Nesquik facts for kids
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Nesquik cocoa powder
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| Owner | Nestlé |
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| Introduced | 1948 |
| Related brands | Nesquik Cereal |
| Markets | Worldwide |
Nesquik is a popular brand of food products made by the Swiss company Nestlé. It's best known for its chocolate-flavored powders and syrups that you mix with milk.
The brand started in the United States in 1948 as Nestlé Quik. It was a powder to make chocolate milk. In the 1950s, it came to Europe under the name Nesquik. Since 1999, the brand has been called Nesquik all over the world. Today, you can find many different Nesquik products, like breakfast cereals, drink mixes, syrups, ready-to-drink milks, and even candy bars!
The Story of Nesquik
Nesquik began as a chocolate powder mix in the United States in 1948. It was first called Nestlé Quik. In the 1950s, it launched in Europe as Nesquik. In 1999, countries like the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Australia changed their product name from Nestlé Quik to Nesquik, matching the worldwide brand.
In the same year, a company called Cereal Partners Worldwide launched Nesquik Cereal. This breakfast cereal is famous for turning milk into chocolate milk! Nesquik also started making syrup products in 1981 and ready-to-drink milks in 1984.
In 2012, Nestlé USA had to recall some Nesquik Chocolate Powder. This happened because a supplier had an issue with one of their ingredients. Nestlé quickly removed the affected products from stores and apologized to customers. This was the first time a Nesquik product had been recalled.
On April 1, 2013, Nesquik USA played an April Fool's Day joke. They posted a picture of a broccoli-flavored Nesquik drink! They later announced it was just a joke.
In 2017, Nestlé scientists announced they were working to make their drink mix with less sugar. This was because many people wanted healthier options. In August 2023, Nestlé South Africa announced they would stop selling the Strawberry and Chocolate Nesquik flavors in that country.
Nesquik Products
Nesquik makes many different products to enjoy!
Mixes
- Nesquik Chocolate Powder was the first product, introduced in 1948.
- Nesquik Banana Powder came out in 1954.
- Nesquik Strawberry Powder was available before 1960.
- Nesquik Vanilla Powder was introduced in 1979 but was stopped in 2006 because it didn't sell well.
- Other powder flavors have been made over the years, but they are no longer sold. These include Cherry, Mango, Cream, Triple Chocolate, Honey, Crème Soda, Caramel, and Cookies & Cream.
Syrups
Nesquik chocolate syrup was first sold in 1981. Strawberry syrup was added in 1989. In Canada, vanilla syrup was introduced in 2021. Sometimes, special mixed flavors like Strawberry Banana and Chocolate Caramel syrups have also been made.
Ready-to-Drink Products
These are drinks that are already mixed and ready to enjoy!
- Nestlé launched ready-to-drink Nesquik Chocolate Milk in 1983. Strawberry was added in 1987, and Banana in 1990. You can also find Vanilla, Double Chocolate, and Banana-Strawberry flavors.
- Fat-Free Nesquik Chocolate Milk was introduced in 1998.
- Nesquik also makes Milkshakes in Chocolate and Strawberry. A Chocolate Caramel milkshake was introduced in 2007.
- In 2008, Nestlé introduced Nesquik "Magic" Straws. These straws have flavor beads inside that change plain milk into flavored milk as you drink it.
The ready-to-drink versions of Nesquik stopped being made in the U.K. in 2009.
Nesquik Cereal
Nesquik Cereal is a breakfast cereal that first came out in 1999. The cereal has small, hollow chocolate balls made from Whole grains. It's very similar to another cereal called Cocoa Puffs.
Nesquik Cereal is sold in many countries around the world, including the U.K., Sweden, Canada, Mexico, France, and Hong Kong. It's available in different box sizes. Most Nesquik Cereal is made in France.
There are also other types of Nesquik Cereal. One is called CioccoMilk, which is a chocolate-filled square cereal. Another is Duo, which is like the original but with white chocolate flavored pieces.
Other Nesquik Products
- Nesquik chocolate candy bars were once called Nestlé Quik candy bars before the name changed in 1999.
- A Nesquik Chocolate Fondue Fountain was made by Smart Planet Home.
- Nesquik also has a flavor of Nestlé hot cocoa mix that comes with bunny-shaped marshmallows.
- In the U.K., there were Nesquik Chocolate Pots, which were like chocolate fromage frais (a type of fresh cheese similar to yogurt).
- Nesquik is available for the Dolce Gusto coffee machine system.
- Nesquik is a flavor of Ice-Screamers, which are frozen treats made by Nestlé.
- Nesquik even created a special Nesquik-powered race car for advertising!
