The Fascinating History Behind Milo , the Energy Food of Champions

The Fascinating History Behind Milo , the Energy Food of Champions
This Blog is a collaborative effort by Patricia Bissessar & Douglas De Verteuil
MILO, the Energy Food Drink of Champions, is one of the most popular Nestlé brands. In T& T Milo story starts when the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company of Switzerland establish a trading agency in Trinidad and Tobago in Marine Square (now known as Independence Square), Port of Spain, to distribute Nestlé- manufactured products for which there was growing demand. Among the earliest products supplied were Nestlé Sweetened Condensed Milk and Nestlé chocolates, which become a great favourite with children and adults alike! Later on, Nestlé Lactogen and MILO were introduced.
But the story of MILO the drink of Champions and its origin is quite a fascinating one The drink MILO was named after “MILON of Croton, a Greek wrestler who lived in the 6th Century BC and possessed legendary strength . Legend has it that Greek athlete Milon of Croton, who won six Olympic events during the 6th century BC, was so strong could lift a young bull up onto your shoulders .
In 1934 Nestlé Australia food scientist and chemical engineer Thomas Mayne developed a powdered chocolate malt drink that people could mix with water or milk, and drink hot or cold. Milo was launched during the Great Depression and was designed to help provide undernourished children with both the calories and the vitamins and minerals missing from their diets. The chocolate malt flavour was a way to make the drink palatable to children and was first marketed as Nestlé’s Tonic Food.
According to the Nestle Website it was originally meant to dissolve completely in milk, but when Mayne saw his own children scooping the crunchy bits off the top of their milk he realized that it gave MILO a unique feature. As Richie Benaud said in his 1960 television ad, "It's marvelous what a difference Milo makes to keep you in top form". It is claimed that Thomas Mayne, the person credited with the invention of the drink MILO drank a cup every day until he died aged 93.
Although it was invented in Australia, it is now sold around the world, including Trinidad and Tobago . A ready-to-drink version was introduced in 2015. According to Nestles’ website “ whether it's paired with a balanced breakfast, enjoyed after sports practice, or served as a yummy lunchbox treat, MILO® goes great with warm or cold milk as a delicious nutritional boost any time of day”
I vividly remembered cold MILO being served at School Sports at the Erin Road Presbyterian School where I began my career as a teacher in small disposable cups for all students and teachers. This was the highlight of our school sports each year. Today Nestlé Milo remains committed to continue to engage the youth in its Sports Development programmes to deliver the nutritious energy they need to help them be their best.
Credit to following sources
https://www.goodnes.com/milo/about-us/
https://www.milo.com.my/nourishing-goodness/the-milo-story
Credit for vintage ads : Adrian Coulling
Source: Angelo Bissessarsingh's Virtual Museum of Trinidad & Tobago, Dec 5, 2023)