Pocky facts for kids
Sticks of original (chocolate) Pocky
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| Place of origin | Japan |
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| Created by | Glico |
| Invented | 1966 |
| Main ingredients | Biscuit stick, chocolate |
Pocky (pronounced POH-kee) is a super popular sweet snack from Japan. It's made by a company called Ezaki Glico. Pocky first came out in 1966, and a person named Yoshiaki Koma invented it.
This yummy snack is basically a biscuit stick covered in a tasty coating. The name "Pocky" comes from a Japanese sound word, pokkiri. This word sounds like the "crack" you hear when you bite into the snack!
The first Pocky had a chocolate coating. Later, in 1971, they added an almond-coated version. A strawberry flavor came out in 1977. Today, there are so many different kinds of Pocky! You can find flavors like milk, matcha (green tea), banana, cookies and cream, and coconut. There are even special ones like "Decorer Pocky" with cool designs, and "Men's Pocky," which is a darker chocolate flavor.
Many Flavors and Types
Pocky comes in tons of different flavors. You can find classic ones like chocolate, strawberry, and almond. Some unique flavors appear only at certain times of the year. For example, there's honey in the spring and kiwifruit mango in the summer.
The darker chocolate Pocky is called Men's Pocky. There are also special flavors that you can only find in certain parts of Japan. These include grape from Nagano, yūbari melon from Hokkaido, and giant mikan (tangerine) from the Kyushu region. Other fun flavors include banana, coffee, caramel, and green tea.
Besides different flavors, Pocky also comes in various forms:
- Pocky G is made to be "hard and rich."
- Giant Pocky sticks are much bigger than regular ones. They are about 10 inches long and three times thicker! Some even have real dried strawberry pieces.
- Giant Dream Pocky is a box of 20 big sticks, each with a different flavor like melon, grape, green tea, strawberry, or chocolate.
- Sakura Pocky is a special edition with pink cherry blossom chocolate and a touch of salt.
- Reverse Pocky has the cracker on the outside and the filling in the middle.
- Fortune-Telling Pocky has a fun "fortune" inside each stick.
- Pocky Cake is a real cake shaped like a Pocky stick. It often has raisins, chocolate cream, and orange peel.
Another snack made by the same company, Ezaki Glico, is called Pretz. Pretz is like Pocky but without the sweet coating. It comes in savory flavors like tomato, pizza, and salad.
Pocky Around the World
Pocky is super popular in Japan, especially with teenagers. Sometimes, it's even served with a glass of water or milk in cafes.
It's also a big hit in many other Asian countries. You can find it in places like China, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. In Malaysia, Pocky was sold as "Rocky" for about 50 years. But in 2014, it was rebranded back to "Pocky" with a new look.
In Europe, Pocky is sold under a different name: "Mikado." It's made by a company called Mondelēz International. You can find Mikado in countries like France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. The name "Mikado" comes from a game played with thin, long sticks, which look like the snack! In Turkey, similar snacks are made by local companies.
In the United States and Canada, you can find Pocky in Asian supermarkets. It's also in the international food sections of many big grocery stores. Some stores like Walmart, Target, and Walgreens also carry it.
In Australia and New Zealand, Pocky is usually sold in Asian markets. It's also available in the international aisles of most large supermarkets.
In 2020, Pocky was recognized by Guinness World Records. It became the "largest chocolate-coated biscuit brand" because it sold over 500 million dollars worth of snacks in one year! That's a lot of Pocky!
See also
In Spanish: Pocky para niños
- Pocky & Pretz Day
- Pretzel sticks
- List of Japanese snacks
- Yan Yan (snack)
