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 (ポッキー, Pokkī, Japanese pronunciation: [poꜜkkiː]) /ˈpɒki/ is a super popular Japanese sweet snack made by the Ezaki Glico food company. Pocky first came out in 1966, and it was invented by Yoshiaki Koma. It's made of crunchy biscuit sticks covered in yummy coatings. The name Pocky comes from the Japanese word pokkiri (ポッキリ), which sounds like the "snap" you hear when you break a Pocky stick!
The first Pocky had a chocolate coating. Later, in 1971, an almond-coated version came out, and then a strawberry one in 1977. Today, you can find Pocky in many different flavors. These include milk, mousse, matcha (green tea), honey, banana, cookies and cream, strawberry, and coconut. There are also special types like "Decorer Pocky," which has colorful designs, and "Men's Pocky," a darker chocolate version.
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Pocky Around the World
Pocky is a very popular treat in Japan, especially with teenagers. Sometimes, in cafes, it's served with a glass of cold water or milk.
It's also a big hit in other Asian countries. You can find it in places like China, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore. For about 50 years, Pocky was sold as "Rocky" in Malaysia. But in 2014, it changed back to "Pocky" with a new look and slogan.
In Europe, Pocky is made by another company called Mondelēz International. There, it's sold under the name "Mikado." You can find Mikado in many European countries, like France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. It's usually available in most supermarkets.
In the United States and Canada, you can often find Pocky in Asian supermarkets. It's also in the international food sections of bigger stores like Walmart and Target.
In Australia and New Zealand, Pocky is sold in Asian markets and the international aisles of large supermarkets.
In Turkey, similar biscuit sticks are made by local companies under names like Biskrem Bi'stik and Biscolata Stix.
Awesome Flavors and Types
Pocky comes in many different flavors, like chocolate, strawberry, and almond. Some unique flavors appear only at certain times of the year, like honey in spring or kiwifruit mango in summer. The dark chocolate Pocky is called Men's Pocky.
There are also special flavors that are only sold in certain parts of Japan. For example, you might find grape Pocky in Nagano or mikan (tangerine) Pocky in the Kyūshū region. Other flavors include banana, lychee, coffee, caramel, melon, milk, cream cheese, sweet potato, coconut, and green tea.
Some newer special editions include cookies and cream and chocolate banana. These often come in bigger boxes than the regular flavors.
There are also special kinds of Pocky:
- Decorer Pocky has extra fancy icing and designs.
- Mousse Pocky has a very thick, creamy, mousse-like coating. These packs have fewer sticks than regular Pocky.
- Dessert Pocky sticks are covered in a lot of cream. Flavors include Double Chocolate and Tiramisu.
- My Calorie Pocky has fewer calories than regular chocolate Pocky.
- Pocky G is known for being "hard and rich."
- Giant Pocky sticks are about 10 inches long and much thicker than normal Pocky. They come in flavors like strawberry and chocolate.
- Giant Dream Pocky is also 10 inches long, with flavors like melon, grape, green tea, strawberry, or chocolate.
- Otona no Kohaku or "Adult Amber" Pocky is a slightly salty dark chocolate meant to be enjoyed with whiskey.
A snack similar to Pocky is called Pretz. Pretz are biscuit sticks that don't have a sweet coating. They come in savory flavors like tomato, pizza, and salad, as well as sweet ones like cocoa.
The Name "Mikado"
The name of the European version, "Mikado," comes from a game of the same name. This game uses thin, long sticks, which is why the snack got that name!
See also
- Pocky & Pretz Day
- Pretzel sticks
- Pretzels
- List of Japanese snacks
- Cadbury Fingers
- Toppo
- Yan Yan (snack)
Images for kids
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In Spanish: Pocky para niños
