Hello Panda Hasn't Been Sold In Japan Since 1989; S'pore Was Its Only Production Hub Until 2002

For many Singaporeans, Hello Panda biscuits were a big part of our childhood — and possibly our adult lives too.

But did you know that the iconic panda-shaped chocolate biscuits haven't been sold in Japan since 1989, but instead, it's got roots in Singapore?

The snack first launched in Japan in 1987 under the name Konnichiwa Panda.

Meiji reportedly created it during Japan’s panda craze following the birth of giant panda Tong Tong at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo.Despite the panda mania, the snack reportedly struggled in Japan’s brutally competitive confectionery market.

The international version of Hello Panda launched in Singapore in 1991, where Meiji already had a manufacturing facility. Singapore reportedly served as Hello Panda's only international production hub until 2002. 

Can one of the world’s most famous “Japanese snacks” be considered more Singaporean than Japanese?

Now, the biscuits are also produced in Indonesia, the United States, and China. Japan, meanwhile, still oversees special product innovations and development for the brand. 

Other than Singapore, the snack is also sold in more than 30 countries, such as China, Australia, and Saudi Arabia.

Meiji declined to disclose sales figures, but said sales in 2024 were roughly triple its 2018 level.

Ironically, Japanese tourists now reportedly buy it overseas as a souvenir snack as it’s no longer sold in Japan.

Photos: Meiji, The Japan Times