When we think of chocolate delights, surely the thought of choco balls would pop into our heads at one point or another. These sweet snacks give that kind of comfort and satisfaction only a few candy products can genuinely deliver. As popular as these chocolate balls have become all over the world, no other country has seemingly fallen head over heels more on that particular product other than Japan. Arguably atop the country's most sought-after candy products, specifically among the chocolate balls market, is the Morinaga Choco Ball. Let us take a closer look at it.

The Morinaga Choco Ball Snacks

The Morinaga Choco Ball was created by Morinaga Seika back in 1963. Initially going by the name of "Skip," the product adopted the name Choco Ball in 1969 up to now. It has a cute mascot bird plastered on the very front of its packaging, catching the eyes of many Japanese people, especially children. Not long after it was first introduced and put on the shelves among other Japanese chocolate candies, the Morinaga Choco Ball became one of the company's signature products. Its sales record not only exceeded what Morinaga Seika initially professed but also crushed it by such a wide margin. Notably, Morinaga Seika is also responsible for Japan's first milk chocolate and choco pie snack, the Morinaga Milk Chocolate and the Morinaga Angel Pie, respectively.

While the particular product certainly has a wide demographic and is still selling at a high rate, its mascot, Kyoro Chan, has now seemingly become its most appealing selling point. But who exactly is he? Why is he on every box of the Morinaga Choco Ball Snacks? What made him such a popular character?

Who is Kyoro chan?

Four years after the Morinaga Choco Balls was introduced, still going by the name Skip at that period, the company introduced a mascot bird to represent the rapidly-growing Japanese snacks better. The mascot we are referring to was later named Kyoro chan and has been featured on each box and is the product's main character up to now. He is a cartoon bird with a red head, a large yellow beak, and a peanut as its main body. Although Kyoro chan was initially conceived as a way to attract more eyes to the product, he later became a popular children's figure in Japan.

Not only is Kyoro chan now only found on Morinaga Choco ball boxes, but he has also been featured in various commercials, started his TV series, and even successfully produced a movie based on his anime series. On top of that, there are now also toys and merchandise such as plushies, figures, candy dispensers, lunch boxes, etc., all based on the now popular character mascot.

How does it taste?

The candies themselves are little chocolate orbs, not larger than your average peanut. As its name directly indicates, the chocolate Japanese chocolate snack has a full-sized peanut inside, mixed together with a thin coating of crispy puff. Each Morinaga Chocoball can be consumed in two ways. First, you bite it then and there and chew the cholate-coated peanut as you consume the delicious treat as fast as you can. Second, you put it in your mouth and let it melt there as you savor its mild sweetness and wonderful flavors as long as you possibly can. No matter which option you go for when consuming it, these ball of chocolates is certainly capable of delivering you a delightful experience you won't soon forget.

Each Morinaga Chocoball is made to exude chocolate exquisiteness. It has a deliciously smooth chocolate coating on the outside and a light, tasty peanut on its core. All in all, the Morinaga Choco Ball is a genuine mouth-watering delight. It is perfect for a relaxing day at home or a gift for a special someone who loves high-quality chocolate products by their side.

What flavors are there?

The original flavor of the Morinaga Choco Ball was chocolate, as its name rightfully declares. While the then-lonesome flavor did not falter in its sales numbers, Morinaga later introduced other flavor varieties in an effort to onboard as many people as they could possibly can. This also meant that the company made an effort to serve customers the exact flavor they may potentially be in search of. On top of the chocolate flavor mainstay, the brand expanded to flavors such as caramel, almond, and strawberry, as well as seasonal releases. Some of the past limited flavors are melon, blueberry, peach, raspberry, Hokkaido milk, and chocolate banana.

Despite branching off on several flavors, the Morinaga brand has made it a point to keep the quality of every product they put out at the top level. While they may certainly taste different from one another, remember that every box of Morinaga products is made with the utmost care and dedication as that before.

Where can I buy Morinaga Choco Balls?

Do you live in the United States looking for a way to get your hands on the Japanese product we highlighted above? Perhaps you want an easy way to order certain Japan-exclusive items right to your door in your preferred shipping option? You have come to the right place! We at Japan Crate have made it a mission to make ordering Japanese items or goodies otherwise only available in Japan much easier than ever before. Not only do we offer various Japan-exclusive products for individual purchases, but we also give our customers the opportunity to receive an assortment of Japanese goodies straight from the country itself in one box via our Japan Crate subscription plans.

Would you like to get your hands on a Morinaga Chocoball? Let's make that happen! Click the link here for individual purchases or sign up for our subscription offerings to receive a monthly dose of Japanese-themed boxes delivered straight to your doors through this link here.