Glico

Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd.(江崎グリコ株式会社,Ezaki Guriko Kabushiki-gaisha), commonly known asGlico, is a Japanesemultinationalfood processing company headquartered inNishiyodogawa-ku,Osaka.It does business across 30 countries, inNorth America,Asia-PacificandEurope.
Ezaki Glico's primary business is manufacturingconfectioneryproducts such aschocolate, chips,chewing gumsandice cream, anddairy products.  Additionally, Glico manufactures processed foods, such as curry stocks andretorttakikomi gohanpouches, anddietary supplementproducts.Glico's main competitors areMeiji Seika,Lotte,Morinaga,FujiyaandBourbon Companyin the confectionery business andHouse Foods,MeijiandS&B Foodsin the processed food business.
Ezaki Glico is a member ofMidori Kai, a group of companies whose main financier wasSanwa Bank(later merged into theBank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ).
In 1919, Riichi Ezaki created acaramel candyproduct containingglycogenextracted fromoysters. The caramel candy product was named "Glico," a shortening of the wordglycogen.The sales copy for 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 theMitsukoshiOsaka branch.
Later, in 1922, Riichi established a company, Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd.Its Osaka and Tokyo factories were destroyed duringWorld War II, and they were reopened in 1951. Popular products likePretzandPockywere introduced in 1963 and 1966, respectively.
In 1984, theGlico Morinaga case, a series of criminal incidents targeting Japanese major food manufacturers, occurred. Ezaki Glico and other victims were targeted by a group known as "The Monster with 21 Faces." The group claimed that $21 million ($2.26 billion yen) worth of sweets was laced with potassium cyanide soda, while Katsuhisa Ezaki(jp), president and CEO, was kidnapped but escaped by himself. Ezaki Glico was blackmailed and its office was burned by the criminals.
Ezaki Glico has been expanding its business overseas.  At first, in 1932, Ezaki Glico established its factory inDalian,China. In 1970, Ezaki Glico started its business inThailand, establishing Thai Glico Co., Ltd.  Later, in 1982, Generale Biscuit Glico France S.A. was established and started sales of Mikado (Pocky) inFrance. Ezaki Glico established Ezaki Glico USA Co., Ltd. in 2003.  Additionally, it established PT Glico Wings (ajoint venturewith Wings Corp) in 2013 and PT Glico Indonesia in 2014, both of which areIndonesiancompanies.
Ezaki Glico manufactures a wide variety of products. Major products are listed here.
Ezaki Glico's large LED sign located aboveDōtonboriin Osaka has been a landmark of the city since its initial construction in 1935. It bears the Glico running man on a blue race track, as well as some of Osaka's other landmarks in the background.The giant neon sign has been revised on several occasions in order to celebrate events such as theWorld Cupand to bolster team spirit for Osaka's baseball team, theHanshin Tigers.As the sign is quite well known, it has long been a popular photo stop for tourists as well as locals.
Ezaki Glico was also the main sponsor of the anime seriesTetsujin 28(1963–1966, the original Japanese version ofGigantor).