I don’t have an addictive personality. But I do have a penchant for sweets. So when I came across the Greek frozen yogurt bars from Yasso and heard the backstory of the dynamic duo behind this dessert-disrupting brand I had to share it.
The idea for Yasso was conceived in 2009 by two kindergarten friends, Amanda Klane and Drew Harrington, who set out on a what some might consider an impossible mission: to make delicious low-calorie desserts with natural ingredients that also offered nutritional benefits. After two years of perfecting their recipe, in 2011 Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars were born and has quickly become one of the fastest growing brands in the frozen novelty food category beating out many of the established, household brands. Now sold in over 15,000 stores nationwide, Yasso will generate revenue well over $50 million in 2016, giving the independently owned start-up a 60% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) over the past 5 years since their inception.
Made only with natural ingredients like real Greek yogurt with live active cultures, rBST-free milk and natural sweeteners, Yasso is a tasty low-calorie frozen treat (ranging from 80-150 calories per bar) filled with protein and containing little to no fat. With 15 flavors to choose from (with more to come) you can eat several of these tasty treats in one sitting and not worry about expanding your waistline or without feeling like you are eating some lab created diet food. As my husband and I chipped away at trying all of the flavors a few that really struck a chord with us were Cinnamon Bun, Mint Chocolate Chip, Coconut, and the Coffee Chocolate Chip. We still cannot believe that these indulgent desserts are so low in calories.
When asked about what it is like working with a long-term friend, Klane and Harrington, who both just recently turned 30 years old, tell me, “Our working relationship is awesome and very satisfying. We grew up together and we have a 20-year history. We know each other like brother and sister and have long established trust, which is extremely helpful when starting a company. We wouldn’t have it any other way. Being former athletes we realize the importance of being a strong team and we feel that this helps our company gel together”.
The duo may be young, but they are smart beyond their years and recognize the importance of bringing on experts to help them take their brand to the next level. Klane tells me, “I started working in the food business with my dad who was a food broker so we have surrounded ourselves with people who are smarter than us and understand the food industry from all perspectives. Our success is due in large part to the knowledgeable advisors and employees that support our company and our growth. We feel extremely fortunate to have such a great team of employees as well as folks who we can tap into for their expertise”.
So, what is it like to be a dessert start-up competing against stiff competition that not only has brand recognition, but also big money advertising and product development behind them?
“We have always considered ourselves disruptors in a very competitive food space,” Harrington tells me. “But we did not let our competition with big names and money behind them get us down—in fact, it was a motivator. All that we can control is our product by continually evolving our flavors and meeting our nutritional benchmarks. Being athletes, we have always reached high and Yasso was no different. We’ve always had the goal to be on the shelves of mainstream grocery stores and we have surpassed legacy brands like Dove and Friendly’s”.
There is a lot to be gleaned from Klane and Harrington’s success becoming the fastest-growing brand among the top-20 frozen novelty dessert brands in the country and the only start-up player in the top-40 among a sea of deeply entrenched competitors. When asked what some of the biggest lessons that they have learned since launching Yasso, the pair tells me, “To start a business it always takes more money than you think and the bigger you get the more money you continue to need. You need to trust your own conviction and not be scared to run with an idea you believe in and tweak it as you go—nothing is perfect from day one. And most importantly, you need to make sure you take at least a half hour a day to do something for yourself—you are never productive when you are overworked”.
For more information about Yasso and where to purchase their products visit their website.
