Pepero Snack Review (Pepero VS Pocky)

My addiction to Lotte Pepero sticks is real. I grew up eating Pocky and feel like I’m making up for a lost time, having only recently discovered Pepero (not “Peppero” which I incorrectly searched the first time). Below you can find a detailed review on probably more than you ever wanted to know about this Lotte snack.

Pepero Flavors

According to Wikipedia, there are currently 19 flavors: chocolate (original), strawberry, almond, nude, white chocolate cookie, black chocolate cookie, tiramisu cheese, melon, peanut, double dip white chocolate, double dip black chocolate, blueberry yogurt, cherry double dip, mint choco, Yakult yogurt, strawberry double dip, nude cheddar cheese, dark chocolate, peanut butter.

I haven’t even seen most of these flavors here in the U.S. so if you spot some I don’t review below please me know! I did notice some flavors listed are slightly named differently than the ones I’ve found. I wonder if it is more widely accessible in South Korea and Japan (Lotte was founded in Japan but is now manufactured in South Korea). They even have a collab with the K-pop band EXO for Pepero EXO boxes!

The flavors I’ve tried are:

• Almond: SO MUCH ALMOND, it’s fantastic! Delicious crunch with milk chocolate. The perfect proportional amount of almond to chocolate. The pieces aren’t too small, so you’re not choking on nuts.
• White chocolate cookie (my fave): It tastes like the Hershey’s Cookies n Cream bars but is even better with the chocolate cookie crunchies. Almost like crushed oreo blended with white chocolate that isn’t overly sweet.
• Black chocolate cookie: The contrast of the cookies with the milk chocolate doesn’t give the cookies a distinct taste like in the White Cookie flavor but this is still a winner if you prefer milk chocolate and love texture.
• Choco Filled: Mildy has a hint of coffee, and the stick has more of an unsalted pretzel taste versus the standard biscuit stick in the other flavors. The chocolate is smooth and soft with a semi-sweet chocolate flavor. The emphasis on the stick comes out as it’s the first thing to touch your tongue instead of the chocolate.
• Original: The chocolate is more of a dark chocolate flavor (not too strong), and the biscuit sticks are thinner. Reminiscent of Pocky and has a simple taste/texture compared to the flavors above.

Pepero Stick Texture

What I love most about Pepero sticks is the generous amount of toppings! It gives so much fun crunch to the snacking experience and almost feels like you’re getting two snacks in one since the biscuit stick is also tasty but coated with more goodness.

Both the stick and toppings coating have a nice crunch that harmonize well together. Not too thick or heavy and doesn’t leave you feeling like there’s something stuck in your teeth.

Pepero Day

A whole day devoted to Pepero?! I first learned about this on the Lotte company’s Instagram page. It’s November 11th, and similar to the Valentine’s Day concept here in the U.S., when people show their affection with chocolate, but instead, they show it with Pepero! Sounds even better to me. But let’s be honest: I’ll show some self-love any day with Pepero White Cookie in my belly.

Pepero vs. Pocky

The comparison is inevitable, and there has been drama surrounding the issue. My thoughts are that at the end of the day, having more options mean there are more choices to satisfy different taste and snack preferences.

I personally prefer Pepero because I love the texture of the cookie pieces and almond toppings. I like that more substance creates a more satisfying snacking experience overall. Ironically some call it Korean Pocky but Lotte was started in Japan just like Glico, who makes Pocky.

If you prefer simpler textures and thinner biscuit sticks, Pocky will suit you better, except the Original Pepero. The flavors and ingredients also differ, as I learned by comparing cookies n cream Pocky and Pejoy (both Glico products) and Pepero. You can listen to the details of the differences below:

Snack Summary

• My personal preference from very best to still great: White Cookie, Almond, Choco Cookie, Original, and Choco Filled.
• Please let me know if you spot any other flavors in the Southern California area!
• I’d love to add to this review tasting as many Pepero options as possible.

Thank you, Lotte

Massive shout out to Lotte company for generously sending me samples of White Chocolate Cookie. I purchased the other flavors on my own for this comparison review. Check out their fun Instagram account for more Lotte products.