Froyo with a ’tini twist: Entrepreneur collaboration serves alcoholic frozen yogurt in KC

August 23, 2023  |  Cienna Romines

Isaac Collins, Yogurtini, and James Thomas, Brain Freeze Mobile Daiquiri, at Yogurtini's Overland Park store; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu

Kansas City is excited by the new flavor combinations popping up as two entrepreneurs give customers a taste of collaboration, said Isaac Collins, teasing a line of alcoholic frozen yogurt that’s already hitting cups in the metro.

James Thomas, Brain Freeze Mobile Daiquiri, and Isaac Collins, Yogurtini

Through a partnership with KC-based Brain Freeze Mobile Daiquiri, Collins’ Yogurtini locations have begun a series of happy hour events to showcase the new offering — allowing people throughout the metro an opportunity to sample, whether they’re in the Northland, Plaza area or South Johnson County.

“Each time we’ve done this, I’ve had a lot of people text me saying ‘I’m rooting you guys on,’” said Collins, the owner of multiple Yogurtini stores across the city. “Every time we post something on Instagram, I get a ton of messages like, ‘Oh my gosh, I want this!’ There’s a lot of excitement and curiosity.”

“They’re curious because it’s like ice cream, it’s like a daiquiri, it’s alcoholic,” added James Thomas, owner of Brain Freeze Mobile Daiquiri. “With an interesting concept like this, everyone wants to try it out — to see what it really tastes like.”

Collins is a veteran entrepreneur who has owned eight businesses in the past 11 years. In addition to Yogurtini, he currently operates a business coaching venture and a yoga business.

From the archives: Don’t let ‘buy local’ be a fad; we’re investing it all in our businesses, says serial entrepreneur

Recently, he’d been wanting to expand his Yogurtini business by incorporating alcohol, he said. 

“One thing that was very obvious by our name ‘Yogurtini’ is people think the ‘tini’ part is mixed with some sort of alcohol, like a martini or something like that,” Collins explained. “Unfortunately we had to say no. ” 

Until now. 

“Obviously our brand is largely for kids,” Collins continued, “but what if we could give adults their favorite flavor with that alcohol component as well?”

That’s where fellow entrepreneur Thomas came in.

Collins and Thomas met at an event earlier this year, and discovered a shared passion to create the perfect combination of alcohol and froyo. 

James Thomas, Brain Freeze Mobile Daiquiri; photo by Cienna Romines

Thomas has owned Brain Freeze Mobile Daiquiri for just over a year, and also was looking to expand his business.

RELATED: Brain Freeze Mobile Daiquiri among PHKC prize winners; It’s amazing when someone understands your vision, founder says 

“First we had to test to see how much of my product and his product could go together to create that perfect combination,” Thomas said in mid-August.

Their solution: just the right amount of Brain Freeze daiquiri — available in two flavors — atop a cup of Yogurtini frozen yogurt; allowing the brand to preserve options for children and adults alike.

Thomas and Collins plan to co-partner on pop-up events and other vendor opportunities this summer and fall. Customers can get their favorite frozen yogurtini, a daiquiri, or a mixture of the two, the duo said.

Startland News reporter Nikki Overfelt Chifalu contributed to this report.

startland-tip-jar

TIP JAR

Did you enjoy this post? Show your support by becoming a member or buying us a coffee.

Tagged , , ,
Featured Business
    Featured Founder

      2023 Startups to Watch

        stats here

        Related Posts on Startland News

        Tim Schaffer, AREA Real Estate Advisors; and Basel Bataineh, Somera Road

        Downtown innovation district: Developers envision 30-story Lightwell project as its own startup hub

        By Tommy Felts | October 2, 2019

        It’s possible the Lightwell building’s exterior hasn’t been cleaned since 1977, joked Tim Schaffer as he walked a vine-wrapped rooftop terrace that overlooks downtown Kansas City.  “It was totally unintentional, the way it came together,” Schaffer, president of AREA Real Estate Advisors, said of the multi-million-dollar office redevelopment project that’s quickly evolved into what Schaffer…

        Ben Hammes, Social Afterlife

        Lifting the burden: Social Afterlife oversees social media accounts of lost loved ones

        By Tommy Felts | October 1, 2019

        Receiving a birthday notification on a social media platform is a common source of angst for Ben Hammes’ customers, the founder of Social Afterlife said.   “We handle the memorialization or removal of social media for the deceased on behalf of the family,” Hammes said, explaining his startup. “This helps the family with dealing with the…

        Doug Tree, Staychill

        Hilly KU campus inspires ‘back sweat’ innovation for Startup Weekend KC team

        By Tommy Felts | October 1, 2019

        If more entrepreneurs were willing to invest a little sweat alongside virtual strangers, they’d carry an even larger number of cutting-edge startups to success, Tyler Sherman said. “In two days, we have a product that I feel comfortable enough to say we’ll roll with,” Sherman, a participant in the recent Techstars Startup Weekend, said of…

        Kasim Hardaway; Photo courtesy of Nam Cu

        Social Side Effect: Don’t call Kasim Hardaway an influencer (but do ask him about poké)

        By Tommy Felts | September 28, 2019

        Editor’s note: Social Side Effect is an ongoing profile series that identifies the intersection between social influencing and entrepreneurship   Instagram stories are more than temporary snapshots. They’re a growing vehicle for influencer marketing in Kansas City, Kasim Hardaway explained.  “It was never something I set out to do. It kind of just happened,” Hardaway, a…