Meet the young Aussie behind the Yo-Chi craze

A young businessman behind a cult dessert chain that’s taking over the nation is the son of one of Australia’s biggest entrepreneurs.

Frozen yoghurt is having its moment right now, drawing Aussies away from their couches and back onto the streets in search of the self-serve dessert.

Yo-Chi is leading this revival, transforming late-night outings into wholesome gatherings over cups of tart, creamy yoghurt.

With 43 locations across five states and plans to reach 60 by the end of the year, it’s the fastest-growing dessert chain in Australia, and the mastermind behind this phenomenon is Oliver Allis.

The froyo renaissance

Yo-Chi’s meteoric rise feels reminiscent of Boost Juice’s early days, and it’s no coincidence.

Oliver, Yo-Chi’s Brand Director, is the son of Boost Juice co-founders Janine and Jeff Allis.

While Boost revolutionised healthy drinks, the second of the four Allis children is doing the same for frozen yoghurt, turning it into a social hub for Gen Z and millennials.

The chain’s self-service model allows customers to build their own creations from a rotating selection of yoghurt flavours and toppings – think fresh fruit, crunchy biscuits, and the cult-favourite Pistachio Papi spread.

Founded in Melbourne in 2012, Yo-Chi drew inspiration from international froyo giants like US-based Pinkberry and Europe’s Llaollao.

In 2018, Made Establishment, owned by celebrity chef George Calombaris, took charge, and it began to gain momentum.

However, it wasn’t until Oliver, then 23, and his family took over in 2020 that the brand truly found its feet.

Oliver Allis, the son of Boost Juice co-founders Janine and Jeff Allis, is the brand director of cult dessert chain Yo-Chi. Picture: X

Oliver Allis is the Brand Director at Yo-Chi. Picture: Supplied

Yo-Chi is the fastest growing dessert chain in Australia. Picture: Supplied

The Allis touch

The young Aussie still recalls the first store opening a decade ago when he was in Year 10.

“I was going to Yo-Chi when it first opened in Balaclava in 2012,” he tells news.com.au.

“I was one of those cheeky customers who used to eat yoghurt before paying – I feel terrible about that now!”

At that time, his family always referred to the business as having the “magic dust,” which meant it was a well-crafted brand that held “a world of potential”.

“When the opportunity arose to take ownership of the brand and business, it was a no-brainer since I was already a huge fan,” he continues.

“The idea of making it an even better business was one we couldn’t pass up.”

He was raised in an household where business conversations were common, so he developed a love for entrepreneurship almost by osmosis.

“My upbringing – being in the background of meetings, conferences and stores my whole life – instilled in me that anything is possible.

“As a result, I’ve always wanted to own and create something special because I saw how fulfilling that could be.”

Oliver at an event with collaborator Pistachio Papi. Picture: Supplied

The humble businessman insists that rebranding Yo-Chi as “cool” again was a huge team effort.

It involved his family – dad, Aunty Suzie, Uncle Rob, cousin Claudia – and his mum has recently started helping with international inquiries.

But it’s also included many other vital players, from Claudia Marro designing the ultra-modern stores to Chief Operating Officer Brooke Rodger improving operations, and Rob Marro scouting locations.

Its carefully curated in-venue experiences are overseen by a skilled operations team led by Jeremey O’Neil and Jake Patane.

Yo-Chi uses a self-serve model. Picture: Supplied

From a marketing perspective, TikTok campaigns led by young team members have helped Yo-Chi create a brand image that resonates deeply with its target demographic.

Initiatives like free froyo weeks, surprise UberEats orders, and colouring competitions with a $10,000 prize have generated buzz, and the subsequent lines outside stores act as free “billboards” for the brand, says Oliver.

They’ve also championed environmental sustainability, recently collaborating with KeepCup to launch a reusable bowl that customers can use in-store and get a 10 per cent discount.

“We have also removed all our single-use drinks fridges and replaced them with still and sparkling water stations, which are offered for free to customers at all venues,” he explains.

They have also switched all customer-facing packaging to compostable materials.

The Yo-Chi KeepCup collaboration. Picture: Supplied

People flocking to Yo-Chi over bars

Yo-Chi has become the go-to hangout spot for today’s health-conscious youth, with its extended opening hours being a huge drawcard.

Its venues are decorated with disco balls and play upbeat music, creating a fun and lively atmosphere.

“I think Yo-Chi is a much more inclusive place to hang out than bars and clubs,” Oliver notes.

“Unlike my youth, the younger generation are drinking far less and seem much more health-focused, so they’re looking for alternative places to chill, especially on Friday and Saturday nights.”

Yo-Chi stores often have fun lights, disco balls and upbeat music. Picture: Supplied

Its accessible “choose-your-own adventure” price point is also crucial to its broad appeal.

“Someone can fill up a cup for $4 or $14, and they can both sit and chat for as long as they want,” he mentions.

“No one’s overspending on drinks and waking up feeling worse for wear, and everyone leaves Yo-Chi a little bit happier, so it’s a win-win-win.”

Oliver doing product research. Picture: Supplied

He says no two days are the same for him. Picture: Supplied

A day in the life

With Yo-Chi at the top of its game and Oliver being a hands-on manager, every day is different.

In any given week, you might find him testing products, chatting with collaboration partners, travelling and visiting venues, and working with the marketing and product development teams to keep innovating on new toppings and flavours.

“Recently, I even got to spend time in the Amazon for work,” he shares.

“It was a super cool trip, and I’ll leave you to guess what that might be about, but I will say the result of it is hitting our venues very soon.”

In terms of plans to take Yo-Chi global, he also remained tight lipped but teased that the first overseas location might be famous for noodles, and the country rhymes with bore and chore “but is certainly neither!”

Originally published as Meet the young Aussie behind the Yo-Chi craze