Yoo-hoo

Yoo-hoo is an American packaged beverage brand best known for its chocolate-flavored drink. The brand was created in 1928 in Garfield, New Jersey, by Natale Olivieri, who had previously been involved in bottling carbonated fruit drinks. Although commonly associated with chocolate milk, Yoo-hoo has historically been formulated as a chocolate-flavored beverage rather than as conventional refrigerated milk. Reference descriptions of the product have identified water, high-fructose corn syrup, and whey among its principal ingredients, with the drink sold in glass and plastic bottles as well as individual drink boxes. The brand expanded beyond its original New Jersey base through independent bottling and distribution. In the 1940s, Thomas Giresi established a Yoo-hoo bottling operation in Batesburg, South Carolina, helping the beverage reach consumers outside its home region. Ownership changed several times during the second half of the twentieth century. BBC Industries acquired the rights in the 1950s and retained them until 1976, when it sold the brand to Iroquois Brands. Yoo-hoo was subsequently sold to private investors in 1981 and then to the French conglomerate Pernod Ricard in 1989. Yoo-hoo developed a strong popular-culture identity through advertising, particularly during the 1960s. One campaign featured baseball figure Yogi Berra and members of the New York Yankees. The advertising presented Berra drinking the beverage and used the phrase “It's Me-He for Yoo-Hoo,” positioning the drink as a recognizable American refreshment with broad appeal. Later advertising used the slogan “Yoo-hoo, the chocolate action drink.” In 2001, Pernod Ricard sold Yoo-hoo to Cadbury Schweppes. Manufacturing responsibilities were assigned to the company’s Mott's group, while marketing and advertising were handled through Snapple-related operations. The arrangement sought to increase awareness of a beverage that had once enjoyed greater prominence. When Cadbury Schweppes separated its confectionery and beverage businesses in 2008, Yoo-hoo became part of the Dr Pepper Snapple Group beverage portfolio. Dr Pepper Snapple Group later became part of Keurig Dr Pepper, which is the brand’s current manufacturer and corporate owner. The brand has experimented with multiple flavors beyond its core chocolate offering. Flavors reported over time include chocolate-coconut, chocolate-mint, chocolate-banana, chocolate-strawberry, vanilla, strawberry, cookies and cream, chocolate peanut butter, and chocolate caramel. Some variants, including double fudge, banana, and Island Coconut, were discontinued. Yoo-hoo has also historically been associated with other chocolate beverage brands, including Choc-Ola, Brownie, Cocoa Dusty, and Chocolate Soldier, although these were separate brands rather than simply Yoo-hoo product names. Yoo-hoo’s identity remains centered on an affordable, shelf-stable, chocolate-flavored drink sold through packaged-grocery and convenience-oriented channels. Its principal differentiation is its long history, recognizable name, nostalgic advertising, and distinctive formulation rather than a premium or health-focused proposition.

