New Dubai chocolate strawberry cup at Yogurt Co. in Wyandotte is part of bigger trend
A decadent combination of fruit, chocolate and pistachios has taken a Downriver yogurt shop by storm.
The dessert is inspired by the Dubai chocolate bar with a crunchy pistachio center that had everyone raving in 2024.
Called the Dubai chocolate strawberry cup, the new confection is showing up around metro Detroit and has proved to be a big winner at Yogurt Co. on Biddle Avenue in Wyandotte. The business is owned by Jay Mahfouz and his wife, Amy,
The dessert is made in a 16-ounce cup filled with slices of strawberries or bananas (or a combination of both). Layered between them are crunchy and seasoned kanafe pistachio cream, Yogurt Co.'s secret cream, and drizzles of Dubai chocolate fudge and Nutella.
If you like, you can top the whole thing off with a scoop of ice cream for $1 extra. (I highly recommend the ice cream. Vanilla is best.)
'When we did our research … it's supposed to be the fruit, with the sauces and pistachio cream,' Mahfouz said. 'We did our own twist, taking the pistachio cream to another level by mixing in other ingredients to give it crunch.'
More: Which metro Detroit restaurant has the best chicken wings? Submit your nominations now!
Adding the Dubai chocolate strawberry cup to Yogurt Co.'s menu was the idea of Jamal Jawad, owner of the Custard Co. in Dearborn and Mahfouz's cousin. It has proved to be a business booster, even in winter.
'We went viral, and it's been insane,' Mahfouz said. 'We needed it. … Downriver needed it.'
The Yogurt Co., Instagram page features posts of the dessert being at the shop as well as a collaboration with downriver Instagram tot Ace Morris @itsaces_world, who has nearly 400,000 followers, sampling the dessert.
Since adding the dessert to the menu, which costs $13 or $14 with a scoop of ice cream, Mahfouz said he has been ordering 600-700 packs of strawberries weekly. Each day, he goes through one to two tubs of the pistachio mix that Amy makes.
Each dessert is made to order, including slicing the fresh fruit, and takes a few minutes to assemble, Mahfouz said.
Yogurt Co., known for its large variety of frozen yogurt flavors and toppings ranging from candies to nuts to pretzels, has been a mainstay in downtown Wyandotte for 10 years.
'Our main thing is frozen yogurt that is gluten-free has probiotics, is low in sugar, low carb, and has no corn syrups,' Mahfouz said.
Yogurt Co. also has ice cream and is known for its Bubble Tea, Mahfouz said. On Wednesday's, the Yogurt Co., offers 'No Weigh Wednesday' where you buy the frozen yogurt by the cup size for one price and fill it up, adding as many toppings as you like.
The new dessert is a must-try. If you can't eat it all by yourself, it's easily shared.
Winter hours at Yogurt Co. are 1:30-9:30 p.m. daily. Hours will change once warm weather arrives.
Contact Detroit Free Press food writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter.
Support local journalism and become a digital subscriber to the Free Press.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Dessert based by Dubai chocolate bar trends at Wyandotte yogurt shop
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
The HEMI is back: Citing customer feedback, Ram returns V8 HEMI engines to 1500 pickups
The HEMI is back: Citing customer feedback, Ram returns V8 HEMI engines to 1500 pickups Show Caption Hide Caption Detroit Free Press Car, Truck, Utility of the Year revealed Decades of work by Toyota and a bold new strategy from General Motors pay off with great vehicles, all priced in the heart of the market. Ram discontinued the HEMI engine in 2024, opting for a more powerful and fuel efficient inline six-cylinder engine. Citing customer sentiment, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis said the brand would rerelease the V-8 HEMI engine in most of its pickup offerings. Kuniskis also noted a change in Ram's market approach, with an extensive focus on one-to-one retail sales with "real customers." A year after removing the HEMI, Ram is reintroducing its famous V-8 engine to its product lineup and unveiling a new logo to accompany it. At a preview event with automotive media, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis said the HEMI is coming back to Ram trucks along with a new emblem that the brand is calling a "symbol of protest," featuring a ram's head jutting out of a V-8 engine block. Rams reequipped with the HEMI engines will be available for sale this summer, the company said, in the following Ram 1500 models: Tradesman, Big Horn, Express, Warlock, Laramie, Rebel (available later than other models), Limited and Longhorn. A year ago, Ram announced it would be discontinuing the HEMI V-8 engines in favor of a more fuel-efficient and powerful Hurricane twin-turbo inline six-cylinder engine. The hurricane engines also performed better under emissions regulations. That move, Kuniskis said, was a mistake. "Ram screwed up when we dropped the HEMI — we own it and we fixed it,' Kuniskis said in a statement. Both the Hurricane and HEMI engines will be available for buyers now, giving buyers a choice. Kuniskis said that the decision was informed by customer feedback. People were mad. Toyota Tundra recalls: Is Toyota's most expensive truck reliable or plagued with issues? "(Buyers) hate the fact that we took away the freedom of choice," Kuniskis said. "We as Americans, probably more so truck buyers, hate the fact that we said, 'This is the choice you get, this is the engine you're going to take.' " Kuniskis said Ram's market approach has changed to focus almost entirely on retail sales, pulling back on fleet and rental business. Kuniskis considers this the truest reflection of the automotive market, he said, referring to retail sales as "sales to real customers." As is common with Kuniskis, whose persona reflects Ram's brand identity as loud and unapologetic, he was quick to decry experts who hawk Ram's sales numbers. The decision to bring the HEMI back was made because he heard enough from people who were upset, not crafty data analytics. "At the end of each month, we count sales to customers, not statisticians or ideologues," Kuniskis said. "Data be damned — we raise our flag and let the HEMI ring free again!' added Kuniskis. Liam Rappleye covers Stellantis and the UAW. Contact him at LRappleye@
