Pocky, thin chocolate-coated biscuit sticks, are made by Ezaki Glico, commonly known simply as Glico.
The Japanese snack was first sold in 1966. Its name comes from “pokkin,” an onomatopoeic word describing the crisp snapping sound made when a stick is broken. The original version paired a biscuit stick with a chocolate coating, leaving one end uncoated as a clean handle.
Glico expanded Pocky with flavors such as almond, introduced in 1971, and strawberry, introduced in 1977. Later varieties included matcha, banana, coconut, cookies-and-cream, and darker chocolate versions. In Europe, Pocky is often sold under the name Mikado through a licensing arrangement.
A common mix-up is confusing Pocky with Pretz. Both are Glico products, but Pretz is generally an uncoated savory or sweet biscuit stick, while Pocky is recognized for its coating. Pocky is also related to the Korean snack Pepero, though the brands are made by different companies.