Caro (drink) facts for kids
Caro as sold under the name Pero in the U.S. by InterNatural Foods
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Caro is a special drink made by Nestlé. It's not coffee, but it tastes a bit like it! It's made from roasted grains like barley, chicory, and rye. The best part? It has no caffeine, so it won't make you jumpy. Caro was first made in West Germany in 1954.
You can find Caro in many places, like Europe, New Zealand, and Australia. In the United States, it's called Pero. In Spain, it's known as Eko. You can buy Caro as a powder that dissolves instantly in hot water. There's also a version called Caro Extra which comes in tiny granules. The name "Caro" comes from the German word "Karo," which means the diamonds suit in playing cards. You can often see this diamond shape in the product's logo.
The Story of Caro
The idea for Caro goes way back in time. It started when a ruler named Frederick the Great made coffee beans very expensive. A smart person named Johann Heinrich Franck looked for something else to drink. He found that chicory, mixed with grain and roasted, could be a good coffee alternative.
In 1828, Franck started making this drink in a town called Vaihingen an der Enz. Later, in 1868, the factory moved to Ludwigsburg. This new location had better ways to transport the ingredients and finished products.
For a long time, people in Germany also drank a similar grain coffee called Linde's. But this drink reminded people of difficult times, like wars. So, in 1954, a new name was needed for the instant version of this coffee substitute. They chose "Caro," which came from parts of the German words for "coffee substitute extract."
For many years, Caro had a special song in its advertisements. It was a rewritten version of a popular song by a singer named Volker Lechtenbrink. In June 2018, Nestlé announced that the factory in Ludwigsburg would close. Production of Caro then moved to Portugal.
See Also
- Barleycup
- Inka (beverage)
- List of barley-based drinks
- Postum
