Pocky: Origin of the Japanese multi-coated flavored snack

Did you know that Pocky, the popular Japanese snack consisting of coated biscuit sticks, was first introduced in 1966 by Yoshiaki Koma? Interestingly, the snack’s name was derived from the Japanese onomatopoeic word “pokkiri” (ポッキリ), which is said to mimic the sound of the sticks being cracked.

In European countries, the snack is commonly referred to as Mikado, named after the popular game of pickup sticks. Meanwhile, in Malaysia, the snack was previously known as Rocky, as the word “pocky” had crude connotations in the Malay language.

Pocky was introduced to Canada in 1987 and the United States in 2003. The fundamental Pocky flavors that are currently available in both countries are Chocolate, Chocolate Banana, Cookies & Cream, Matcha, and Strawberry. It’s worth noting that sales in China didn’t start until 1995.

Nowadays, Pocky’s production exceeds 500 million, with chocolate, strawberry, and cookies and cream being the top-selling flavors. However, these three flavors only scratch the surface of the multitude of unique and delightful options available.

Available ONLY in Japan: Heart-shaped strawberry Pocky? It’s not just the regular strawberry flavor, but it’s coated with a combination of bitter and sweet strawberry chocolate bits.

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