Happi Yeti is an Asian concept with America flavors run by Latinos in the heart of Pacific Beach. What could be more international?
Mexican natives Luis Derechin and Mauricio Finkel have teamed up to bring the latest trend in cool treats, Happi Yeti, from Taiwan to PB at 1560 Garnet Ave.
They opened March 9 at their location a few blocks from the beach near Ingraham Street sandwiched in between a yoga studio and White Elephant resale.
Happi Yeti serves shaved “snow,” not shaved ice, a healthy dessert alternative to ice cream and frozen yogurt.
There’s a difference,” explained Derechin while taking a cylindrical block of flavored snow out of the freezer.
“Normally the syrup they put on top is very artificial,” he said. “Our ice block, with 18 to 20 servings, already has a flavor.
Derechin puts the ice block into a special machine that shaves off the finished product into razor-thin sheets in popular flavors with a water, coconut or dairy base. “All our ingredients are organic and natural.”
“What we do is put in real fruit to make them natural and wholesome,” concurred Finkel about their cool treat.
Exposed to the Taiwanese take on ice dessert, Derechin and his business partners determined “we could use the same concept, but use more Western-like flavors.”
Yeti cups come in 10-,12-, 16- and 24-ounce sizes. Flavors include green tea, cookies and cream, cappucino, banana, peanut butter, strawberry, chocolate chipotle and salted caramel.
The end result is subtly tasty without being overpowering or sweet. When you’re eating it, the special spoon they give you turns blue with the cold.
Derechin noted Happy Yeti also carries cold-pressed juices, kambucha, coconut water, organic chocolate and a full line of abominable snowman T-shirts and products.
The big-eyed abominable snowman mascot is another novelty.
“Our snacks typically come with two jelly (snowman) gummi eyes,” noted Finkel.
Derechin pointed out they source locally for dairy and other products used in their flavorful mix.
Derechin said all his employees are trained to be customer savvy. He said Happi Yeti is getting increasingly more business from local schoolchildren, as well as prospering from walk-in traffic from the nearby yoga studio.
“We’re doing fundraisers for the schools,” said Derechin about “giving back to the community.”
“We want to attract families,” Derechin added, noting the Yeti has a “happy hour for kids” charging a discounted rate.
Happi Yeti also gives out “diploma” awards to local kids for things like academic achievement or good behavior.
“We’re doing the same thing for local churches,” noted Derechin.
Happy Yeti is also aesthetically pleasing, with fanciful photos of Yetis “taken” around the globe, in places like the Eiffel Tower.
There’s also a Yeti promotion benefiting families for one week at a time, which is transferable to friends.
“Having the ability to pass forward these kinds of goodwill gestures from family to family we feel is also important to create,” said Finkel.
“Even though its not their home, it’s just a place for kids to come and have a good time,” said Derechin of Happi Yeti adding, “We always greet a customer with a smile. We want them to come in and have a few minutes of quality time.” Happi Yeti Where: 1560 Garnet Ave. Hours: Sundays-Thursdays: noon to 9 p.m.; Fridays-Saturdays noon to 10 p.m. Contact: 619-997-3046