Yoo-hoo: the chocolate drink that solved a kitchen mystery in 1928 in Garfield, New Jersey!

How do you keep a chocolate drink stable at room temperature without it turning? In 1928, Natale Olivieri, an Italian immigrant who sold fruity sodas in Garfield, New Jersey, found the answer by watching his wife make tomato sauce preserves. She sterilized her jars by boiling them before sealing them airtight. Eureka! If it works for marinara, why not for chocolate? Natale applied the same technique to his chocolate drink and thus created Yoo-hoo — the first shelf-stable chocolate drink in history. My American Market imports it to you straight!

From tomato sauce to chocolate drink — the most unexpected invention in American candy

The Yoo-hoo story is one of the most original in the American food industry. Natale Olivieri sold fruity sodas under the Tru-Fruit brand in Garfield when he decided to add a chocolate drink to his range. Problem: chocolate deteriorates quickly at room temperature. Solution: sterilize the drink by boiling before sealing it, exactly as his wife did for her homemade tomato preserves. The technique worked perfectly, and Yoo-hoo was born!

The name? Olivieri was looking for a friendly, memorable name, different from his other Tru-Fruit fruity products. He took inspiration from the popular drinks of the time — Moxie and Whoopee's — and went with "Yoo-hoo!" — the friendly American exclamation to call someone. Easy to say, easy to remember, and it sounds fun!

In the 1950s-60s, Yoo-hoo had its golden age thanks to Yogi Berra — the New York Yankees legend. Berra, met by the Olivieri family at a New Jersey country club, fell in love with the drink and became its official spokesperson. He even became vice-president of the company and owned shares! His ads were memorable: "It's Me-He for Yoo-Hoo!" The image of Yogi in his pinstripe uniform holding a bottle of Yoo-hoo became iconic. Now part of Keurig Dr Pepper (the same family as Barq's, IBC Root Beer and Mug Root Beer), Yoo-hoo remains a timeless American classic!

The 2 Yoo-hoo products at MYAM

The Yoo-hoo Chocolate Drink — the original since 1928! It's neither a soda, nor chocolate milk, nor a milkshake. It's Yoo-hoo — a category of its own. The current formula is based on water, corn syrup and whey protein. The flavor? Soft, chocolatey, lightly sweet — like a cold hot chocolate. The texture is watery but with a discreet smoothness. You have to shake it before opening — the chocolate settles slightly at the bottom. "Shake it, baby!" as the 60s ads said!

The Yoo-hoo Candy Bar — America's favorite drink turned into a chocolate bar! Made by R.M. Palmer under Yoo-hoo license, this candy bar reproduces the soft, chocolatey flavor of the drink in a solid format. A big, generous milk chocolate bar (127g) with that so-particular Yoo-hoo taste. Slightly different from a classic chocolate bar — softer, more nostalgic. The kind of bar you give to Yoo-hoo fans who don't yet know this solid version exists!

Where to buy Yoo-hoo in Europe?

Yoo-hoo is totally impossible to find in Europe. My American Market, the hunter of American pop food, imports it to you straight from New Jersey. Express delivery!

Into nostalgic American drinks? Check out IBC Root Beer, Mug Root Beer and Barq's in our shop too!

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