- In the U.K., you can find Nesquik Milk Slice, which is a sponge cake with a chocolate-flavored yogurt filling.
Advertising Campaigns
Nesquik has had many different advertising campaigns over the years. They've used print ads, and even advertised at big events like the Tour de France and the Olympics. They've also had several mascots!
Jimmy Nelson, Danny O'Day, and Farfel
In 1955, Nestlé hired a ventriloquist named Jimmy Nelson for their TV ads. Nelson's dummy, Danny O'Day, would say that Quik "makes milk taste...like a mill-ion" (dollars). Danny and a dog puppet named Farfel would sing Nestlé's new jingle:
- Danny: N-E-S-T-L-E-S,
- Nestlé's makes the very best...
- Farfel: Choc-'late
Farfel would end the jingle with a funny jaw-snapping sound. This sound was actually an accident during Nelson's first audition, but the Nestlé bosses loved it so much they asked him to keep it! Nelson performed the jingle this way for 10 years.
The Nesquik Bunny (also known as Quicky)
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A cartoon Quik Bunny first appeared on the strawberry flavor cans. Later, a cartoon bunny wearing a big red "Q" necklace became the new mascot for chocolate Quik. He first appeared in 1960 and was in his first TV commercial in 1973.
He sings Nesquik's most famous jingle in a rock-and-roll style:
It's so rich and thick and chocolate,
That you can't...drink it slow...
if it's Quik
Then he makes a "oh-do-be-oh" sound, quickly drinks all his Nesquik through a straw, and sadly says, "That's the saddest sound I know."
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In the U.S., the Quik Bunny was renamed the Nesquik Bunny in 1999 when the brand name changed. His "Q" necklace changed to an "N". He appears on all the packaging and in commercials. In some countries like France, Italy, and Canada, he is known as Quicky the Nesquik Bunny. In Spain, there was no mascot until Quicky arrived in the early 1990s.
The Nesquik Bunny also appears on ads for other Nesquik products.
Other Appearances
- The Quik Bunny was made fun of in an episode of the TV show Drawn Together.
- He appeared in a 1987 promotional comic with Superman.
- He was also in a 1984 comic called The Adventures of Quik Bunny with Spider-Man.
- A giant Quik Bunny balloon was a regular sight in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade from 1988 to 1999.
Groquik (Quikáras)
France and Greece used to have a different mascot for Nesquik. It was a big, fat, yellow, hippopotamus-like cartoon creature with a deep voice. He wore a hat with red and white stripes and was called Groquik (meaning "Fat Quik"). In Greece, he was called Κουικάρας (Quikáras), which means "Big Quik." Later, Quicky the bunny replaced him, which made some fans unhappy because they liked Groquik.
Groquik was created in 1978. In Greek TV ads, Kouikaras would chase thieves who tried to steal children's Quik. He would catch the thieves, save the children, and give them back their Quik. Many different versions of this ad were made.
The last ad with Kouikaras in Greece showed him leaving on a train. As he left, thieves tried to steal the Quik again, but Quicky the bunny, who was at the station, caught them and saved the day!
Cangurik
In Portugal, the mascot was a kangaroo named Cangurik. Quicky the bunny replaced him around 1989 or 1990. There were even songs and trading cards featuring Cangurik!
Mr. Nesquik
In Italy, before Quicky, the mascot was an animated box of Nesquik called Mr. Nesquik. He was very popular in the 1980s because of TV commercials, ads in comic books, and many free toys that came with Nesquik boxes. Mr. Nesquik last appeared around 1990, passing the mascot role to Quicky.
Nesquik Cereal Advertising
Nesquik Cereal is advertised in all the countries where it's sold. Most of the ads are on TV, but there are also online and print ads. The Nesquik Bunny is usually in all the cereal ads.
TV Ad Discussion in England (2012–2013)
There was a discussion in England about a Nesquik chocolate powder TV ad. Some people complained that the ad suggested Nesquik was suitable for children to drink every day for breakfast. They thought it encouraged unhealthy eating habits because of the sugar content.
The ad showed that Nesquik has important vitamins and minerals that help kids grow. It also said, "Enjoy Nesquik as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle."
The organization that checks TV ads, called the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), looked into the complaints. Nestlé explained that the amount of sugar in one glass of Nesquik was within recommended daily limits. They also said that the health benefits of the vitamins and minerals in Nesquik were proven.
The ASA decided that Nestlé had provided enough information on its packaging and website. They ruled that the ad was not misleading and that Nesquik could be enjoyed once a day as part of a healthy diet.
See also
In Spanish: Nesquik para niños
- Milo (drink)
- Cola Cao
- Ovaltine
- Carnation Instant Breakfast
- Nescafe
