Author: Kaneya Editor: Paskach、Hou - Jan. 7, 2025
From Tokyo to Hokkaido: Unveiling the Stories Behind Pocky's Regional Flavors
Pocky, one of the most famous Japanese snacks, are crispy pretzel sticks with a chocolate coating, and various flavors can be found in Japan and overseas. This article will introduce Pocky’s delicious flavors and some interesting trivia as well.
What are Pocky Sticks?
Pocky, chocolate-covered pretzel sticks with an un-coated holding spot to keep your fingers from getting messy, has been on the market since 1966, sold by Ezaki Glico in Japan. The name “Pocky” came from the sound of the biscuit snapping lightly as you eat it.
You can easily find Pocky anywhere in Japan. It’s available in a variety of retail outlets such as supermarkets, pharmacies, and convenience stores. The classic chocolate flavor stands out with the red package. One box contains two bags (about 30 sticks), and the two separate bags make it easy to share with your friends at home or at work.
Pocky Flavors: From Classic to Unique
As a “Chocolate snack for everyone to eat and be happy,” Pocky hit the market with a variety of flavors to satisfy the needs of customers and the times. Here are five well-known Pocky flavors.
1. Chocolate: Pretzels are baked to a light texture and coated with rich chocolate. The crunchy texture is delightful and creates a popping sensation. Enjoy the delicious harmony of chocolate and pretzel.
2. Extra Fine Chocolate: Chocolate coated pretzels baked to about 1/2 the thinness of classic Pocky. Enjoy the thin, light, crunchy texture as well as the rich chocolate taste.
3. Cacao: Bitter chocolate made with 60% Ecuadorian cacao is combined with whole-grain cocoa pretzels. Each bag contains dietary fiber and 367mg of cocoa polyphenols.
4. Strawberry: Whole wheat cocoa pretzels are topped with a double layer of strawberry cream filled with the pulp of ripe strawberries grown without the use of chemical fertilizers. Enjoy the sweet and sour taste of strawberries and the vitamin C and dietary fiber content.
5. Almond: Deep-roasted, coarsely ground almonds are coated in chocolate and combined with savory whole grain pretzels with almond praline. Enjoy the luxurious taste of almonds and milk chocolate, rich in vitamin E and dietary fiber.
Regional Pocky Flavors
The “Local Pocky” is made with special local products and is limited to specific regions. Share your Japanese travel memories with your friends and family through Pocky. It is 1.5 times larger (24 cm) than the usual package, attracting your interest, and the 13 individual bags inside are the perfect souvenirs with new and stylish looks!
1. Tokyo: Tokyo Amazake Flavor – Amazake made with rice and water produced in Tokyo and sake added for a mellow aromatic taste.
2. Seto Inland Sea: Setouchi Iyokan Flavor – Refreshingly fresh and juicy orange juice is used to create a sweet and tart flavor.
3. Fukuoka: Amaou Strawberry Flavor – Luxurious 8% sweet and sour strawberry pulp from strawberries grown in Fukuoka.
4. Kanazawa: Goroshima Kintoki – Traditional sweet potato known for its soft and sweet taste.
5. Yamagata: Sato Nishiki – Made from the red and glossy Sato Nishiki cherries, it has a delicious sweetness and gentle sourness.
6. Hokkaido: Yubari Melon – The rich and sweet taste of Yubari melon with a gentle aroma.
7. Nagano: Shinshu Grape – Rich sweet and sour grape flavor.
8. Kyoto: Uji Matcha – A harmony of aromatic and delicious matcha tea flavors.
Pocky Trivia!
Here are some interesting facts about Pocky! Get to know how to best eat Pocky and become an advanced eater!
1. Pocky & Pretz Day
Pocky and Pretz got the recognition from the Japan Anniversary Association on November 11, 1999, because “1” resembles the shape of a Pocky stick. Today, the recognition rate in Japan is over 90% (according to a Glico survey in 2017), and pop-up product shelves appear in supermarkets and convenience stores on that day. Students enjoy a small festival with friends at home or at school, having Pocky in hand and looking forward to the clock ticking to 11:11:11!!
2. Exquisite Taste Variations of Red Box Pocky
The standard Pocky chocolates have slightly different tastes because they are manufactured with particular care for each country or region where they are sold. For example, the chocolate portion of Pocky sold in the ASEAN region, where temperatures are higher, has ahigher melting point than the chocolate used in Japanese Pocky, so that it does not melt before reaching the customer. Can you notice the difference? It would be interesting to compare the different red box Pocky products!
(Our Stores | Hmart)
・99 Ranch Market: A Taiwanese supermarket with stores primarily on the West Coast of the U.S. It provides a wide variety of Asian foods, snacks, and condiments primarily from China, but also Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and other Asian countries, all at reasonable prices.
https://www.99ranch.com/about/mission)
・99 Ranch Market: A Taiwanese supermarket with stores primarily on the West Coast of the U.S. It provides a wide variety of Asian foods, snacks, and condiments primarily from China, but also Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and other Asian countries, all at reasonable prices.
https://www.tntsupermarket.com/aboutus/newsroom
・T&T Supermarket: A Taiwanese supermarket from Canada with stores in some areas of the U.S. It offers a wide variety of fresh seafood, meats, snacks and ingredients from Asian countries, especially Chinese food ingredients.
https://www.tntsupermarket.com/aboutus/newsroom
・Seafood City: A Filipino supermarket predominantly serving the Filipino community in the United States. It carries a wide variety of Filipino ingredients and snacks, as well as food products from other Asian countries.
https://www.seafoodcity.com/store-locations/arroyo/
Conclusion
Pocky is one of Japan's most popular snacks, with exquisite chocolate flavors that can be found in countries and regions all over the world. It is an indispensable everyday snack and a great party treat! The crunchy texture and snappy sound are addictive, leaving you craving more and more. Enjoy sharing Pocky with your friends and family and have a great time!
