After 77 Years, Cécémel Chocolate Drink Renamed to Chocomel

After 77 years on the Belgian market, the iconic chocolate milk drink Cécémel is being renamed to Chocomel, aligning it with the brand name used in the Netherlands and other international markets. Manufacturer FrieslandCampina announced the change on June 8, 2026, emphasizing that the recipe, production locations, and slogan will remain unchanged.

A Name Born from Necessity

The story of Cécémel begins in 1932, when the chocolate drink first appeared in the Netherlands under the name Melcola, according to RTBF. It was quickly renamed to Chocomel, a portmanteau of “chocolade” (chocolate) and “melk” (milk). When the brand expanded to Belgium in 1949, the original owner Nutricia encountered a legal obstacle: the name “Chocomel” could not be registered in Belgium, likely because it was deemed too descriptive or because another entity held the trademark rights.

The solution was a creative workaround. Nutricia replaced certain letters with dots, branding the product as “C..c.mel,” which Belgian consumers naturally pronounced as “Cécémel.” As VRT NWS reports, the name stuck for more than seven decades, becoming deeply embedded in Belgian consumer culture.

What Changes, and What Doesn’t

FrieslandCampina, which became the brand’s owner following the 2008 merger of FrieslandFoods and Campina, has stressed that the rebranding is purely cosmetic. The drink’s recipe remains “100% identical,” according to the official website, which assures consumers that “the creamy chocolate flavor that generations of Belgians love” is unchanged.

Production will continue at the company’s facilities in Aalter and Bornem, Belgium, addressing potential concerns about local jobs and manufacturing. The brand’s long-standing slogan, “De Enige Echte” (The One and Only), also remains intact.

“The heart of the product continues to beat in Belgium,” the company stated on its website. “Chocomel is still proudly produced in Aalter and Bornem.”

A Unified Brand Strategy

The rebranding is part of a broader corporate strategy to create a single, unified brand identity across borders. As FrieslandCampina explained in its announcement, as RTL Info reports: “We want to bring people together across borders, and that works better with a single name.”

Chocomel is already sold under that name in the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, and other European markets. The unified branding eliminates the need for separate packaging, marketing campaigns, and inventory management for Belgium versus other markets, potentially generating significant cost savings.

Managing Consumer Sentiment

Recognizing that the name change may evoke nostalgia and emotional reactions among Belgian consumers who grew up with Cécémel, FrieslandCampina is launching a large advertising campaign featuring well-known Flemish personalities to help ease the transition, according to Dutch Times.

The company’s messaging emphasizes continuity at every turn. As RetailDetail notes, the decision is stirring emotions among consumers attached to the familiar brand, but the company is betting that the reassurance of an unchanged product will win over skeptics.

Cultural and Business Implications

Cécémel was more than a product — it was a cultural icon in Belgium, particularly in French-speaking Wallonia and Brussels. The name change represents a broader trend toward international brand homogenization, seen across many consumer goods categories as companies seek global recognition and operational efficiency.

For FrieslandCampina, one of the world’s largest dairy cooperatives, the move strengthens brand recognition across borders at a time when cross-border shopping and travel are increasingly common. “Whether you speak French, English or Dutch, Chocomel remains Chocomel,” the company noted.

What’s Next

The transition is effective immediately, with new packaging already appearing on store shelves across Belgium. While the Cécémel name will gradually disappear, the company has confirmed there will be no transition period with dual branding — the change is immediate and complete.

For generations of Belgians who grew up asking for a “Cécémel” at the local café, the adjustment may take time. But as FrieslandCampina reassures: the drink itself — creamy, chocolatey, and unmistakably familiar — remains exactly as it has always been.