Bradley said. "I believe nowadays people are more health conscious that they were before, and I think that's why the Denver market has done so well."

The Trust for America's Health and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's annual "F as in Fat" report from 2010 has Colorado listed as the only state in the union with an obesity rate of less than 20 percent. Obesity is defined as a body mass index of 30 or higher (180 or more pounds for a 5'5' person).

Bradley and her partners bought the rights to open 10 Yogurtland stores on the Front Range by the end of 2013. They already have three stores open and one under construction. Bradley said her goals as an operator are to have the cleanest stores with the best customer service.

But dessert lovers don't have to sacrifice taste for health. Yogurdand and most other stores feature the plain tart frozen yogurt flavor, but they also have flavors like "Red Velvet Cupcake Batter" and "Lychee Tart." In addition, customers can choose from a self-serve bar of...