Equally fun to pronounce as it is to eat, Pocky is a chocolatey icon in Japanese snack culture. While you may be familiar with the milk chocolate version in its recognizable red box, the brand has an extensive variety of Pocky flavors. From a Yubari Melon flavor to heart-shaped ones, there are endless unique types of Pocky.
If Japanese snacks are your thing or simply have a sweet tooth, read on to dive into the mouth-watering world of Pocky.
What is Pocky?
The snack is a biscuit stick dipped in chocolate, but with an undipped end– making it a perfectly convenient snack that leaves your hands clean. First introduced in Japan, it's now a popular snack across the world! If you're interested in more on Japanese treats, explore your palate with the byFood Japanese Healthy Snack Box!
History of Pocky
The Japanese language incorporates a lot of onomatopoeias, which is reflected in the snack’s etymology– the name derives from the sound a Pocky will make when broken in half, which is pokkin (ポッキン). Because it’s so simple yet versatile, there are countless types of Pocky that you can choose from.
Pocky was released in Japan in 1966 by Ezaki Glico (otherwise known as Glico)– and the rest is history. It was initially hand-dipped, which explains the origin of the naked bottom end that makes the snack so convenient and portable. The production has since been moved mechanically, but the iconic bottom has been here to stay.
The original and most well-known version is a biscuit stick coated in milk chocolate. But as time has gone on, the brand has released countless flavors that are permanent staples or sold in limited quantities. The well-loved snack can be found in virtually any supermarket or konbini and has reached store shelves globally.
If you want to learn more about popular Japanese snacks, check out our blog on 20 Must Try Snacks in Japan.
Types of Pocky
- Milk Chocolate
- Crunchy Strawberry Heartful
- Almond Crush
- Butter Caramel
- Cookies and Cream
- Tasty
- Blueberry Heartful
- Matcha Rich Green Tea
- Chocolate Banana
- Yubari King Melon
1. Milk Chocolate
This is the OG, classic Pocky. The original biscuit is dipped in milk chocolate and encased in the iconic red packaging.
2. Crunchy Strawberry Heartful
Chocolate and strawberry, the two quintessential food symbols of February in Japan, combine to make the sweetest collaboration. Valentine’s Day falls within the strawberry season in Japan, which is from January to May. This type of Pocky is a heart-shaped chocolate biscuit stick coated in strawberry-flavored chocolate containing bits of dried strawberry. This type is around for a limited time, but don’t worry– the non-heart-shaped version is a permanent member of the Pocky lineup.
3. Almond Crush
The Almond Crush Pocky is a perfect crunchy treat. The biscuit is coated with an ample amount of roasted almond chunks enveloped in rich milk chocolate.
4. Winter's Butter Caramel
Glico launches limited Pocky flavors according to the season– this one is part of the winter Pocky lineup. The classic biscuit is dipped in burnt, golden caramel-flavored chocolate sprinkled with salt.
5. Cookies and Cream
This type is perfect for cookies and cream fans. The two classic snacks come together to create a delicious snack. The biscuit is chocolate-flavored and dipped in creamy white chocolate embedded with chunks of cocoa cookies.
6. Tasty
This isn’t your average milk chocolate Pocky. “Tasty” is a given when it comes to Pocky, but this flavor is essentially a more sophisticated version of the classic one. The stick is a pretzel made with cultured butter instead of a biscuit– this makes it extra rich and flaky. The quality of the milk chocolate is upped as well, being made with roasted milk.
7. Blueberry Heartful
The Blueberry Heartful Pocky is a pastel lover’s dream! The heart-shaped biscuit is pink (yes, you heard that right– pink!) and covered in a vivid blueberry-flavored chocolate coating. There are bits of blueberry embedded in the chocolate that make it even tastier.
8. Matcha Rich Green Tea
The iconic Japanese matcha is encapsulated in this type of Pocky. This is not the normal matcha counterpart and uses high-quality green tea powder instead. A matcha powder-infused biscuit is dipped in green tea-flavored chocolate that is a tad bittersweet to bring out its authentic flavor. This type is best for matcha fans who want to savor green tea in the form of Pocky.
9. Chocolate Banana
A chocolate-flavored biscuit dipped in banana-flavored chocolate, with a flavor reminiscent of a banana split. Surprisingly, this type of Pocky is actually found in many countries outside of Japan.
10. Yubari King Melon
Glico has released special types of Pocky that are exclusive to specific prefectures and are flavored as the fruit each respective region is known for. These region-specific types are fancier than the average box of Pocky, as each stick is individually wrapped. This one is Yubari King Melon-flavored, which is famous for its sweetness and is considered an exquisite delicacy. This type of Pocky can only be found in Hokkaido Prefecture, where these melons are grown.
Author's Choice: Gokuboso
My favorite type of Pocky is the Gokuboso. Gokuboso directly translates to extremely thin in Japanese– which is a perfectly accurate description because of how extra thin each stick is. Each biscuit is about half of a normal-sized one, but no chocolate is spared. There are more of them in one pack compared to its average counterpart because of how slender each stick is.
While there are countless special types of Pocky that I do love, I have to say that I’m loyal to the classic milk chocolate and biscuit duo. But I also do prefer to spend my time savoring each stick, so the Gokuboso Pocky is the perfect match for me. The more Pocky, the merrier.
Pocky Day
Believe it or not, Japan has a day set for Pocky. It was first kickstarted by Glico, the company that produced Pocky, along with other longtime Japanese snack favorites such as Pretz and Caplico. The first Pocky Day was on November 11th, 1999, and has been celebrated annually throughout the country ever since. It has become such a cultural and marketing phenomenon that the Japan Anniversary Association has recognized the date as an official memorial day.
Without much explanation needed, each Pocky stick resembles the number 1. Line up four sticks vertically and a slanted one in the middle, and voila! The iconic holiday date is revealed.
There are various ways that the holiday is celebrated, but they all center on one thing: the ever-increasing love for Pocky. Pocky-themed displays will appear in supermarkets, or brand collaborations with the snack can be seen.
On November 11th, 2012, Glico encouraged Twitter users with a challenge to mention the snack on it. Fans successfully hit a world record with an astonishing 1,843,733 mentions of “Pocky” on the social media platform within a mere 24 hours. In the following year, the previous statistic was easily surpassed– with 3,710,044 hits on Twitter within 24 hours.
A common game that fans often play on this date is for two people to bite each end of the Pocky stick and try not to break their own part. But the easiest way to celebrate Pocky Day is to simply rip open a brand-new pack and enjoy them with loved ones.
Pocky is a snack that has grown to be a cultural icon in the world of Japanese snacks. The extensive, delicious variety of its types makes enjoying them an experience in itself.
