On June 28, Calbee held a sensory strategy briefing in Tokyo where they announced their new product, “Ultra Thin Potato Chips.” This new item will be available nationwide at convenience stores from July 1.
Evolution of Calbee Potato Chips
Since the launch of “Calbee Potato Chips” in 1975, Calbee has expanded its range in terms of flavor, texture, and brand variations. In 1983, they introduced their first thick-cut potato chips, “Louisiana,” and in April of this year, they rebranded their long-standing “Potato Chips Giza Giza” to “Potato Chips The Thick Cut.” This rebranding resulted in a 115% increase in sales compared to their initial projections.
Features of the New “Ultra Thin Potato Chips
The newly introduced “Ultra Thin Potato Chips” are a revamp of the 2020 product “Shin Potato.” These chips are sliced ultra-thin and fried in sunflower oil, resulting in a light and crispy texture. The new product will be available in two flavors: “Premium Salt” and “Honey Butter.”
“Premium Salt” uses a blend of salts of varying grain sizes and kombu (kelp) extract powder, offering a taste that is both satisfying and irresistible. “Honey Butter” features a trendy sweet and salty combination of butter and honey, which pairs excellently with the light texture of the ultra-thin chips.
Development Background and Packaging Design
The development of “Ultra Thin Potato Chips” began with a simple question: “What would the texture be like if we sliced the potato chips as thin as possible?” Prototyping started in 2014, and after six years of development, the product was finally commercialized. According to Mayu Ishikawa from Calbee’s Research and Development Department, “Our goal was to achieve a thinness where you could see through the chip. We adjusted the thickness in increments of less than 0.1mm using a dedicated slicer, repeatedly conducting trials.” They also introduced the dedicated slicer in the mass production line to ensure the chips retained their flavor and texture despite their thinness.
The packaging design retains the familiar “Calbee Potato Chips” logo and color scheme, featuring an eye-catching “Light Texture!” label and an image of freshly fried potato chips soaring into the air to emphasize the lightness. As part of their initiative to reduce petroleum-based plastic usage, they decided to remove the resealable zipper from the packaging after research showed that 70% of users did not use it.
“Ultra Thin Potato Chips” will be available at convenience stores nationwide from July 1, with general availability in eastern Japan from September 2 and in western Japan from October 7. The product will be sold in 40g packs at an open price (estimated retail price: 160 yen including tax).
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