Japanese snack manufacturer Calbee is switching the packaging of 14 potato chip products to black-and-white designs [1].
The move highlights how geopolitical instability in the Middle East can disrupt global supply chains for basic consumer goods. By stripping color from its packaging, the company aims to maintain product availability despite a shortage of raw materials required for printing.
According to company reports, the transition is a response to a lack of ink and soaring material costs [2]. The shortage stems from disruptions in the supply of naphtha, a critical raw material used in the production of printing inks [2].
These supply chain failures were triggered by attacks on Iran carried out by the U.S. and Israel [3]. Those military actions led to a spike in crude oil prices, which in turn destabilized the naphtha market [3]. Calbee said the change to monochrome packaging is necessary to ensure a steady supply of snacks to retailers, and reducing operational costs [2].
The company is implementing these changes across 14 different product lines to mitigate the risk of production halts [1]. This strategy allows the manufacturer to bypass the current scarcity of color pigments and the volatility of the petrochemical market, a direct consequence of the regional conflict [3].
While the snacks themselves remain unchanged, the visual identity of the brand will be temporarily altered. Calbee said the shift is a tactical move to navigate the current economic pressure caused by the energy crisis [2].
“Calbee is switching the packaging of 14 potato chip products to black-and-white designs”
This decision illustrates the fragility of 'just-in-time' manufacturing when faced with geopolitical shocks. Because printing inks rely on petrochemical derivatives like naphtha, a conflict in oil-producing regions can unexpectedly strip a consumer brand of its visual marketing. Calbee's move suggests that companies may increasingly prioritize functional availability over brand aesthetics to survive extreme supply chain volatility.