Yoo-hoo originated in Garfield, New Jersey, in 1928. Its creator, Natale Olivieri, had experience bottling carbonated fruit drinks and developed the beverage as a chocolate-flavored packaged drink. The brand’s early history reflects the growth of regional bottling and distribution networks in the United States, rather than the development of a conventional refrigerated dairy product. During the 1940s, Thomas Giresi opened a bottling plant in Batesburg, South Carolina, to distribute Yoo-hoo. This expansion helped establish the product beyond New Jersey and provided a wider regional base for the brand. Yoo-hoo later became associated with a broader portfolio of chocolate beverage names, including Choc-Ola, Brownie, Cocoa Dusty, and Chocolate Soldier. BBC Industries acquired the rights to Yoo-hoo during the 1950s. The company retained ownership until 1976, when it sold the brand to Iroquois Brands. Yoo-hoo changed hands again in 1981, passing to a group of private investors. In 1989, the investors sold the brand to Pernod Ricard, a French multinational that was expanding its consumer-brand holdings. Advertising became an important part of Yoo-hoo’s identity during the 1960s. A campaign featuring Yogi Berra and his New York Yankees teammates attempted to broaden the beverage’s appeal to an older audience. In the advertisements, Berra was shown drinking Yoo-hoo in a pin-striped business suit and delivering the line “It's Me-He for Yoo-Hoo.” Later promotions used the phrase “Yoo-hoo, the chocolate action drink.” These campaigns helped link the brand to American baseball and to a style of humorous, highly recognizable mass-market advertising. Yoo-hoo expanded its flavor range in 1995. Reported introductions included chocolate-coconut, chocolate-mint, chocolate-banana, and chocolate-strawberry. Other flavors offered at various points included vanilla, strawberry, cookies and cream, chocolate peanut butter, and chocolate caramel. Several variants were later discontinued, including double fudge, banana, and Island Coconut. In 2001, Pernod Ricard sold Yoo-hoo to Cadbury Schweppes. Manufacturing was assigned to Mott's, while Snapple-related operations took responsibility for marketing and advertising. The new ownership structure was intended to revive awareness of a brand that had once been more prominent in the American beverage market. In May 2008, Cadbury Schweppes separated its candy and beverage businesses. Yoo-hoo moved with the beverage operations into Dr Pepper Snapple Group. The brand’s manufacturing and administrative footprint has included a headquarters in Tarrytown, New York, and production facilities in Carlstadt, New Jersey, and Aspers, Pennsylvania. A facility in Opelousas, Louisiana, closed in 2009. In later corporate developments, Dr Pepper Snapple Group became part of Keurig Dr Pepper, which currently manufactures and owns Yoo-hoo. Yoo-hoo has also faced scrutiny over how its composition was communicated to consumers. In 2010, Timothy Dahl filed a New York State lawsuit against Dr Pepper Snapple Group, alleging misleading nutritional advertising and arguing that the drink contained little milk and was primarily composed of water, sugars, milk by-products, and other ingredients. The complaint also alleged the presence of partially hydrogenated oil. Mott's disputed the characterization and stated that the product contained seven vitamins and minerals and no preservatives. The episode illustrates the tension between Yoo-hoo’s popular “chocolate milk” association and its formulation as a chocolate-flavored beverage. Today, Yoo-hoo remains an American packaged beverage brand within Keurig Dr Pepper’s portfolio. It is sold in bottles and drink boxes, with chocolate as its central offering and a history of flavor experimentation. Its main sources of brand value are longevity, nostalgia, distinctive packaging, familiar advertising, and recognition as a shelf-stable chocolate beverage.

• 2010

  Nutritional advertising lawsuit is filed

  [1]Yoo-hooen.wikipedia.org

  Timothy Dahl brings a New York State lawsuit alleging that Yoo-hoo’s nutritional presentation and advertising were misleading.

• 2009

  Opelousas facility closes

  [1]Yoo-hooen.wikipedia.org

  A Yoo-hoo-related production location in Opelousas, Louisiana, closes.

• 2008

  Yoo-hoo moves into Dr Pepper Snapple Group

  [1]Yoo-hooen.wikipedia.org

  Following the separation of Cadbury Schweppes’s candy and beverage businesses, Yoo-hoo becomes part of Dr Pepper Snapple Group.

• 2001

  Cadbury Schweppes acquires Yoo-hoo

  [1]Yoo-hooen.wikipedia.org

  Pernod Ricard sells the brand to Cadbury Schweppes; Mott's takes on production and Snapple-related operations handle marketing and advertising.

• 1995

  New flavor variants are introduced

  [1]Yoo-hooen.wikipedia.org

  Yoo-hoo expands its range with variants including chocolate-coconut, chocolate-mint, chocolate-banana, and chocolate-strawberry.

• 1989

  Pernod Ricard acquires the brand

  [1]Yoo-hooen.wikipedia.org

  The private investors sell Yoo-hoo to Pernod Ricard.

• 1981

  Ownership passes to private investors

  [1]Yoo-hooen.wikipedia.org

  Iroquois Brands sells Yoo-hoo to a group of private investors.

• 1976

  Iroquois Brands purchases Yoo-hoo

  [1]Yoo-hooen.wikipedia.org

  BBC Industries sells the brand to Iroquois Brands.

• 1950

  BBC Industries acquires the brand rights

  [1]Yoo-hooen.wikipedia.org

  BBC Industries purchases the rights to Yoo-hoo and holds them until 1976.

• 1940

  Batesburg bottling operation expands distribution

  [1]Yoo-hooen.wikipedia.org

  Thomas Giresi opens a Yoo-hoo bottling plant in Batesburg, South Carolina, supporting distribution beyond New Jersey.

