Takenoko no sato (たけのこの里), branded as Chococones in the United States, is a Japanese snack food produced by Meiji Seika since 1979.[1] It is a chocolate-covered cookie shaped like a bamboo shoot.
Following the success of a similar snack, Kinoko no yama, first sold in 1975, Takenoko no sato was released in 1979.[1] In 2024, due to the high price of cocoa beans, the cocoa content was reduced and the candy was reclassified as "quasi chocolate sweet", dropping its previous "chocolate sweet" classification. [2]
In a similar fashion to Kinoko no yama (branded as Chocorooms), Takenoko no sato was renamed to Chococones, and had its packaging changed in the United States.[3] Chococones were discontinued in the United States in 2016.[4]
Comparison with Kinoko no yama
See also
References
- NEWS RELEASE「きのこの山」「たけのこの里」 KYODO NEWS PRWIRE, retrieved 2026-03-03^
- 集英社オンライン. 「きのこの山」「たけのこの里」が「チョコ」→「準チョコ」になっていた！ 大手企業も苦しむバレンタイン、専門店の生きのこり策は（集英社オンライン）｜ｄメニューニュース dmenu News, retrieved 2026-03-03^
- アメリカの「たけのこの里」がエレガントな件 Excite Bit, 2012-07-17, retrieved 2026-03-03