A trip to the US convinced former banker & mum of three Cass Spies to return to Bondi and open Twisted Yoghurt, a healthier alternative to ice cream.
Cass spoke to Bondi Beauty about the launch of her hall street business:
1) The move from banking to yoghurt must have been a stretch? How did it happen?
When I had my second child I knew that I did not want to return to banking and I had always dreamed of having my own business (after growing up and idolising my entrepreneurial father).
We saw frozen yoghurt in the USA, and as a mother I was always on the lookout for a healthy alternative for my kids. I decided to create a quality home grown product and so … Twisted was born.
2) What about the move from the UK to Australia? Was that a big one, and what changes did you see in the food and health industries?
The move from the UK back home to Australia was indeed a big one – in fact it was huge and it really took me about 12 months to fully settle and integrate back into an Aussie way of life.
The one thing I noticed was that Aussies had really become ‘enlightened’ if you like about what went into their bodies.
Especially landing back in a place like Bondi, I was inspired by the people that surrounded me.
Personal trainers are everywhere, along with soft sand runners, families are at the beach, and focusing on health and well being was at the core of their lives. This is not something that I ever experienced living and working in London – I had a lot of fun… don’t get me wrong – but I’m not sure if I was very healthy.
3) How healthy is Twisted? And is it a healthier alternative to ice-cream?
Our yoghurt is 98% fat free, made from all natural ingredients and is made with real Greek yoghurt.
Proudly Australian, each & every flavour is lovingly crafted using real & authentic ingredients. Strawberry means strawberries, passionfruit means passionfruits, vanilla means vanilla beans.
Our yoghurt is definitely a healthier alternative to ice cream – it has around half the sugar of most ice creams and is a truly low calorie dessert alternative at around 80 calories per serve.
4) How did you stumble on the concept?
I saw the concept on the West Coast in LA – I was visiting friends and they took me to a new chain that had opened in their neighbourhood. I went there and was literally obsessed from that moment. I consumed every bit of information that I could get my hand on about frozen yoghurt and then I went back to my roots as a Food Technologist and came up with our secret recipe.
5) Why are Australians so passionate about iced desserts?
I think this goes back to the long hot days we have all spent in the summer having ice blocks with our friends at the beach! I think it is at the heart of our culture.
6) What are some of your personal favourite places in Bondi?
Powerliving Yoga has got to be the top of my list, the Bucket List for long hot summer evenings at the beach, Porch and Parlour for their Green breakkie bowl and of course I cant go past Twisted in Hall St for a froyo and smoothie session with my kidlets!
What’s your favourite flavour frozen yoghurt?
