Yoo-hoo!

I'm hitting the bottle again. Don't tell my wife.

Actually, she knows, and isn't too worried - although I've been drinking regularly for the last couple months. Fortunately for her (not to mention me) my drink of choice is a chocolate drink. It's called Yoo-hoo.

It started a couple months ago as we were returning from vacation. Our lunchtime restaurant was decorated with plaques from old advertising campaigns: Coca-Cola, Grape-Nuts, Squirt - and many long since faded away. But one sign caught my eye: Kayo chocolate drinks.

I used to love these when I was a kid. I'd come back from a summer hike in the Michigan sand dunes with my father, drenched with sweat, and be rescued by an ice cold bottle of Kayo. I hadn't seen any in years though.

I got on the Internet and searched. Turns out Kayo is still around and owned by Sara Lee, but they only make powdered hot chocolate now; no cold chocolate drinks. But in one of the forums, another person looking for Kayo was told to try Yoo-hoo. I had never heard of it.

But after several fruitless searches through local grocery stores, I discovered it at a Safeway near my parents. I love it - it's especially great ice cold. And my kids have been bringing the boxed drink version for lunches.

Hopefully Yoo-hoo will continue to thrive. If early indications are any sign, a local Safeway can testify to a clear spike in demand.

Read more about Yoo-hoo's history.

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