Frozen Asset

Labneh enters next-gen soft serve innovation

Frozen desserts have become a major arena for flavor and texture experimentation, and labneh is beginning to make its mark. At Yellow, a Levantine café with locations in Washington, D.C., labneh serves as the foundation for a rotating soft-serve program.

The tangy strained yogurt is paired with seasonal flavors and globally inspired toppings. One recent version combined apple cider notes with ras el hanout oat crunch, while other iterations have featured pomegranate molasses, orange blossom marmalade, baklava and brown butter-pistachio.

The application highlights labneh’s ability to bridge indulgence and freshness, delivering the creamy satisfaction of ice cream alongside the bright acidity consumers increasingly associate with frozen yogurt.

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About the Author

Katie Ayoub serves as managing editor of Flavor & The Menu and content strategist for the Flavor Experience, an annual conference geared toward chain operators. She is president of Katie Ayoub & Associates, serving up menu trends expertise, content creation and food & beverage consultancy. Based in Chicago, Katie has been working in foodservice publishing for more than 20 years and part of the Flavor team since 2006. [email protected]Read More Stories by Katie Ayoub