Entrepreneur
13 hours ago
- Entrepreneur
Kosmc AI Secures $200,000 Pre-Seed Round to Bridge Gap Creators and Commerce
You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Kosmc AI, a social commerce infrastructure startup, has raised $200,000 in pre-seed funding from a group of undisclosed angel investors based in India and the Middle East. According to a press release issued by the company, the capital will be used to enhance its no-code product suite, expand affiliate integrations, and scale operations across India and Southeast Asia. Kosmc AI is tackling what it calls a fundamental mismatch between how users interact on social platforms and how commerce actually happens. While platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram drive high engagement, the company argues that monetisation mechanisms remain outdated and inefficient. "Social platforms are now where discovery and engagement begin, but monetisation still relies on traditional e-commerce systems," said Ankur Gupta, CEO, Kosmc AI. "Kosmc is building infrastructure that allows individuals and brands to convert conversations and content into commerce, without needing code, commissions, or technical complexity." With over 160,000 monthly active users across 25 countries, the platform primarily serves content creators, digital-first entrepreneurs, and early-stage consumer brands. Its toolset includes link-in-bio storefronts for direct sales via social media, chat automation to handle customer interactions, mobile-optimised checkout Smartlinks, and affiliate tools to connect brands with creators and micro-influencers. The rise of short-form video, chat-based transactions, and influencer marketing is reshaping how consumers discover and purchase products. Kosmc AI is aiming to serve as a backbone for this emerging model of commerce—one that bypasses traditional e-commerce gatekeepers. Manavta Narula, co-founder and COO, underscored the company's broader ambition. "Commerce today needs to be creator-first, mobile-native, and frictionless," she said. "We are building tools that allow anyone to own their narrative, engage meaningfully, and earn from their presence online without heavy dependencies."
Entrepreneur
4 days ago
- Entrepreneur
Kosmc AI Raises Pre-Seed Round to Power AI-Driven Social Commerce
The fresh funding will be used to enhance Kosmc AI's no-code product suite, deepen affiliate integrations, and scale operations across India and Southeast Asia. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Delhi-based startup Kosmc AI has secured USD 200,000 in pre-seed funding from undisclosed angel investors across India and the Middle East to expand its AI-led social commerce infrastructure. The funding will be used to enhance Kosmc AI's no-code product suite, deepen affiliate integrations, and scale operations across India and Southeast Asia. The startup is on a mission to simplify how creators and direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands monetise content and engagement across platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram. Founded in 2024 by Ankur Gupta and Manavta Narula, Kosmc AI is building infrastructure that bridges the gap between social media engagement and actual commerce. The startup claims to have already supported over 160,000 monthly active users in more than 25 countries. "Social platforms are now where discovery and engagement begin, but monetisation still relies on traditional e-commerce systems," said Ankur Gupta, Founder and CEO of Kosmc AI. "Kosmc is building infrastructure that allows individuals and brands to convert conversations and content into commerce—without needing code, commissions, or technical complexity." Kosmc AI offers a powerful suite of four tools: Link-in-bio storefronts for selling directly via social media for selling directly via social media Chat automation tools for handling customer conversations for handling customer conversations Smartlinks to simplify mobile checkout journeys to simplify mobile checkout journeys Affiliate infrastructure that connects creators with D2C brands The company's no-code approach empowers digital-first entrepreneurs, content creators, and early-stage brands to own their commerce journey in a mobile-first, creator-led economy. Co-founder and COO Manavta Narula added, "The company's mission is to make the digital economy more accessible. Commerce today needs to be creator-first, mobile-native, and frictionless. We are building tools that allow anyone to own their narrative, engage meaningfully, and earn from their presence online without heavy dependencies." As the creator economy continues to surge, Kosmc AI positions itself at the forefront—enabling seamless monetisation where content, community, and commerce converge.
