As the Strait of Hormuz crisis limits access to raw materials, Calbee is temporarily limiting its on-pack print for multiple potato chip, breakfast cereal, and snack products to black and white ink.
Changes will apply to a total of fourteen products, including various flavours in its Potato Chips lineup (Lightly Salted Taste, Consomme Punch, Consomme Double Punch, and Seaweed Salt Taste); the Lightly Salted Taste and Black Pepper variants of its Kataage Potato product; and the Kappa Ebisen snacks and Frugra cereal brands.
Calbee attributes its decision to ‘ongoing tensions in the Middle East’ and the resultant effect on ‘certain raw materials’. According to Reuters, around 40% of Japanese naphtha consumption is reliant on imports from the Middle East.
Products are set to transition into the new packaging in phases, with the transition expected to maintain a consistent product supply without impacting overall quality.
“Calbee will continue to respond flexibly and promptly to changes in its operating environment, including geopolitical risks, and remains committed to maintaining a stable supply of safe, high-quality products,” the company states in a press release. “We ask for your understanding and continued support.”
Last month, we heard from markets reporter Sam Lovatt, senior analyst Helen McGeough and the ICIS Analytics team about the correlation between the Strait of Hormuz blockade and the price of plastics, including an emerging premium for secure energy and chemical supply.
Mia McLachlan, Carolina Perujo Holland, and Egor Dementev from ICIS also told us how the geopolitical instability is impacting the plastics recycling industry, with high crude oil prices passing down supply chains, logistic issues driving freight costs higher, and availability constraints already emerging.
In other news, McDonald’s Japan previously announced a series of revisions to its packaging lineup, including ‘strawless’ rPET lids to replace paper straws, 95% biomass plastic for takeaway food packaging, and FSC-certified paper bags for its Happy Meal toys. Altogether, the company sets its sights on eliminating 6,600 tons of virgin plastic every year.
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