Sno: la - Yogurt With An 'Eco-Flavor'

Sno:la, the new frozen yogurt store, at 244 N. Beverly Dr. in Beverly Hills, adjacent to the site of the new Montage Hotel, offers healthy "froyo" with an ecological twist.
Founder Masako Kawashima, working to save the environment, is using a fresh approach for her new yogurteria sno:la - a green approach.
The dessert itself is organic; "nonfat- and '"white sugar-free. - It is prepared at the store twice daily.
Flavors go beyond the standard two choices. With her food development and taste specialist, Kawashima has created flavors including Italian tart,· pomegranate, fig and date, "dulce de leche; sour cherry and chocolate cremita."
Toppings range from aloe vera to toasted coconut, from chocolate nibs to hazelnut streusel. Then there are sno:la's original cherry sauce. and an assortment of fresh seasonal fruit. In total there are more than 36 choices of toppings.
One ounce of tart flavor has only 23 calories before toppings. Sno:la is also priced starting at $2 for a serving. A portion of the profits supports ecological causes such as Slow Food (for sustainable farming) and the United Nations World Food Programme (to stop hunger Worldwide).
The hip new space was also conceived with "green- in mind. Working with award-winning green architects Akar Studios, Kawashima has incorporated yogurt maChines that can be solar powered.
She also has biodegradable bowls made from sugar cane and wood and potato based spoons rather than plastic. Verrine and water glasses are made from corn, and are compostable.
The design of sno:la includes counter tops made from recycled computer chips and tables made of fast-growing sustainable eucalyptus trees. The floors are polished with a soy-based sealer.
We believe we must safeguard our earth. I am pleased if we can make a difference by going green. Our earth-friendly zone also compliments our healthy sno:la treat," said Kawashima.
Kawashima, a longtime live music promoter for the Japanese market, got the idea from making her own soft serve treat at home here in Los Angeles. Randy Phillips, a Beverly Hills resident and president and CEO of AEG Live, (the live entertainment company that programs many venues including the Staples Center and Nokia Theatre) was a business colleague of Kawashima and was one of the first friends to sample her yogurt.
He decided to lend his support as one of her founding investors, to personally help her grow her business in Beverly Hills.
"The chocolate alone was unbelievable! I see the potential of sno:la expanding to other locations: said Phillips.
"When you visit sno:la and taste the future... you also eat healthy and are eco-friendly," Kawashima says.