Where a frozen yogurt machine once stood, there is now a barren countertop. Those looking for on-campus frozen yogurt will no longer be able to satisfy their cravings at Alpine Atrium, where these desserts were recently discontinued.
This is not the first time froyo offerings have changed at Duke, where the desserts have had a complicated history. Joey Landry, Alpine Atrium's manager, said the Atrium began to serve Freshëns brand froyo approximately eight years ago. This was eventually discontinued, however, due to insufficient “service and support” from this vendor.
A replacement was sought by Alpine Bagels, which also runs Alpine Atrium and the Sanford Deli in addition to the popular bagel shop. This replacement company had provided froyo for the past two years, up until just three weeks ago. As Landry explained, this recent change was largely due to vender-related issues, as this outside supplier could no longer service Duke’s needs.
“Our Freshëns replacement was not able to support us at our current demand,” Landry said.
Many students have noticed the quiet but dramatic change, and student inquiries have been common, noted Alpine Atrium employee Lauren Holliday. Holliday says that froyo was popular among students and has seen some students become visibly upset about the change.
“I remember this one time, someone looked like she was about to break into tears,” said Holliday.
Many others were left confused about the cause of froyo’s disappearance. Sophomore Shikha Nayar commented that the froyo was “really convenient” and was unsure why it was discontinued.
“I find it odd that they stopped it because it was probably pretty popular,” Nayar said.
Landry said that student feedback would be welcome and helpful during this time of transition. Those looking to provide opinions can fill out comment cards in Alpine Atrium.
Students looking for frozen desserts can still go to Alpine Bagels, where Tasti D-lite remains available. Still, Tasti D-lite will not be a perfect substitute for frozen yogurt. As Tasti D-lite’s website explains, their product is “a dairy-based soft serve frozen dessert. Not frozen yogurt, because it doesn’t contain fermented yogurt cultures.”
The saga does not end here: Alpine Atrium is looking to fill the void left by froyo’s exit. Landry could not yet share specific details but said that they were looking at a variety of options.
“We’ve got some ideas that we’re excited about,” Landry said.
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