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Business & Tech

New Frozen Yogurt Place Serves Up Healthy Options

Red Mango looks like an instant hit on Berdan Avenue.

Red Mango was a bustle of energy on opening night.

A group of employees weaved in and out of a crowd of teenagers, parents and grandparents as they scrambled to hand out samples, clean spills and cut fresh fruit.

The store, which opened on Friday, had more than 500 visitors by the afternoon. Co-owner Marc Honigfeld said he predicted there would be upwards of 1,000 customers by the end of the first day.

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“There are going to be people who come back five six times just this weekend,” Honigfeld said.

Red Mango is an up-and-coming underdog in the restaurant business. It is the fastest-growing frozen yogurt chain in the country. There are 147 in the United States with about 100 more scheduled to open by year's end, including 15 in New Jersey. 

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Freshly-cut fruit adds a splash of color to the white countertop of toppings as the team hustled to make sure each topping is neatly filled.

“The market was waiting for something healthy like this to come out,” Honigfeld said.

The all-natural yogurt has calcium, protein and active yogurt cultures, which give it a tangier taste than yogurt made by their competitors. It is also lacks artificial additives like high-fructose corn syrup.

“We provide our customers with a truly all-natural product,” Honigfeld said.

The healthy appeal of the products are what drew some customers to the store opening day.

“The toppings are more fresh and healthy than the topping options at CUPS,” Lauren Bracco said, a Wayne resident who attends Montclair State University. ”The flavors are also healthier, like pomegranate and dark chocolate, and tart.”

Red Mango also has a variety of smoothies.

“I have never gotten frozen yogurt before but I will definitely be back,” Harrison Merker said, a Wayne Hills student who said his favorite flavor is strawberry.

The store has 12 flavors, including: coconut, pomegranate, black cherry, key lime pie, Madagascar vanilla and white peach. Toppings range from fresh fruits, like blackberries and strawberries, to brownie bites and children's cereals like Fruit Loops.                  

“I got the banana flavor,” Wayne Hills High School student Carly Ginsberg said. “I like how all of Red Mango’s frozen yogurt has a tart taste to it. My frozen yogurt tasted like an actual banana.”

Red Mango is strategically positioned near Wayne Hills and DePaul Catholic High Schools to attract a younger customer base. It is located near Corrado’s, Sunrise Bagels and Positano’s, all which are popular stops for Wayne residents.

“We like the feel of this shopping center,” co-owner Steven Rothstein said. “Marc grew up here and knows the area. It’s just like a shopping center in Long Island that has a Red Mango. We thought it would be a choice.”

The owners have high hopes for the store.

“Our goal is to be around for many years to come,” Rothstein said.

Red Mango is open Sunday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to midnight. Check them out on Facebook here.

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