Malaysian converts home into Milo memorabilia gallery

Yusof takes pride in the mini Milo gallery he’s been curating for years.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysians grew up with Milo. Who doesn’t remember the good old days when the familiar green truck would roll up on Sports Day at school and everyone would excitedly queue up for a cup of the cold, chocolatey beverage.

That humble drink made marching under the blazing sun for hours, feeling all sticky, sweaty and tired well worth it.

Well, this one Malaysian has taken his love for Milo to a whole new level. Meet 41-year-old Yusof Ali, whose entire living room is filled with Milo memorabilia.

This collection is no laughing matter – the clearly passionate Yusof has over 1,000 pieces of Milo merchandise dating back to the 1950s.

Yusof has been painstakingly collecting Milo merchandise for the past 15 years.

Residing in Klang, Yusof told FMT that his father used to own a sundry shop in the 1980s and suppliers would drop off Milo merchandise and along with the drink, free gifts such as pencil boxes and water bottles.

Yusof began collecting 15 years ago in honour of his father and out of a sense of nostalgia.

You name it, he’s got it somewhere, tucked away neatly in his living room – mugs, clothes, pins, posters, bags, caps, envelopes and even a whole cabinet of Milo truck models.

Also on display are the Milo writing equipment, pencils and erasers, that he used in school. There is even a container full of Milo can tabs in Yusof’s collection.

Yusof even has a jar of Milo can tabs in his collection.

“The oldest item in my collection is a rare, antique kopitiam Milo cup that was produced in the 1950s. That one cup would cost a whopping RM3,000 and it’s practically impossible to get your hands on them.”

According to Yusof, this cup was made in the 1950s and retails at RM3,000 today.

Yusof’s love for Milo memorabilia comes with a hefty price tag of RM40,000 but the avid collector has no qualms about forking out huge sums to fund his passion.

He said at the start, his family was quite weirded out with his obsession but over time, they began to appreciate how the mini collection has added a certain “je ne sais quoi” to the house.

Proud Yusof is also the admin of a Facebook group for Malaysian Milo enthusiasts to share their collections and exchange items. The page has over 6,000 members who are just as passionate about Milo as Yusof.

“Anyone who is not aware of my obsession with Milo is usually quite shocked when they enter the house. However, those shocked faces very quickly turn into amazement and awe,” smiled Yusof.

Yusof even has a pair of custom-made Milo shoes in his collection.

Yusof laughingly added that his house has already turned into a mini Milo gallery and he has plans to hopefully convert his years of hard work into a museum for Milo fans and the younger generation to visit.

And Yusof has no plans on stopping there. “I am still hunting for Milo memorabilia. As long as it’s Milo, I will do my best to have it in my possession,” grins Yusof.

Oh, and for those lucky enough to visit Yusof’s mini Milo gallery, he will definitely treat you to a refreshing can of Milo on the house.

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