Why is Konjac Jelly Low-calorie?
・Domestic Exclusive Products
Our online store offers a wide variety of special products not found in local supermarkets. For example, you can purchase Japanese-version snacks with local specifications and regional specialties and enjoy the latest lineups from classic flavors to renewed flavors and character collaboration products. Since these products are manufactured and transported in Japan, you can be sure that the quality and freshness of the snacks are safe and secure.
・Convenient Shopping
You can easily find and get products online from the comfort of your home without worry. We offer trackable and prompt delivery, with the transit time being approximately 5-10 days from the date of shipment. Enjoy shopping any time you like, and then all you have to do is relax until your goodies arrive!
・Subscription Service
A monthly subscription service is also available to deliver our recommended products to your doorstep. Our Japanese trend-sensitive staff carefully selects the most popular snacks for you to taste by simply choosing the ones that best suit your purpose, such as party favorites, regional specialties, or health-conscious treats. If you don't know which sweets and snacks are the best picks from Japan, simply enjoy our subscription snack boxes alone or with your family and friends!
Now, why don't you dive into the fascinating world of Asian snacks with just one click?
Konjac Jelly is Good for You!
Konjac jelly contains mainly soluble fiber. Its water retention and gelatinous nature envelopes other nutrients, which move slowly and are expelled while cleaning out the inside of the body. As well as suppressing the increase in GI value, it also serves as feed for good bacteria such as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, improving the intestinal environment and relieving constipation.
Conclusion
Konjac jelly contains soluble dietary fiber, which has many beneficial effects on the body, such as moderating the absorption of carbohydrates, calming the rise in blood sugar levels, and regulating the intestinal environment. In addition, it is flavorful, fragrant, and vividly colored with fresh Japanese fruits, making it easy and enjoyable to eat as a snack and even when you have not much of an appetite. You are sure to find konjac as a tasty yet effective new healthy food choice!
Unique way of eating KitKats
KitKat gets some uniquely Japanese promotion. KitKat is known as a good-luck charm for students preparing for entrance exams, as the Japanese pronunciation of the word ‘KitKat’ means ‘surely win’. In Japan, junior and senior high school students face entrance exams in January and February. Therefore, KitKat has created a spring-like cherry blossom package (the blooming of cherry blossoms implies that the dreams will come true) to cheer up the students and their families, teachers, and friends who are supporting them. Messages can even be written on the back of the package.
KitKat's Unique Outer Packaging
KitKat is generally packaged in individual mini bars in Japan, but the outside bag also displays innovation and development. Previously, the outer bag was made of plastic, but from late September 2019, the outside bag of the large bag type KitKats was replaced by a paper package to help reduce plastic waste. Although there were many difficulties in all aspects of production and manufacturing before commercialization, a way was found to convey KitKat's brand value of Passing on our Wishes even in the new paper packaging. The Origami Paper Crane was adopted as the most Japanese symbol for conveying wishes. The packaging, which had previously only been discarded, is now replaced by paper, and the paper bag is used to fold paper cranes, turning it into a communication tool that delivers meaningful messages. Enjoy the taste of Japan and get in touch with traditional Japanese culture through the packaging!
KitKat Arranged Recipes
KitKat has delicious tastes, but its crispy texture and bright color can also be used as a topping for ice cream or cake.
Here we introduce Oshi-Cake, which is made to celebrate the birthday of one’s favorite person or character, and is popular among young people in Japan, mainly on SNS.
"Oshi" refers to your favorite idols, entertainers, and characters from games, anime, or real-life. People enjoy going to live performances and shopping for goods related to their “oshi”.
Through such activities, it is possible to make friends who like the same people and characters, and this is becoming a part of Japanese culture.
KitKat comes in various flavors and colors, so you can easily make a special cake at home with just a little extra decorating!
Conclusion
KitKat is loved by a wide range of generations in Japan for three main reasons.
The first is to create souvenirs for tourists, collaborating with local ingredients and traditional specialties.
The second is packaging. Various encouraging messages and popular characters are printed on the front. Also, there is a space on the back where you can write a message of encouragement or appreciation, and if you give it to a colleague or friend, it will certainly improve communication. In Japan, we have a custom of giving small sweets to show our gratitude to those who help us. The mini bar and individual packaging make it easy to express your feelings.
The third is promotion. The paper package symbolizes "Orizuru" (paper crane), and the play on words meaning "surely win" is related to Japanese traditions and seasonal events and is familiar to most people, from everyday life to special occasions.
Therefore, KitKat is closely related to the unique Japanese way of eating and gift-giving culture, so you can not only simply eat it but also enjoy the experience as well. Would you like to taste Japanese culture with KitKat?
ＫitKat is loved by a wide range of generations in Japan for three main reasons. The first is to create souvenirs for tourists, collaborating with local ingredients and traditional specialties. The second is packaging. Various encouraging messages and popular characters are printed on the front. Also, there is a space on the back where you can write a message of encouragement or appreciation, and if you give it to a colleague or friend, it will certainly improve communication. In Japan, we have a custom of giving small sweets to show our gratitude to those who help us. The mini bar and individual packaging make it easy to express your feelings. The third is promotion. The paper package symbolizes "Orizuru" (paper crane), and the play on words meaning "surely win" is related to Japanese traditions and seasonal events and is familiar to most people, from everyday life to special occasions. Therefore, KitKat is closely related to the unique Japanese way of eating and gift-giving culture, so you can not only simply eat it but also enjoy the experience as well. Would you like to taste Japanese culture with KitKat?
Get customer attention by clean visual and video
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