Yogurtlandia in Brežice

In Brežice for a quick retreat, a dynamic and fun trip, shopping, pizza, but also a refreshing cold dessert that you can eat in the very centre of the city with a view of the Posavina Museum of Brežice, which is located in a magnificent castle. At the door of the cheerful Yogurtlandia, you will be greeted by Monika Žokalj, the owner and a great lover of cold yogurt, with recommendations that will turn a stay in her 'living room' into a real gastronomic experience for all generations. The space is cheerful and pleasant, with a beautiful summer terrace bursting with colour, much different from the appearance of Yogurtlandia around the world.

"The conceptual concept of the place, especially its playfulness and the appearance of the living room that is open to everyone, was created in my head. I wanted an environment that would remind me of the warmth of a home, where the scent of fine pastries awakened all my senses. Since the space is located in the historic city centre and was previously a flower shop, it took us a considerable amount of time to renovate and transform it into what it is today.

We turned to local architects, who live in Brežice, and they immediately recognised our vision, based on our acquaintance, and provided excellent suggestions. Then the whole story was finalised by Italian architects who completed the space with a recognisable counter, refrigerator, necessary appliances, paying attention to the consistency of the franchise" - says Monika, adding that the franchisers are very satisfied with her idea and that they describe Yogurtlandia Brežice as the most beautiful in all of Europe.

Yogurtlandia is an Italian franchise that has been present on the market since 1995. As the name suggests, the focus is on frozen yogurt—an excellent fresh product that should contain at least 20% fresh yogurt. At Yogurtlandia in Brežice, the frozen yogurt contains more than 50% Slovenian yogurt. The specialty of this frozen dessert is that, after preparation, you can decorate it with various toppings, including nuts, sprinkles, fruit, chocolate, fresh fruit, mousse candies, roasted almonds, and hazelnuts.

Yogurtlandia Brežice offers 25 types of different sprinkles, 30 kinds of fruit and chocolate toppings, and depending on the seasonal offer, Monika also includes fresh fruit from local producers. Unlike numerous cold desserts across Europe, this Yogurtlandia Brežice offers frozen yogurt with a rich aroma and exceptional freshness. In addition to its yogurt offerings, Yogurtlandia Brežice also serves pancakes - both classic and American - waffles, bubble tea, non-alcoholic cold drinks, and hot drinks, including various coffees, flavoured coffees, hot chocolates, and teas. Alcohol is not served at this place, but the special cocktails that Monika prepares from Slovenian non-alcoholic gin are very popular.

How did Yogurtlandia end up in Brežice - we ask Monika, thinking about how special it is that this entrepreneurial story did not end in Ljubljana or some other larger city. Here, too, the story is interesting. Namely, Monika and Domen were vacationing in Greece and discovered Yorugtlandia while exploring Crete. Instead of indulging in the rest and refreshments of this franchise, Monika bit into the concept, and already during her vacation, she was looking for a solution on how to bring this concept to Brežice. You guessed it - she succeeded in everything. She held the first video meeting with the brand owners, presented the idea, and then thoroughly developed it when they returned home. Seeing the passion and the idea that she did not give up on, but also the fact that Brežice is an increasingly popular Slovenian tourist destination, what could the Italians do but say YES to her. And so from the dream to the opening, exactly a year passed, and the opening took place in August 2019. The space was too small for all those who wanted to try the 'frozen miracle' in Brežice, and Michele Perini, the experienced owner of Yogurtlandia in Rome, was also at the opening.

During the year, the most frequent guests are locals and Croatians who love Brežice and enjoy its variety of flavours. On our street in the very centre of the village, there is a whole range of restaurants, pizzerias, and here we are with sweets. We all do our best, and our guests recognize that. When it gets warmer, our terrace is full of tourists staying at Terme Čatež so that you can hear Dutch, Italian, Czech and German..." - this dynamic woman says at the end, revealing that she has many ideas simmering inside her - she wants to expand the Yogurtlandia concept in Slovenia and also open the first franchise in Croatia.

Photo: Nikola Zoko