Milo (drink) - Manufacture and Marketing

Manufacture and Marketing

Milo is manufactured by evaporating the water content from a thick syrup at reduced pressure. The thick opaque syrup is obtained from malted wheat or barley. The whole process takes around an hour but operates in a continuous mode. At the bottom of the box the varying sized chunks of soft solid, from fist size to fine powder, fall from the last conveyor into an airlock where they are brought back to atmospheric pressure. The solid is introduced into a hammer mill where it is broken up into the final granular form. The rather hygroscopic granular powder is promptly packaged into cans by filling them from the "bottom", because the "top" end has been previously fabricated with an aluminium foil seal beneath the lid. The cans then have the tinplate bottoms affixed by a roll seam and the paper label is applied to complete the product. The prompt packaging ensures the product remains fresh and dry. Some other chocolate drink bases, such as Ovaltine, are made by a similar series of processes.

Milo contains some theobromine, a xanthine alkaloid similar to caffeine which is present in the cocoa used in the product; thus, like chocolate, it can become mildly addictive if consumed in quantities of more than 15 heaped teaspoons per day.

If a tin of Milo is not closed properly it will absorb water from the air and become damp and form clumps. In very humid environments it can revert to the original opaque brown syrup; however, when made up as a beverage from this state its taste will have altered to the point that it is generally not consumable. Should the product become damp for any extended period of time it should be discarded because of possible bacterial action on the milk and sugar content.

Use of very hot water when making a Milo drink can also alter the taste somewhat as will re-heating a made-up drink which has gone cold.

In Australia and most other countries, the packaging is green and depicts people playing various sports on the tin. A higher malt content form also exists in Australia and is marketed in a burgundy coloured tin which is usually only available in the 375g size. An organisation called "Milo Cricket", which operates in most areas by volunteers, gives participating children small packets of Milo to eat or drink. The commercials and taglines are "Go and go and go with Milo". A recent Australian commercial incorporating this slogan depicts four generations of women on a skipping rope singing "and my mum gave me Milo to go and go and go." The tag "I need my Milo Today" is also used. The packaging of tins of Milo in Malaysia and Singapore are also green and also have people playing sports on the tins. In Colombia, Milo is closely tied to football (soccer), and the slogan several generations have sung is Milo te da energía, la meta la pones tú ("Milo gives you the energy, you score the goal").

Milo is very popular in Malaysia and Singapore, where the brand name is synonymous with chocolate flavoured drinks: Milo has a 90% market share in Malaysia (not the often quoted 90% worldwide share of Milo consumption), and Malaysians were said to be the world’s largest consumers of Milo. This is because Milo was once used as a nutrient supplement when it was first introduced in the country, and has thus gained a reputation as a 'must have' drink for the old and the younger generations. Milo manufactured in Malaysia is made to dissolve well in hot water to produce a smooth hot chocolate drink, or with ice added for a cold drink. "Milo Vans" were often associated with sports days in these two countries, during which primary school pupils would queue up to collect their cups of Milo drinks using coupons.

In Peru, during the 1970s military dictatorship, Milo's powder can labels displayed promotion images of Peruvian motifs, such as photos of Peruvian towns and crops, or zoology and botany, as an educational aid. After 1980, when the military left power, the advertising fit to a sports image.

The Indian version is no longer in production because of intense competition from other beverages.

Nestlé has now introduced a Canadian version of Milo. It is made in Canada. It dissolves rapidly like Nesquik, probably due to market expectations, but still retains the malt flavour. It is also sweeter than other varieties. This Milo as the brand has been in Eastern Canada since the late 1970s with the influx of people from previous British colonial territories such as the Caribbean and Hong Kong, and India. It was available in mostly small ethnic grocery stores, especially Caribbean food stores. It has recently been selling at larger chains to beef up their share in the ethnic market in Canada, and is now available in places like Superstore, Extra Foods and London Drugs. Some East Asian supermarkets (such as T&T Supermarket in Edmonton, Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary) will carry the version imported from China or Hong Kong.

Aside from the International section of specific grocery stores and certain oriental grocery stores, Nestle does not market Milo in the United States.

It can also be found in the UK in some Sainsbury's and Tesco supermarkets, which import it from Kenya or Uganda. Oriental Food specialists, such as Mini Siam Oriental Foods and Hoo Hing also stock it. A similar product called Ovaltine is most popular with UK consumers.

In Ireland Milo can be found in many Asian or African stores. Typically they will stock Kenyan or Filipino Milo.

In China Milo is commonly sold in western supermarkets, but also smaller convenience stores. Usually packaged in a 240gram flexible foil pouch, single drink packets can also be purchased. The Milo itself contains more milk solids than the Australian Milo, and so it is not necessary to add milk before consumption.