Survivor Winner "Yul Kwon" and CEO Dan Kim on Red Mango - Palo Alto

http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_9301274

Fro-yo chain debuts in Bay Area

'SURVIVOR' INVESTS IN KOREAN CHAIN

By Kristina Peterson

Bay Area News Group

San Jose Mercury News

While in the Cook Islands competing on the reality TV show "Survivor," San Mateo resident Yul Kwon ate a lot of tropical fruit.

"We were basically just eating coconuts . . . coconut soup, coconut mash . . ." said Kwon, his voice trailing off at the memory.

About 1 1/2 years after winning "Survivor" and the $1 million that came with it, Kwon, 33, is sinking his teeth into a new venture.

Saturday, Kwon helped open Northern California's first Red Mango frozen yogurt franchise, at 429 University Ave. in Palo Alto. Beyond his investment in the local shop, Kwon plans to spend some time behind the counter, which he did at the opening.

"I'll be serving a lot of yogurt," he said.

Daniel Kim, chief executive of Red Mango, said he first persuaded Kwon to taste the yogurt shortly after meeting him through a mutual friend two years ago. The two health-conscious men quickly became friends and Kwon decided to get involved in the fro-yo business.

"We were both the nerdy types who finally broke out of that mold," Kwon said.

"I was actually kind of a fat and chubby kid," added the now-lean Kwon.

His health awakening came in college, the Stanford University graduate said.

"I thought if I continue this I'm never going to get married, I'll stay a virgin for the rest of my life . . ." Kwon said. So he started exercising and eating healthy foods.

Kim had a similar awakening while interning at a New York investment bank one summer, eating poorly and gaining weight.

"That was my wake-up call," said Kim, who now oversees the expansion of Red Mango into the United States.

The company, founded in South Korea, opened its first U.S. store in Los Angeles last July.

Why Palo Alto?

Though notorious for its "Palo Alto process" that can wear down developers and businesses, Palo Alto was the easiest Bay Area city in which to open a Red Mango franchise, Kim said.

San Francisco neighborhood watchdogs blocked Red Mango's attempt to open a shop in North Beach in January, citing chain store ordinances. Likewise, plans to open a shop in San Jose's Santana Row recently stalled as tenants occupying Red Mango's planned location have refused to move out, an episode Kim gloomily calls "North Beach, Part Two."

In contrast, moving into Palo Alto has been a breeze and Red Mango is negotiating with Stanford to open two locations on campus, Kim said.

"We love this area," he said, predicting that Palo Alto's "health-conscious, sophisticated and educated" residents will take to the low-calorie, natural frozen yogurt.

Back to reality

Kwon, who has spent much of his time since "Survivor" working with local charities, plans to move to Palo Alto soon with his fiancee, Sophie Tan.

Last year after coming off "Survivor," a starving Kwon joined Costco.

"I lived at Costco for months, just pigging out," he said. After gaining back the weight he lost on the show and then some, Kwon is back to a healthy diet. Of course, Kwon said that diet includes his and Kim's frozen yogurt.

Contact Kristina Peterson at kpeterson@dailynewsgroup.com.