Japanese Snack Giant Switches to Black and White Packaging Amid Naphtha Shortage

Black and White Packaging Hits Japanese Snack Aisles

Calbee, Japan’s leading snack maker, announced on Tuesday that several of its potato‑chip lines and other snack products will shift to black and white packaging as a direct response to a naphtha shortage triggered by the Iran‑U.S. conflict. The change, set for May 25, will affect its Kappa Ebisen shrimp‑flavored snacks and Frugra fruit‑granola mix, though the food inside remains unchanged.

The supply crunch stems from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint that once moved roughly ↑ 20% of global oil. Naphtha, a petroleum‑derived solvent essential for printing inks and plastics, has seen its price climb ↓ 60% year‑over‑year, according to industry data.

“We are moving to monochrome packaging to preserve product availability,” Calbee’s press release read.

Japan imports over 60% of its naphtha, with 70% sourced from the Middle East, per the Japan Petrochemical Industry Association. In March, U.S. exports to Japan hit a record ↑ 15 million barrels in a single month, Bloomberg reported.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warned that non‑Middle‑East imports could triple this month to bridge the gap. Other firms feel the pressure: Itoham Yonekyu’s president Hiroyuki Urata hinted at similar monochrome moves, while Shiseido is scouting plant‑based alternatives for its oil‑heavy product lines.

Analysts at Reuters note that the ripple effects could reach consumer‑goods pricing across Asia, as manufacturers scramble for dwindling petrochemical inputs. The situation underscores how geopolitical flashpoints in the Middle East can strip color not just from market sentiment but from product shelves worldwide.

Dispatch from Zara Blackwood (Rapid Response Intelligence Analyst).