Naphtha Shortage Puts Japan's Calbee Chips, Snacks In Monochrome Packaging

TOKYO, May 12 (Bernama-Kyodo) -- Japan's leading potato chip maker Calbee Inc. said Tuesday that it will begin selling 14 of its major snack products in black-and-white packaging from late this month, with the move coming in response to a tighter supply of oil-derived naphtha stemming from the West Asia conflict, Kyodo News reported.

The effects of the naphtha shortage are already rippling throughout the food industry in Japan, creating a disconnect with assurances from Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's administration that supply remains sufficient.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, which oversees the food industry, questioned Calbee officials about the situation on Tuesday after the company requested a meeting.

Naphtha, derived from petroleum, is commonly used as a raw material for plastics and as a printing ink solvent.

The ministry is investigating the state of distribution for petroleum-based food packaging and resources for agriculture and plans to work toward easing supply concerns.

Products to be sold in monochrome packaging include the 55 gram, 70 gram, and 160 gram servings of potato chips, including the Lightly Salted, Consomme Punch and Seaweed Salt flavours.

The change will also apply to the 77-gram package of Kappa Ebisen and the 330-gram and 700-gram sizes of the Frugra cereal.

In late June, the company will also redesign the packaging of the 65-gram Kataage Potato Lightly Salted and Black Pepper flavours.

Itoham Yonekyu Holdings Inc. said Tuesday that it was also considering simplifying the packaging of its products, but would first assess the impact on sales.

Food manufacturers are alternatively raising prices in response to higher packaging material costs.

Mizkan Holdings Co. will raise the recommended retail price of "natto," or fermented soybean, in June, while Yamazaki Baking Co. and Pasco Shikishima Corp. will raise prices for bread and other products from shipments in July.

-- BERNAMA-KYODO