Cola Cao
Spanish cocoa powder drink brand traditionally mixed with milk.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
Cola Cao is a Spanish cocoa-based drink brand created in Barcelona in 1945 by José María Ventura and José Ignacio Ferrero. Its core product is a sweetened soluble cocoa powder designed to be mixed with milk, although it can also be prepared with water or plant-based drinks and used with breakfast cereals or in baking. The formulation is associated with sugar, processed cocoa, wheat flour and cola nut, and has historically been enriched with vitamins, calcium and phosphorus. The brand became strongly embedded in Spanish popular culture through advertising. Its most recognizable cultural asset is the Cola Cao song, first used in radio promotion in 1952 and later adapted for television advertising. Television commercials began in 1962, helping turn the product from a cocoa preparation into a nationally familiar household brand. The song and related advertising have subsequently been treated as nostalgia markers in Spain. Sport has been another central part of Cola Cao's positioning. In 1972, the brand used the phrase "Olympic food" after sponsoring the Spanish Olympic team at the Munich Summer Olympics. From 1988, in the run-up to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Cola Cao sponsored the Spanish Olympic Committee through the ADO Programme. The brand also promoted physical activity through public outdoor installations popularly known as Cola Cao Circuits, placed in green areas in Spanish cities including Esplugues de Llobregat and Córdoba. Cola Cao has expanded beyond its original powder while retaining the core cocoa-drink proposition. Historical and regional lines have included vitamin-enriched Cola Cao VIT, a reduced-calorie product later renamed Cola Cao Light, and products marketed under names such as Turbo, Fiber, Energy and Complete. The brand has also been sold in liquid form, and regional production and distribution have supported cereal products, chocolate spread and roll cakes. Product ranges vary by market and manufacturing location. The brand's main European production base is associated with Barcelona, while reference material describes additional production lines serving South America from Santiago, Chile, and Asia from Tianjin, China. International distribution has included Portugal, Chile, Bosnia and Herzegovina and China, where the product is known as Gao-le-Gao. It was also introduced in Japan, Russia and Greece in the early 1990s, although those markets were later discontinued according to the referenced account. Chinese-made Cola Cao chocolate roll cakes have subsequently appeared through discount retail channels. Cola Cao is frequently compared with Nestlé's Nesquik, particularly in Spanish consumer discussion. A 2016 exchange between parody social-media accounts brought the comparison into public view, after which the brands and Nestlé clarified which accounts were official. The Spanish consumer organization OCU also compared cocoa-drink products, reporting that Cola Cao ranked above Nesquik in the cited comparison, although it did not rank first overall. In 2020, McDonald's introduced a Cola Cao McFlurry in Spain, creating another occasion for online discussion about the rivalry between the two brands. Today Cola Cao remains an active brand owned by Barcelona-based Idilia Foods, the company formerly known as Nutrexpa. Its identity combines a familiar Spanish breakfast product, long-running mass-market advertising, Olympic and sports associations, and a portfolio adapted to different nutritional, preparation and regional preferences.
History
Cola Cao originated in the Gràcia neighbourhood of Barcelona in 1945, when José María Ventura and José Ignacio Ferrero, two brothers-in-law, created a soluble cocoa product. The brand was developed as a practical way to prepare a cocoa drink at home, principally by mixing the powder with milk. Its early growth was supported by mass advertising and by the familiarity of the product as part of the Spanish breakfast and evening meal. A major part of Cola Cao's cultural history is its advertising music. The Cola Cao song was used in radio promotion from 1952 and later became one of the brand's defining identity assets. In 1962, the company began broadcasting its first television advertisements, adapting the established radio tune for animated material. This transition helped extend the brand's reach as television became an increasingly important household medium in Spain. Cola Cao developed a strong association with sport during the 1970s. In 1972, it sponsored the Spanish Olympic team at the Munich Summer Olympics and used the expression "Olympic food" in its marketing. The connection was renewed and formalized in 1988, when Cola Cao began sponsoring the Spanish Olympic Committee through the ADO Programme in the period leading to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. The referenced account describes this relationship as continuing thereafter. The brand also installed Cola Cao Circuits in public green spaces in Spanish cities to connect its identity with exercise and urban sports. The product range broadened during the 1980s and 1990s. Cola Cao VIT was introduced as an instant, vitamin-enriched version of the classic product and was discontinued by the end of the 1980s. During the mid-1990s, the company launched a lower-calorie version using sweeteners, promoted with a claim centered on retaining the familiar Cola Cao taste while reducing calories. This product was later renamed Cola Cao Light in the mid-2000s. Other lines referenced in descriptions of the brand include Turbo, Fiber, Energy and Complete, although availability has varied by market and period. Cola Cao's international development has relied on regional production and product adaptation. The European market has been served from a Barcelona facility, while reference material identifies a Santiago, Chile, production line for South American products and a Tianjin, China, line for Asian products. In addition to Spain, the brand has been exported to Portugal, Chile, Bosnia and Herzegovina and China, where it is marketed under the name Gao-le-Gao. Launches in Japan, Russia and Greece in the early 1990s did not become permanent according to the available account. China has also been associated with products such as roll cakes, fruit-flavored cocoa and cocoa spread. The brand's corporate ownership changed in the context of the evolution of Nutrexpa. Cola Cao is now owned and marketed by Idilia Foods, a Barcelona-based company formerly known as Nutrexpa. The brand continues to operate as a mass-market cocoa and chocolate-drink label rather than as a standalone listed company. In contemporary public discussion, Cola Cao is most often compared with Nesquik. The rivalry has appeared in social media, consumer comparisons and product extensions. A 2016 exchange involving parody Twitter accounts generated attention and led the relevant official pages to distinguish themselves from the parody accounts. The OCU also compared the two brands and other cocoa drinks. In 2020, a Cola Cao McFlurry introduced by McDonald's provided another highly visible example of the brand being used in a co-branded or foodservice product. Cola Cao's enduring profile therefore rests on three overlapping elements: a long-established cocoa product, distinctive Spanish advertising heritage and sustained association with sport and everyday family consumption.
