News on Chips and Snacks from Asia

Japan's potato chip shortage is rapidly developing into a crisis, with consumers rushing to stock up on what little is left in supermarkets and manufacturers struggling to find fresh supplies.

La escasez, que ha disparado su precio y vaciado los estantes de los supermercados, ha puesto de manifiesto, además, el férreo proteccionismo que el país asiático ejerce sobre sus productos agrícolas.

In response to the 13th National Five-Year Plan, Kaida invested in two large agricultural product processing plants in Beijing and Inner Mongolia. For these (potato) processing plants Kaida selected one of TOMRA’s state-of-the-art steam peeling and optical sorting solutions.

Japan’s potato chip lovers, beware: Your favourite snacks may become harder to find. The country’s worst potato harvest in at least 34 years has prompted major snack makers to halt production of several types of snacks.

PepsiCo identified Myanmar as a potential hub for growing potatoes, thanks to its rich, fertile lands and favorable climate.

Japan's Calbee has introduced a potato chip product about 70% cheaper than what's already on sale in the Philippines. By reducing the size of the bags, the company cut the price to 10 pesos, compared to the 30 pesos to 40 pesos for the larger size bags.

For a limited time, the Lawson convenience-store chain in Japan is stocking potato chips flavored with blue cheese from Hanabatake Bokujo, a well-known dairy producer from the far north of Japan.

Snack food company Calbee is playing with fire by expecting people to swallow their new concept potato chips: 'Wet Potato, Moist Mild Soy Sauce Flavor.'

Bikanervala Foods Pvt. Ltd, which sells Indian sweets and savouries under the brand Bikano, has initiated discussions with private equity funds to raise as much as Rs.200 crore [PP: about 30 million USD], said two people familiar with the development.

In Japan, you can now buy coriander-and-pork-flavored potato chips.

Japanese snack food maker Koikeya extends its line of 'breakfast' potato chips - yes, you are supposed to eat them as breakfast in the morning - with two new flavors: 'Toast' and 'Milk'

The West-Bengal government (India) has recently abandoned its proposed potato processing unit in Hooghly's Sheoraphuli after no private company showed interest in the project.

Japanese snack maker Calbee has recently released two new potato chip flavors (in Japan), and it looks like they could add quite a bit of zest to your snack life.

It is still winter in Japan, but snack makers are already coming out with a taste of Spring: Sakura (Cherry-Blossom) - Butter

It's still a month to go for Valentine's Day but Pepsico India is already ready to celebrate love, albeit, in a quirky way through its new Lay's campaign - 'Love to Love it'.

PepsiCo India is streamlining its snacks portfolio, creating two master brands: Lay's and Kurkure for western and Indian traditional salted snacks respectively.

Every month, Japan seems to get a new odd-flavored snack or candy. You might think that’s peculiar, but just know that many Japanese people do, too.

PepsiCo India is looking to enhance potato procurement through its tie-up with farmers in Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh.