Japanese snack giant Calbee Inc. has officially launched its Kappa Ebisen shrimp crackers in two-tone black-and-white packaging in Tokyo starting this week. The move addresses supply instability for naphtha, a petroleum-derived raw material used to produce printing ink, which has been impacted by Middle East conflict.
According to Calbee, shifting to monochrome packaging not only reduces dependence on color inks but also helps maintain a stable product supply. The new packaging retains the brand's familiar design, changing only the signature red background to the two primary colors of black and white.
This step comes as Japanese manufacturers face numerous global supply chain challenges, particularly from petroleum-derived materials. The Middle East conflict has raised concerns about naphtha shortages, directly affecting the food packaging printing industry.
Calbee said it will continue to monitor market conditions and may expand monochrome packaging to other product lines if necessary. The company also pledges that product quality will remain unchanged despite packaging adjustments.
Kappa Ebisen is one of Japan's iconic traditional snack products, beloved for its distinctive shrimp flavor. This packaging change is expected to help Calbee maintain stable production amid volatile raw material markets.
