Pocky's History

1966 - Pocky is born in Japan

Ezaki Glico first released Pocky Chocolate in 1966

1970s An ever-expanding range of tastes!

Pocky was popular right off the bat,
but in response to requests for flavors other than chocolate, we introduced Pocky Almond,
which went on sale in 1971.
In 1976, we further expanded the range with Pocky Strawberry, which differed in size and price.

Various Pocky scenes were presented, and it quickly became the chocolate snack of choice for grown-ups!

  • Pocky on the Rocks

    Marketers, who were working on a sales growth plan, heard that Pocky was being used in cafés and restaurants as a stir stick, and used this as a theme for a new marketing campaign.

  • Pocky for your trip!

    There was a boom in domestic travel by female university students following a feature in a popular fashion magazine. "Pocky for your trip!" This was the slogan that was used, and Pocky's packaging conformed to that. Pocky, which was thought of as a snack for children, transformed into an element of young women's fashion.

The Road to Pocky’s Expansion Into the Global Market

1970: Thai Glico Co., Ltd. established

The establishment of Thai Glico Co., Ltd. was the first step in Glico’s moving into the international market. We established a production structure on the ground in Thailand, and from there were able to export throughout southeast Asia.

1980s Development and marketing of products full of surprises!

Product development based on a close analysis of customer data led to the creation of Pocky Bitter, which was strongly targeted at men, and Little Pocky, a shorter and handier variety aimed at young women.
In the late 1980s, demand among housewives and unmarried women for "just a small amount of sweet things" began to become apparent. It was against this backdrop that Almond Crush Pocky, with its topping of large crushed almonds, and other Pocky products with high added value went on sale.

  • Almond Crush Pocky

  • Little Pocky

The Road to Pocky’s Expansion Into the Global Market

  • 1982: Expansion into France

    Generale Biscuit Glico France S.A. established in 1982. This provided the foothold for our entry into the European market. Currently in Europe, we have sales in the Benelux countries, Italy, Spain, the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Greece and Portugal.

  • 1987: Expansion into Canada

    We held tastings, which were very well received, and for this reason we moved into the Canadian market. Pocky and other goods produced in Japan and Thailand are sold by Glico Canada. By now they have become common snacks in Canada.

1990s Diversification and quality-elevation!

In the 1990s, several Pocky varieties with high added value came out one after the other: Chunky Strawberry Pocky, with its topping of freeze-dried strawberry, Marble Pocky with its delectable-looking marble design, and more.

  • Marble Pocky

  • Chunky Strawberry Pocky

The Road to Pocky’s Expansion Into the Global Market

1995: Expansion into China

Shanghai Ezaki Glico Foods Co., Ltd. established in 1995. The name “Pocky” was transcribed into Chinese phonetically as “Bai-qi”, and is sold in a variety of delicious flavors!

2000s Pocky products diverge further between "basic" and "gorgeous"

Having sold too many, supply was unable to keep up with demand, and we stopped selling them. This massive boom was inspired by Mousse Pocky. By 2003 we had sold Normal, White, Strawberry and Matcha, among several other varieties. On top of that, Pocky Decorer, which acquired the friendly nickname "Gorgeous Pocky", was also born during this period.

Mousse Pocky

The Road to Pocky’s Expansion Into the Global Market

2003: Expansion into USA

Ezaki Glico USA Co., Ltd. was established in California in 2003. It sells confectioneries, etc. such as Pocky and Pretz.

2010s Reformatting of the products, with a focus of the basic "Red Box"

By the late 2000s, a trend among customers to reevaluate original Pocky (the so-called "Red Box") had become apparent. Here at Glico, we have decided to refocus our product line to place a greater emphasis on the classic "Red Box" variety. This is reflected in Pocky's core value "Share Happiness!"

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Pocky, Pocky day campaign was launched in 2016.

The Road to Pocky’s Expansion Into the Global Market

2014: Expansion into Indonesia

PT. Glico Indonesia was established in South Jakarta in 2014. It sells confectioneries, etc. such as Pocky and Pretz.

Pocky Design Changes in Japan

Pocky Chocolate has continued to evolve since its debut in 1966.

Pocky - Loved Around the World

  • Thai Glico Co., Ltd. established in 1970.
  • Generale Biscuit Glico France S.A. established in 1982.
    Pocky is sold under the name "MIKADO", taken from a popular game.
  • Shanghai Ezaki Glico Foods Co., Ltd. established in 1995.
  • Glico-Haitai Co.,Ltd. established in 2011.
  • Glico Malaysia Co., Ltd. established in 2017.

Pocky is a favorite treat loved by many, all over the world.