- 2020
Cola Cao McFlurry is introduced
[1]McDonald's launches a Cola Cao-flavored McFlurry, extending the brand into a limited foodservice product context.
- 2016
Social-media rivalry with Nesquik attracts attention
[1]A parody-account exchange highlights the brands' competitive comparison and prompts clarification of the official accounts.
- 2005
Reduced-calorie line is renamed Cola Cao Light
[1]The lower-calorie product adopts the Cola Cao Light name during the mid-2000s.
- 1995
Reduced-calorie product is launched
[1]A sweetener-based lower-calorie version is introduced in the mid-1990s and is later renamed Cola Cao Light.
- 1990
Expansion into additional international markets
[1]The brand is introduced in Japan, Russia and Greece during the early 1990s, although those launches are later discontinued according to the cited account.
- 1988
ADO Programme sponsorship begins
[1]Cola Cao begins sponsoring the Spanish Olympic Committee through the ADO Programme in the period preceding the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
- 1980
Cola Cao VIT is introduced
[1]An instant, vitamin-enriched version called Cola Cao VIT is produced during the 1980s; it is later discontinued.
- 1972
First Olympic sponsorship association
[1]Cola Cao sponsors the Spanish Olympic team and promotes the association through the phrase "Olympic food."
- 1962
First television advertising
[1]Cola Cao begins broadcasting television commercials that adapt the radio advertising tune for animated content.
- 1952
The Cola Cao song enters advertising
[1]The brand begins using its signature promotional song in radio advertising, establishing a durable cultural association.
Products and positioning
An accessible, family-oriented cocoa drink associated with Spanish breakfast culture, recognizable advertising, sports sponsorship and a long-established national heritage.
Soluble cocoa powder · 1945
Cola Cao Original
The core Cola Cao product is a sweetened cocoa powder intended to be mixed with milk. It is also suitable for preparation with water or soya milk, and can be added to cereal or used as a baking ingredient. The formulation described in reference material includes sugar, processed cocoa, wheat flour and cola nut, with added vitamins, calcium and phosphorus. The product is sold in containers of different sizes and remains the principal expression of the brand.
Reduced-calorie cocoa drink · 1995
Cola Cao Light
Cola Cao Light is the later name for the brand's reduced-calorie cocoa powder product. It was originally launched in the mid-1990s as Cola Cao Low in Calories and used sweeteners in place of the standard formulation's approach to sweetness. Its positioning focused on retaining the familiar Cola Cao taste while reducing calories. Availability and exact formulation may vary by market and period.
Vitamin-enriched cocoa drink · 1980
Cola Cao VIT
Cola Cao VIT was an instant, vitamin-enriched variation of the classic cocoa powder. It was produced during the 1980s as the brand expanded its nutritional and convenience positioning. The line was discontinued by the late 1980s, making it a historical rather than current product reference.
Cocoa drink
Cola Cao Turbo
Turbo is one of the named extensions associated with Cola Cao's broader product range. It represents the brand's use of differentiated variants beyond the core Original powder, although the available reference does not provide a detailed formulation, launch history or complete account of its current availability.
Cocoa drink
Cola Cao Fiber
Fiber is a named Cola Cao variant associated with a product range that adds differentiated nutritional positioning to the traditional cocoa-drink format. The available material does not establish a precise launch year, formulation or current market coverage.
Cocoa drink
Cola Cao Energy
Energy is among the product names used for Cola Cao extensions. It reflects the brand's expansion into variants with specific functional or nutritional positioning, but the available reference does not provide enough detail to describe its formulation, launch date or current status reliably.