• 1928

  Yoo-hoo is created in Garfield, New Jersey

  [1]Yoo-hooen.wikipedia.org

  Natale Olivieri creates the chocolate-flavored beverage in Garfield, New Jersey.

A nostalgic, accessible American chocolate-flavored beverage brand marketed primarily as a shelf-stable alternative to conventional chocolate milk.

• Chocolate-flavored beverage · 1928

  Yoo-hoo Chocolate

  The core Yoo-hoo product and the brand’s best-known offering. It is a shelf-stable chocolate-flavored drink sold in packaged formats including bottles and drink boxes. The product is commonly associated with chocolate milk but is formulated as a flavored beverage rather than conventional refrigerated milk.

• Flavored beverage

  Yoo-hoo Vanilla

  A vanilla-flavored extension of the Yoo-hoo beverage line. It represents the brand’s effort to broaden its flavor profile beyond chocolate while retaining the same packaged, shelf-stable beverage format.

• Flavored beverage

  Yoo-hoo Strawberry

  A strawberry-flavored variant offered during Yoo-hoo’s history of flavor expansion. The product is documented as one of the brand’s non-core flavors, but its current availability is not established in the supplied material.

• Flavored beverage

  Yoo-hoo Cookies & Cream

  A cookies-and-cream flavor developed as a sweeter, dessert-oriented variation of the brand’s packaged beverage. The supplied reference identifies the flavor but does not establish whether it remains in current production.

• Chocolate-flavored beverage · 1995

  Yoo-hoo Chocolate-Coconut

  One of the flavor variants introduced during the brand’s 1995 expansion. It combined Yoo-hoo’s chocolate profile with coconut flavoring.

• Chocolate-flavored beverage · 1995

  Yoo-hoo Chocolate-Mint

  A mint-flavored chocolate variant introduced as part of the 1995 flavor program. Its current status is not specified in the supplied material.

• Chocolate-flavored beverage · 1995

  Yoo-hoo Chocolate-Banana

  A chocolate-and-banana flavor introduced during Yoo-hoo’s expansion into additional flavored beverages.

• Chocolate-flavored beverage · 1995

  Yoo-hoo Chocolate-Strawberry

  A chocolate-and-strawberry variant associated with the group of flavors introduced in the mid-1990s.

• 2010

  Alleged misleading nutritional advertising

  Timothy Dahl sued Dr Pepper Snapple Group in New York State, alleging that Yoo-hoo’s advertising and nutritional presentation were misleading. The allegations addressed the drink’s milk content, sugars, milk by-products, other ingredients, and partially hydrogenated oil. Mott's defended the product, stating that it contained seven vitamins and minerals and no preservatives.

  Source

Read more

• 1960Yogi Berra and New York Yankees campaign

  United States

  A 1960s advertising campaign featured Yogi Berra and members of the New York Yankees. The creative showed Berra drinking Yoo-hoo and used the line “It's Me-He for Yoo-Hoo,” linking the product to baseball, humor, and a broader adult audience.

  Outcome. The campaign became one of the brand’s most recognizable historical advertising efforts, although a quantified business outcome is not provided.

  Source
• The chocolate action drink

  United States

  A later Yoo-hoo advertising platform used the slogan “Yoo-hoo, the chocolate action drink,” emphasizing energy and refreshment rather than presenting the product solely as a milk substitute.

  Source

• 2008

  Yoo-hoo transfers to Dr Pepper Snapple GroupM&A

  Background

  Cadbury Schweppes separated its confectionery operations from its beverage business.

  Action taken

  Yoo-hoo was transferred into Dr Pepper Snapple Group, the beverage company formed from the relevant Cadbury Schweppes operations.

  Aftermath

  The brand ultimately became part of Keurig Dr Pepper through the later corporate development of Dr Pepper Snapple Group.

  Source

• 2001

  Pernod Ricard sells Yoo-hoo to Cadbury SchweppesM&A

  Background

  Pernod Ricard transferred ownership of Yoo-hoo to Cadbury Schweppes as part of a change in the brand’s corporate portfolio.

  Action taken

  Cadbury Schweppes acquired the brand, with production assigned to Mott's and marketing and advertising linked to Snapple operations.

  Aftermath

  The new structure sought to increase awareness of Yoo-hoo and later placed the brand within the beverage business that became Dr Pepper Snapple Group.

  Source

1. 1Yoo-hooen.wikipedia.org