Minimalist black and white makeover: 14 popular Calbee snacks get new packaging, and this “limited-time” one has unexpectedly become a collector’s item?
The reason may be a bit unfortunate, but the visuals are so good they look like a collab drop!
One of the biggest stories in Japan’s snack scene lately is that Calbee, the brand many of us grew up eating, is getting a new look. While we’re used to colorful, lively shelves, Calbee has gone in the opposite direction this time, replacing all of its multicolor packaging with a minimalist black-and-white design. Though this visual change began as a response to an unexpected disruption in packaging-material supplies, it has given these classic snacks the feel of artsy, limited-edition releases, making them a dream item for minimalists.
Why did Calbee switch its packaging to black and white?
Calbee’s simpler packaging is meant to ensure you can still get your favorite chips at any time. Amid recent fluctuations in the global supply of printing ink and packaging materials, the company decided to simplify its complex multicolor printing to just black and white so production lines could keep running. Unexpectedly, this practical decision has made the products look like special editions from a trendy brand collaboration, sparking plenty of curiosity on social media as people wonder what the design-focused black-and-white packaging looks like in person.
Which products are getting a makeover? The full list is here
The products joining the “black-and-white lineup” are all among Calbee’s most iconic offerings. If you’re traveling in Japan and spot these monochrome designs, don’t mistake them for counterfeits: they’re the real deal, available for a limited time.
Lightly Salted Potato Chips: The formerly bright-red package now features a black-and-white contrast for a more minimalist look.
Consommé Punch Potato Chips: Without its classic orange-yellow background, the packaging has a more retro, stylish feel.
Seaweed & Salt Potato Chips: In black-and-white print, the image of dark seaweed flakes has an even stronger sense of depth.
Calbee Shrimp Chips: The red shrimp-chip package many of us grew up with takes on an unexpectedly trendy, arts-and-culture-inspired feel in black and white.
Though this redesign was an emergency measure, it is also a memorable visual experiment. The black-and-white style will be highly recognizable on supermarket shelves, like snacks in monochrome suits: understated yet full of personality. Calbee also guarantees that the recipe and texture remain exactly the same, so you’ll get the same crunch with a unique packaging memory to take home.
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