Cocoa drink
Cola Cao Complete
Complete is a named product extension in the Cola Cao portfolio. It belongs to the brand's broader effort to offer alternatives to the original cocoa powder, but detailed information on ingredients, markets and lifecycle is not established in the supplied sources.
Cereal product
Cola Cao Cereal
Cola Cao Cereal is a regional product associated with the brand's South American range and the Santiago, Chile, production line described in the reference material. It extends the cocoa identity into a breakfast cereal format. The available sources do not specify its complete formulation or current distribution.
Chocolate snack · 2007
Cola Cao Chocolate Roll Cake
Chocolate roll cakes carrying the Cola Cao name have been manufactured in China and sold through discount-store channels since at least the late 2000s. They represent a confectionery extension of the cocoa brand rather than the traditional milk-mixed powder format.
Chocolate spread
Cola Cao Spread
Cola Cao Spread is a regional extension associated with the Asian product line. It applies the brand's cocoa profile to a spreadable chocolate product. The supplied reference does not establish the precise launch date, recipe or current availability.
Marketing campaigns
- 1988ADO Programme and Olympic Committee sponsorship
Spain
Cola Cao began sponsoring the Spanish Olympic Committee through the ADO Programme ahead of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Outcome. The sponsorship connected the brand with Spanish Olympic sport over an extended period.
- 1988Cola Cao Circuits
Spain
The brand installed outdoor exercise facilities, popularly called Cola Cao Circuits, in green areas of Spanish cities including Esplugues de Llobregat and Córdoba.
Outcome. Cola Cao linked its sponsorship platform with accessible urban physical activity.
- 1972Olympic food sponsorship positioning
Spain
After sponsoring the Spanish Olympic team at the 1972 Summer Olympics, Cola Cao associated itself with the phrase "Olympic food."
Outcome. Sport became a long-term pillar of the brand's public positioning.
- 1962Television adaptation of the Cola Cao song
Spain
Cola Cao moved its established radio identity into television commercials, using animated material built around the promotional tune.
Outcome. The campaign extended the brand's reach into television and reinforced its recognizable identity.
- 1952Cola Cao song advertising
Spain
The brand began promoting Cola Cao through a distinctive song on radio. The tune later became a defining part of the brand's cultural recognition and was adapted for television advertising.
Outcome. The song became a durable Spanish advertising and nostalgia reference.
Brand decisions
2020
Launch the Cola Cao McFlurryProduct launchBackground
McDonald's used the Cola Cao flavor in a foodservice dessert, extending the brand into a co-branded retail restaurant product.
Action taken
McDonald's released a Cola Cao McFlurry.
Aftermath
The launch generated online discussion and was used in comparisons between Cola Cao and Nesquik.
2007
Extend the brand into chocolate roll cakes in ChinaProduct launchBackground
Regional production in China supported extensions beyond powdered cocoa drinks.
Action taken
Cola Cao chocolate roll cakes manufactured in China began appearing through dollar-store channels.
Aftermath
The product demonstrated the brand's ability to travel into packaged confectionery formats, but the supplied sources do not establish its current status.
2005
Rename the reduced-calorie line as Cola Cao LightGeneration changeBackground
The earlier Cola Cao Low in Calories product was repositioned under a shorter, more internationally familiar naming convention.
Action taken
The reduced-calorie cocoa drink adopted the Cola Cao Light name.
Aftermath
The renamed product became part of the brand's expanded variant portfolio, although current availability is not established by the supplied material.
1995
Launch a reduced-calorie Cola Cao variantProduct launchBackground
The brand sought to offer a lower-calorie alternative while retaining its familiar taste profile.
Action taken
A sweetener-based product called Cola Cao Low in Calories was introduced in the mid-1990s.
Aftermath
The product was renamed Cola Cao Light in the mid-2000s.
1980
Introduce vitamin-enriched Cola Cao VITProduct launchBackground
The brand expanded its core cocoa format with an instant version positioned around added vitamins.
Action taken
Cola Cao VIT was produced during the 1980s.
Aftermath
The product was discontinued by the late 1980s.
Recent events
- 2020
McDonald's launches a Cola Cao McFlurry[1]
Product launch · Campaign
McDonald's introduced a Cola Cao-flavored McFlurry, prompting renewed online discussion about the brand's relationship with and perceived competition against Nesquik.
- 2016
Cola Cao and Nesquik parody accounts exchange remarks on Twitter[1]
Other
A public exchange between parody accounts representing Cola Cao and Nesquik drew attention to the brands' long-standing comparison in Spain. The official brand pages and Nestlé subsequently clarified the verified corporate accounts.
- 2016
OCU compares Cola Cao with Nesquik and other cocoa drinks[1]
Other
The consumer organization OCU compared cocoa content and added fiber among cocoa drink products. In the comparison described by the reference material, Cola Cao ranked fourth and ahead of Nesquik, while other products scored better on some quality measures.
Sources1 sources
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