Calbee Switches to Black-and-White Packaging for Potato Chips Amid Naphtha Shortage from Middle East Conflict
Kyodo News
Japan’s top chip maker Calbee Inc. will start selling some potato chip products in black-and-white packaging due to tightened naphtha supply from the Middle East conflict. The company will remove distinctive colors and print only logos and product information in black on a white background to save ink, without affecting quality.
On May 11, sources said Calbee Inc., Japan’s leading potato chip manufacturer, will shift to monochrome (black-and-white) packaging for some products because of a shortage of naphtha, a petroleum-derived solvent used in printing, triggered by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
This move comes as the supply of naphtha—a key component in inks and adhesives—tightens after the escalation of conflict in the Middle East, affecting raw material supply chains for many industries in Japan.
For now, Calbee will redesign the packaging of its flagship potato chip lines, removing distinctive colors and printing only logos and product information in black on a white background to save ink. This does not affect product quality inside.
According to experts, the naphtha shortage could persist if the Middle East conflict shows no signs of cooling, forcing Japanese companies to seek temporary alternatives.
