Solace Studios Founder, 25, Opens Yogeek Froyo Shop With Biscoff Sauce On Tap
Keith Kok, 25, is the founder of Solace Studios, a popular self-service photobooth chain where customers pose for photo strips in themed rooms. Since opening at Haji Lane in 2022, it has grown to 20 locations. Now, he’s giving customers another DIY experience: building their own froyo cups.
He and business partner Dorian Chin, also 25, opened Yogeek, a self-serve Greek frozen yoghurt shop at Haji Lane. Customers dispense their own swirls and pay $4.50 per 100g, toppings and sauces included.
The extras go beyond fruit and granola. There’s pistachio kunafa, scoopable cookie and Thai sticky rice, plus Biscoff sauce flowing from a tap.
No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from 8days.sg.
Photo: Glyn Seah
Culinary grad always wanted to open a cafe
Keith studied culinary arts at Temasek Polytechnic, taking a specialised pastry-and-baking track that has come in handy for Yogeek’s baked toppings.
“I’ve always wanted to open my own cafe,” he tells 8days.sg.
As for Dorian, he left NTU’s electrical engineering course in his second year to work on Solace.
The pair’s shared love of froyo coupled with the queues at massively popular Australian froyo chain Yo-Chi encouraged them to enter the market. The venture is separate from Solace Studios.
At Yogeek, Keith handles design and marketing, while Dorian oversees operations with support from part-timers.
Six-figure passion project
Keith funded Yogeek’s low six-figure setup cost, including equipment and renovations, with three years of savings from his earnings at the profitable Solace chain.
“I guess you can say it’s a passion project,” he says.
“Just do first and think later”
When he started Solace, however, Keith had some financial help from his dad. Half of the $75,000 investment came from his savings and half from his father, Noel Kok, a former property agent who also ran the now-defunct Thai-style stuffed bun shop Yung Yung with Keith’s sister.
For Yogeek, his dad helped oversee renovations and now acts as an adviser, but holds no stake in the business.
Asked if entering the tough F&B industry worries him, Keith says, “I just do first and think later.” He credits this bold attitude with Solace’s success.
Bali-inspired shop at Haji Lane
Yogeek occupies the former Gelato Garden space at 65 Haji Lane. It’s near the original Solace Studios outlet, just two shops away.
“I have an attachment to this place. I feel safe starting [this biz] here,” he shares.
Villas he visited in Bali inspired Yogeek’s decor.
The narrow shop has textured cream walls, a curved counter and warm lighting, with wooden beams and earthy floor tiles. Pottery sits in lit-up wall recesses, while an arched mirror with blue shutters adds a pop of colour near the entrance.
The shop is primarily takeaway, though there are 15 seats outside for customers who want to linger over their froyo.
Made with Chobani Greek yoghurt
Interestingly, their froyo base combines American brand Chobani’s Greek yoghurt and Australian brand Rokeby’s Fitmilk with other ingredients. Keith says the yoghurt and milk were chosen for their higher protein content.
For now, they source the yoghurt and milk through suppliers. Keith acknowledges that relying on these famous brand name products may be difficult to sustain across multiple outlets, and is open to working with a food scientist to develop their own mix if they expand.
Why pay more here than at Yo-Chi?
Yogeek’s $4.50 per 100g price is higher than Yo-Chi’s $3.50 per 100g. This means a 200g serving costs $9 at Yogeek, compared with $7 at Yo-Chi.
Keith points to their use of higher-protein yoghurt and milk from established brands familiar to fitness enthusiasts as a distinguishing feature. “Doing what we are doing now is what sets us apart from other brands,” he explains.
Four bases, plenty of ways to dress them up
Yogeek offers Original, Biscoff and Mango froyo, alongside Açai. The owners say they formulated the froyo to be less sweet.
Froyo with olive oil and salt
Keith’s personal favourite is Original, which he also recommends to first-timers. A more unusual way to have it is with olive oil and salt. He says the olive oil adds a pleasant vegetal aroma to the sweet-savoury combination, though it’s one “you either love or hate”.
For something fruitier, he suggests Mango froyo with their house-made Thai sticky rice, coconut flakes and a drizzle of white chocolate sauce.
Our colleague, who tried the froyo during her visit, found that it wasn’t sour despite its Greek yoghurt base. She felt it paired well with toppings and also enjoyed the Mango flavour, which tasted quite natural.
Other toppings include brownies, scoopable cookie, pistachio kunafa, fruit and protein peanut granola. Cards beside the toppings list calories and macros per serving, in keeping with the pair’s aim of offering what they call a “guilt-free dessert”.
Longer hours than working at photobooths
Asked how business has been so far, Keith describes a hectic opening weekend. “Sunday was super busy,” he says, recalling multiple bins outside filled with discarded Yogeek cups.
So, is serving froyo more tiring than running photobooths? So far, yes, says Keith, who has been putting in longer hours at Yogeek. Still, he points out that Solace also needed plenty of his attention when it first opened.
For now, the pair want to recover their investment before considering opening more outlets.
Watch Now
Related Stories
Shopping
