Did you know that Laccao and ColaCao are made by the same company?
The chocolate milkshake in a glass bottle has been manufactured in Catalonia for four years.
The star product of the Mallorcan General Agrarian Association (Agama) and at the same time the chocolate milkshake that characterized the childhoods of many Mallorcans, Laccao in a glass bottle, is no longer made "neither in Mallorca nor with milk from the island," say company sources. "Only the carton is made, and when requested," they add. In 1944, the French dairy company Lactel, together with a pharmacist from Palma, created Laccao, which, as Lluís Sitjar's loudspeakers announced for years, was "the drink for athletes."
According to Agama on its website, since 1944, "Laccao has maintained its DNA: the characteristic whitish color of the milk that blends with the brown of the cocoa, and the dense white cream sediments that certify the quality of the milk from Granjas de Mallorca." But this DNA changed in 2021 when Damm acquired 100% of Cacaolat and moved the production of the glass-bottled milkshake to Catalonia, with the promise of returning it once the bottling plant renovation was completed. For the moment, it hasn't returned. Thus, bottled Laccao hasn't been produced in Mallorca for almost four years. However, carton Laccao is still produced on the island, but not as frequently as it was years ago.
Furthermore, last year Damm sold 50% of Cacaolat (which includes the Laccao and Letona brands) to Idilia, which also manages ColaCao Energy, ColaCao Shake, and Okey, among others. Thus, both companies have created a milkshake giant, and therefore, Laccao is produced by the same company that currently makes ColaCao. This agreement creates the largest milkshake group in Spain.
What will happen to Agama?
The company has called a meeting with employee representatives for October 20. However, the representatives requested that the meeting be brought forward, considering that "the situation of uncertainty experienced by the workforce demands immediate responses and a clear signal of commitment from management." However, sources from theExecutivevarn warn employees that, "although they have the right to complain and also the chances of winning, they must be clear that they will not reverse the decisions that Agama has already made."
Damm assured ARA Baleares a few days ago that "no decision has yet been made in this regard," referring to the future of the dairy. "Different scenarios are being studied and work is being done to find solutions that minimize the impact it may have on thedairy farmsBut nothing has been decided, explained Damm sources. Agama has been suffering losses for years, which has led it to reduce its raw milk purchase volume due to the decline in sales," they explained.
