Word of the day: Vi-Co

Ask anyone from Saskatchewan (anyone over the age of 30) what chocolate milk is and they might respond with one word.

Vi-Co.

Vi-Co was actually an American chocolate milk product that in the late 50’s Co-op Dairies in Saskatchewan bought the rights to.  It appeared in a small, brown can and later became familiar in the wax-cardboard container.  There in bold letters was the word on the side of the carton.  Vi-Co.  It was an easy word to say.  Instead of saying “I’m getting a chocolate milk” people would say “I’m getting a Vi-co” or, as it became known, just simply vico.

When you went into a store and asked for some, the cashier new exactly what you were asking for.  The word was so utterly Saskatchewan by the time the 1970’s rolled around that it wasn’t even funny.  It was as common as bunny hug, or ski-doo, or toque.  Everyone knew what you meant.

When I grew older and began my first stint in broadcasting, I moved to Manitoba.  I was over joyed when I went into a store and saw the familiar Vi-Co staring back at me through the dairy isle cases.

Ever since Dairy Producers was bought out by Dairy World, the brand name has been phased out, which is quite sad.  I often wonder if during this day and age of retro, if Dairy World started selling Vi-Co again, would there be a resurgence of chocolate milk sales?  Maybe, because for many people in Saskatchewan, Vi-Co means a lot.  It’s like a familiar spot, or an old friend.  It brings back so many memories.

Until next time…

…keep ’em flyin’!

Zodi Hijack

Chocolate milk. How hard is it to say that? I don’t think I’ve ever come across anyone in my life who has called it Vi-co, then again I’m American. I’ve never heard anyone call it Ovaltine, or Nesquick. I have heard it called a variety of other things. Brown moo-moo, choco-moos and my personal favorite. Bunny milk. I also have a three year old, he adores chocolate milk. So these titles are actually common around my house.

In my years of growing up, chocolate milk was only something we got a resturant when the family went out to supper. There was many times, that we got milk with chocolate flavoring. For some reason parents seem to think that we’d get hyped up on the sugar. Often this wasn’t case and if it was, we’d often get so sugar high’d that we crash out way before bed time.

Now that my kid is growing up and we do the family dinner things, I allow him little luxuries I never had. For example, blowing bubbles in his chocolate milk when we go out to dinner. My theory on this is, let him do it now, and he won’t do it later in life. It’s like giving a kid candy, eventually they’ll just grow out of it. My father doesn’t the like fact that I let Rhys blow bubbles in his milk, but since it’s the only drink he’s allowed to do it in, I see no problem.

Chocolate milk bubble blowing is healthy. All kids do it, most aren’t allowed to do it. Mine is, so long as the cup has a lid.

Keep it real and rockin’

❤