Pinkberry: Don't call me fro-yo, bro!

The giant frozen dessert megachain known as Pinkberry (which is really based off of a Korean chain called Red Mango; you can read more about in Yuri's post below) settled a class-action suit this week in LA, regarding claims that it was misrepresenting its product as "frozen yogurt" and "all-natural." While not denying any wrongdoing, Pinkberry has agreed to pay $750,000 to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank (a food collection agency) and Para Los Niños (a non profit family service org) plus the legal fees and an additional $5,000 to the plantiff Lisa Sutton, who claims she suffered injuries and loss of money spent on Pinkberry products ("Oh no, I ate Pinkberry everyday for it's 'health benefits' and now I'm broke and fat!!" Puh-lease, girlfriend).

The problem stems from the fact that Pinkberry's products do not meet California Department of Food and Agriculture's standards and requirements of what frozen yogurt is, namely that it contain the necessary amount of bacterial cultures per ounce (According to the Los Angeles Times, Pinkberry's product had only 69,000 bacterial cultures per gram, compared to 200,000 for Baskin-Robbins). The ingredients also have to be clearly listed, which Pinkberry has only begun to do so on its website recently, in response to the controversy.

So, I doubt Lisa Sutton will be visiting a Pinkberry anytime soon, but according to the Gothamist, the $5,000 she's receiving works out to be like one medium original dessert (with toppings) every day for three years. Which I so need, because uh, a) I don't really care that it's not really frozen yogurt and has no health benefits, and b) since they opened one up right across the street from the building I work at, I've gone everyday. Which is not good, not good at all.