Calbee Switches to Black-and-White Packaging for Salty Snacks Due to Naphtha Shortage

Calbee, Japan's largest snack food company, said it will switch to black-and-white packaging for its salty snack products because of shortages of naphtha, a petroleum product used to make printing inks. The company said the naphtha shortage stems from supply disruptions tied to the Iran war.

Naphtha is a crude-oil derivative essential for producing the colored inks that give Calbee's packaging its distinctive bright appearance. Calbee's colorful bags have long been a recognizable feature of its products in Japanese stores. The company said the change will affect multiple salty snack lines until naphtha supplies stabilize.

The packaging shift highlights how conflicts in oil-producing regions can affect consumer goods far from the battlefield. Japan relies on imported oil derivatives, and disruptions in the Middle East have reduced availability of key materials for manufacturing.

Calbee said it has no immediate alternative sources for the specialized inks. The company will continue using standard black-and-white printing capabilities that do not require naphtha-derived components. The move represents a temporary departure from the brand's visual identity that has helped distinguish its products on store shelves for years.