Cocio
Encyclopedia
Cocio is a chocolate milk
drink produced in Esbjerg
, Denmark
. While not a staple in Danish culture, Cocio is a well-known product to Danes, often consumed on the street with a sausage (mostly a hot dog). It's also at least moderately popular in the rest of Scandinavia
and, to a lesser extent in some US regions, namely New England
.
A brand new factory in Esbjerg
was first used in 2002. The factory is 8000 square metres, and contains Production and Administration. The new factory is much bigger than the old one.
In 1976, he sold the company to The Borden Food Corporation in United States
, but the production continued in Esbjerg
.
In the mid 1980s Cocio released a new 1 litre bottle, and the drink gained popularity in Denmark. In 1988, Cocio had the first commercial in Danish television.
In 1989, the Cocio company bought its rival, Congo, who had a 25 percent market share at the time. Following the take-over, Cocio was alone on the Danish market.
In 1998, Jamin Potamkin entered the product for a pilot program with the FDA to import the foreign milk on a trial basis (something that Denmark had been trying to do for over thirty years). This was the first time that a foreign milk was allowed to enter the United States, allowed to be distributed in all fifty states in a consumable form directly from the containment vessel. Though Arla Foods (then a wholly Danish company under the business name of MD Foods) also asked Jamin Potamkin to get other dairy products (in particular their yoghurt) into the United States and had their head of US operations ask for assistance, it was refused by Jamin Potamkin and the United States Federal Government. No other Danish liquid dairy products are allowed to enter the US territory, except for the maximum allowed under the Federal Import Milk Act (FIMA), which allows for liquid milk to enter as a percentage in a combined product, i.e. baby formula with 10% or less foreign milk. The current legality of entry of Cocio Chocolate Milk is being reviewed.
In the 1999 the E. Bank Lauridsen Holding A/S and IAT Corporation decided to buy Cocio, to bring the Danish spirit to the company again. Then in 2002 Arla Foods
became joint owner, buying a 50 percent share in the company.
As of 1 January 2008, Arla Foods is the sole owner of Cocio A/S.
Cocio A/S ceased cooperation with Jamin Potamkin (A/S Imports, Inc.) and the United States in 2003.
Cocio is being imported into the United States by CKF Foods Inc.
Chocolate milk
Chocolate milk is a sweetened, usually cold, cocoa-flavored milk drink. It is created when chocolate syrup is mixed with milk . It can be purchased pre-mixed or made at home with either cocoa powder and a sweetener , or with melted chocolate, chocolate syrup, or chocolate milk mix...
drink produced in Esbjerg
Esbjerg
Esbjerg Municipality is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark. Its mayor is Johnny Søtrup, from the Venstre political party...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. While not a staple in Danish culture, Cocio is a well-known product to Danes, often consumed on the street with a sausage (mostly a hot dog). It's also at least moderately popular in the rest of Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
and, to a lesser extent in some US regions, namely New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
.
A brand new factory in Esbjerg
Esbjerg
Esbjerg Municipality is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark. Its mayor is Johnny Søtrup, from the Venstre political party...
was first used in 2002. The factory is 8000 square metres, and contains Production and Administration. The new factory is much bigger than the old one.
History
Cocio was founded by Anker Pallesen in 1951. He and his wife began researching recipes in their own kitchen. In the beginning, the new factory produced 1000 bottles a day.In 1976, he sold the company to The Borden Food Corporation in United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, but the production continued in Esbjerg
Esbjerg
Esbjerg Municipality is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark. Its mayor is Johnny Søtrup, from the Venstre political party...
.
In the mid 1980s Cocio released a new 1 litre bottle, and the drink gained popularity in Denmark. In 1988, Cocio had the first commercial in Danish television.
In 1989, the Cocio company bought its rival, Congo, who had a 25 percent market share at the time. Following the take-over, Cocio was alone on the Danish market.
In 1998, Jamin Potamkin entered the product for a pilot program with the FDA to import the foreign milk on a trial basis (something that Denmark had been trying to do for over thirty years). This was the first time that a foreign milk was allowed to enter the United States, allowed to be distributed in all fifty states in a consumable form directly from the containment vessel. Though Arla Foods (then a wholly Danish company under the business name of MD Foods) also asked Jamin Potamkin to get other dairy products (in particular their yoghurt) into the United States and had their head of US operations ask for assistance, it was refused by Jamin Potamkin and the United States Federal Government. No other Danish liquid dairy products are allowed to enter the US territory, except for the maximum allowed under the Federal Import Milk Act (FIMA), which allows for liquid milk to enter as a percentage in a combined product, i.e. baby formula with 10% or less foreign milk. The current legality of entry of Cocio Chocolate Milk is being reviewed.
In the 1999 the E. Bank Lauridsen Holding A/S and IAT Corporation decided to buy Cocio, to bring the Danish spirit to the company again. Then in 2002 Arla Foods
Arla Foods
Arla Foods is a Swedish-Danish cooperative based in Århus, Denmark, and the largest producer of dairy products in Scandinavia. Arla Foods was formed as the result of a merger between the Swedish dairy cooperative Arla and the Danish dairy company MD Foods on 17 April 2000.Arla Foods is the seventh...
became joint owner, buying a 50 percent share in the company.
As of 1 January 2008, Arla Foods is the sole owner of Cocio A/S.
Cocio A/S ceased cooperation with Jamin Potamkin (A/S Imports, Inc.) and the United States in 2003.
Cocio is being imported into the United States by CKF Foods Inc.