Friday, March 18, 2011

Localvores Rejoice : Three on the Tree in Business With Atlanta Fresh

Two of Atlanta's most well known local yogurt businesses are swirling together something new. Atlanta Fresh, a local yogurt company, will soon be producing the yogurt for Atlanta-based Three on The Tree. Atlanta Fresh is the brainchild of Ron Marks, who sought to bring artisanal yogurt and cheeses to Atlanta. After running Focus on Food, a food marketing research company for a number of years, Marks converted his existing kitchen and offices into the headquarters for Atlanta Fresh in 2009. Today, Atlanta Fresh is carried in Whole Foods, Star Provisions, Alon's, assorted other retailers and various weekend farmers' markets.

Three on Three, the brainchild of Fellini's Pizza and La Fonda Latina founder Clay Harper, opened last summer in north Buckhead with a variety of frozen yogurt options. Differentiating themselves from otherfrozen yogurt shops, Three on The Tree's self service stations feature six flavors, two of which are custom made by local chef Julia LeRoy. The other four flavors are sourced from Honey Hill Farms, a yogurt purveyor based in Russellville, Arkansas. Many other local and national yogurt shops source their product from Portland, Oregon-based YoCream. LeRoy often uses Honey Hill's basic tart yogurt as a base for her custom creations like Spiced Banana and Blueberry Betty, but soon Atlanta Fresh will produce the base yogurts and may eventually produce more.

A fan of Atlanta Fresh since I tried it in late 2009, Peach Ginger is by far my favorite flavor. When Three on the Tree introduced a Peach Ginger flavor I had high hopes that it would taste similar to the Atlanta Fresh version, but sadly it fell short for me. Perhaps now, with the new relationship, a frozen version of my favorite will be within reach!

Three on the Tree currently has just one location, next to Fellini's and La Fonda near the intersection of Roswell and Wieuca Roads. In the coming weeks, a mini Three on the Tree will open within the existing Fellini's Pizza on LaVista near new neighborhood favorites Napoleon's and Sprig. Later, a third location is slated to open next to the existing La Fonda on Howell Mill Road, across from The Real Chow Baby.

It's always nice to see local companies like this come together and I'm hopeful for an even better product from both.

What's your favorite frozen yogurt shop in Atlanta? Do you prefer self serve or sized options? What's the "sweet" spot price wise when it comes to FroYo? Does the idea of artisanal yogurt interest you?

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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sooo I know this is off topic but there was another article in the Business Chronicle that mentioned Midtown is under-served in terms of retail. They said a new eye wear store is opening as well as the mexican restaurant where 5th St Cafe used to be (which we all knew about it). Then it went on to say there are more retail announcements soon...

Why do they keep saying that and nothing happens?!

Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table said...

You just made my day. These are probably my 2 favorite local foods as of late. (Agreed on the Peach Ginger yogurt.) I write about them religiously.

When did they make a fo-yo version?! I was just in there last night and they had yuzu and a pistachio (both delish) by Julia. That spiced banana is my favorite so far though.

Atlantan99 said...

@Anon,

Don't get me started on the BS reported by the ABC. All I know is it seems the group behind the Midtown Mile has taken the "fake it til you make it" with their retailers. Hint at some, mention by name others and hope they snag a few tenants in the process. Parking has and will always be an issue for midtown retail. I'd be interested to see just how long CB2 lasts in its current location. Here's to hoping for the long rumored Apple store!

Thanks for reading and for the question.

Atlantan99 said...

Hey Laura,

Glad I could make your day! When I got the deets on this, I was pretty dang ecstatic myself. The Peach Ginger Fro-Yo at Three on the Tree was one of their first flavors last summer and I've seen it maybe twice since. (I'm a bit of an addict and have been as many as three times in a single day)

Current favorites for me include Spiced Banana (knockoff "Honey Banana" at Yogurt Tap in Decatur good but not amazing) Blueberry Brown Betty and Brown Sugar Spiced Cake. Horchata was in briefly this past weekend but was very popular and I only got to have it once :(

Thanks for reading and for the comments.

Anonymous said...

I don't understand - there is plenty of parking in the building CB2 is located in and random decks/lots throughout Midtown. Are people here that stupid/lazy?

There's also a large population of people that live in that area within walking distance that are UNDERSERVED.

Atlantan99 said...

@ Anon,

"Are people here that stupid / lazy?" I myself don't live in midtown so I don't know with the utmost of certainty, but from what I've read / observed / experienced / heard from those that do live in midtown... I'd say yes. Midtown establishments can't make it on midtown residents alone and others ( from Dunwoody , Buckhead etc. ) want to have plentiful, nearby and hopefully free parking; things most midtown businesses lack. It's sad, but its the truth as best I can tell. I walk plenty, more than many of my peers, and that's the issue. Many Atlantans could not function w/o their cars.

Thanks for reading and for the comment!

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