, commonly known as just Glico, is a Japanese multinational food processing company headquartered in Nishiyodogawa-ku, Osaka. It does business across 30 countries, in North America, Asia-Pacific and Europe. Overview Ezaki Glico's primary business is manufacturing confectionery products such as chocolate, chips, chewing gums and ice cream, and dairy products. Additionally, Glico manufactures processed foods such as curry stocks and retort takikomi gohan pouch, and dietary supplement products. Glico's main competitors are Meiji Seika, Lotte, Morinaga, Fujiya and in confectionery business, and House Foods, Meiji and S&B Foods in processed food business. Ezaki Glico's main financier was Sanwa Bank, which was merged into the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ. Ezaki Glico is a member of Midori Kai, a group of companies whose main financier was Sanwa Bank. Corporate message "Good Taste and Good Health" (おいしさと健康, 1971—1992) "A Wholesome Life in the Best of Taste" (1992—, message in Japanese "おいしさと健康" is still in use) History Japan In 1919, Riichi Ezaki created a caramel candy product containing glycogen extracted from oysters. The caramel candy product was named "Cuchieco". The sales copy of this product was "300 Meters in a Single Piece," and a running man was painted on the package. On February 11, 1922 Riichi started selling Glico products at Mitsukoshi Osaka branch. Later, in 1922, Riichi established a company, Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd Glico is the shorted word for glycogen. Its Osaka Factory and Tokyo Factory were destroyed during World War II, and they were reopened in 1951. Popular products like Pretz and Pocky were introduced in 1963 and 1966 respectively. In 1984, Glico Morinaga case, a series of criminal incidents targeting Japanese major food manufacturers, occurred. Ezaki Glico was one of the victims. Targeted by a group known as "The Monster with 21 Faces", the group claimed that $21 million ($2.26 billion Yen) worth of sweets were laced with Potassium cyanide soda, while Katsuhisa Ezaki, President and CEO, was kidnapped but escaped by himself. Ezaki Glico was blackmailed and its office was burned by the criminals. Products Ezaki Glico manufactures a wide variety of products. Major products are listed here. Confections TCHO, Berkeley, California based artisanal chocolate manufacturer of various chocolate bars. Glico, caramel product. In addition to the standard flavor, there are caramel flavor and crushed almond flavor products. Pocky, chocolate-coated pretzel sticks, which come in many other flavors. The total sales from 1966 exceeds 10 billion packages. In Europe,