It was named after the Japanese onomatopoeic word pokkiri (ポッキリ), which is supposed to resemble the sound of the snack being cracked.

Today, the product line includes variations in the flavored coatings, such as milk, mousse, matcha (green tea), honey, banana, cookies and cream, strawberry and coconut, and themed products such as "Decorer Pocky", with colorful decorative stripes in the coating, and "Men's Pocky", a "mature" dark (bittersweet) chocolate version.

[3] It also has a significant presence in other Asian countries, such as China, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Burma, Brunei and Vietnam.

Commercials featuring Malaysian singer Yuna, also began to air in 2015 in order to give brand recognition and a sales boost.

[5][6] In Europe, Pocky is produced under license by Mondelēz International and sold under the name "Mikado" in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

[citation needed] In the United States and Canada, Pocky can be found in Asian supermarkets and the international section of most large supermarkets; such retailers include World Market, H-E-B, Wegmans, Kroger, Jungle Jim's International Market, Costco, Walmart (in the Asian foods aisle), some Target stores, some Walgreens, Meijer, Fiesta, Barnes & Noble, and anime convention dealers' rooms.

[citation needed] In Turkey, Pocky is produced by Ülker and Şölen, under Biskrem Bi'stik and Biscolata Stix name.

Also, flavors such as banana, lychee, coffee, caramel, marble royal milk tea, melon, Daim bar (sold in the UK), milk, honey and milk, cream cheese, berry, sweet potato, coconut, crush (crunchy cracker pieces in chocolate), corn on the cob, pineapple, pumpkin, kurogoma (black sesame), kinako (soybean flour), Brazilian pudding, cherry, tomato, orange, mikan, blueberry, apple yogurt, hazelnut, mixed berry and green tea are available.

[8] On September 30, 2008, Hong Kong authorities announced that melamine had been detected in Pocky Men's coffee cream-coated biscuit sticks made in China.

[9] On October 17, 2008, Pocky Men's coffee cream-coated biscuit sticks were banned in Sri Lanka by the country's health ministry alongside 59 other products containing melamine.