Nestlé has launched a new variety of Milo. But will it taste as good? Photo / Supplied
Nestlé has launched a new variety of Milo. But will it taste as good? Photo / Supplied
It's an iconic drink that's found in almost every home across the country.
But Nestlé Australia has just announced a major change to the recipe, launching a new 30 per cent less added sugar version after copping backlash over the product's controversial 4.5 health star rating last year.
A representative from Nestlé told the Herald the product will be available in New Zealand in July.
While many will welcome the idea of a healthier way to drink your favourite choc malt drink, we all want to know one thing - does it taste the same?
According to Nestlé's excited spokeswoman Margaret Stuart, it does.
"It tastes exactly the same, so much so, most people don't even notice the difference," Stuart told news.com.au.
"When we were working on developing Milo 30 per cent less added sugar, our focus was on creating a product that looks like original Milo, tastes like original Milo, and behaves like original Milo - crunchy bits and all.
"We found in testing that people really loved the concept, but they liked it even more when they tasted it. It really exceeded their expectations. It tastes great."
From next month, the healthier Milo - which is noticeably without cane sugar - will be on sale alongside the traditional recipe, with Nestlé general manager Andrew McIver explaining they've done their best to hold onto the brand's 85-year-long heritage.
"Milo was originally designed as a nutritious drink for undernourished children during the Depression, delivering added vitamins and minerals in a format children enjoyed," he said.
"With parents increasingly concerned about added sugar in their children's diets, we've created an option that is true to the Milo heritage and encourages people to drink milk, but delivers less added sugar."
McIver said that like original Milo, the new variety contains lactose, which is a naturally occurring sugar in the milk powder, and added sugar in the malt barley - but the cane sugar is gone.
Milo was originally designed as a nutritious drink for undernourished children during the Depression, delivering added vitamins and minerals into their diets in a way they enjoyed. Photo / Getty Images
"From the very beginning, our focus was on creating a product that both tastes like original Milo, and behaves like original Milo," he said.
"That means not just keeping the same core ingredients of milk powder, cocoa and malt barley, but also making sure it looks the same, tastes great, and has crunchy bits on top.
"People will be able to choose whether they want the original Milo, or the new Milo 30% less added sugar, knowing that whatever they choose will taste delicious."
