Shining the Light on Pretz

Today, is "Pocky & Pretz Day" in Japan, but as I explained in previous posts, most people just refer to the day as "Pocky Day". Leaving poor old Pretz out in the cold, so I have decided to bring it into the light! While most people forget Pretz on this day, one of the most interesting ironies is that Pretz was here first. Pretz is the 'senpai', the older sibling of Pocky and deserves some recognition for predating its more famous counterpart.

Pretz was first developed by Glico in 1962 as a savoury snack inspired by German pretzels. Pocky did not appear until four years later, in 1966. Moreover, despite its German-sounding name, which was itself inspired by the pretzel, Pretz may actually be more Japanese than Pocky. Most Pretz flavors are savory and lean into umami rather than sweetness, with varieties such as tomato, salad, corn, cheese and bacon, along with regional specialties featuring local flavors such as mentaiko.

Perhaps Pretz's biggest problem is that it is not covered in chocolate. Pocky is photogenic, giftable and instantly recognizable. Pretz, meanwhile, quietly gets on with being a savory snack. Yet without Pretz there might never have been a Pocky at all. As the older sibling of the pair, and one half of Pocky & Pretz Day, perhaps Pretz deserves a little more recognition every November 11th.