Calbee Inc. will temporarily switch 14 of its popular snack products in Japan to black-and-white packaging starting May 25 [1, 3].
The move highlights how regional geopolitical conflicts can disrupt global supply chains, affecting everything from industrial chemicals to the appearance of consumer goods.
The company announced the change on May 12 [2]. The shift is a response to a critical shortage of naphtha, a crude-oil derivative essential for the production of printing ink [1, 2, 4].
According to the company, the shortage was caused by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the conflict involving Iran [2, 4]. The closure has restricted the flow of raw materials necessary for the colorful inks typically used on Calbee's iconic potato chip bags [1, 2].
By removing color from the packaging, Calbee aims to maintain production levels and ensure that its products remain available on store shelves despite the ink scarcity [1, 3]. The company is targeting 14 specific products for this aesthetic change [1].
This is not the first time industrial shortages have forced consumer brands to alter their branding. However, the direct link between a maritime blockade in the Middle East and the visual identity of a Japanese snack brand underscores the volatility of the current energy and chemical markets [2, 4].
Calbee has not specified how long the black-and-white packaging will remain in place, but the company said the measure is temporary [1, 3].
“Calbee Inc. will temporarily switch 14 of its popular snack products in Japan to black-and-white packaging”
The situation demonstrates the fragility of 'just-in-time' supply chains. Because naphtha is a primary building block for various plastics and inks, the closure of a strategic chokepoint like the Strait of Hormuz creates a ripple effect that forces companies to make visible concessions in branding to avoid total production halts.
