16/05/2026

LYFE SATURDAY | MAY 16, 2026 23 In memory of colourful chips

J APAN’S leading potato chip maker is feeling the crunch from shortages linked to the Iran war, swapping its signature orange-and-yellow packets for black and white. A household name in Japan, Calbee is known for its savoury potato chips with an array of flavours from seaweed salt to soy sauce and butter. The company recently said it will “revise the packaging specifications” and use just “two colours” in packaging for 14 product lines beginning later this month or in June. It did not say which two colours, but the statement showed photos of grey packaging. Calbee blamed “supply instability for certain raw materials resulting from the escalating tensions in the Middle East.” Local media said the snack-maker has seen its procurement of printing ink compromised by shortages of naphtha, an oil byproduct used in a wide range of industries. The goods affected included several potato chip products, as well as a breakfast cereal and Kappa Ebisen, a moreish shrimp snack known for the slogan “Can’t stop, can’t stop”. “We will continue to respond swiftly and flexibly to changes in the business environment, including geopolitical risks, while striving to deliver safe, reliable and satisfying

o Japan crisp packs to turn black and white due to Iran war crunch products,” the company said. Another Japanese food company, Itoham Yonekyu Holdings, also told AFP going black-and-white or using different kinds of inks for some of its products were among possible options in the future, similarly blaming supply problems due to the Middle East conflict. Roughly a fifth of the world’s oil normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz and its de facto closure since the war began in late February has sent prices soaring. Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi previously said Tokyo was expected to have enough naphtha derived chemical products to last beyond the end of the year after boosting imports from outside the Middle East. Last week, Takaichi said the global oil supply squeeze was inflicting an “enormous impact” on the Asia Pacific region.

Calbee is switching to black-and-white packaging due to ink shortages. – PIC FROM CALBEE

TASTY RECIPE

Watermelon rind sweets Ingredients:

until translucent. 6. Stir from time to time to prevent sticking. 7. Remove pieces and place on a wire rack or baking tray lined with parchment paper. 8. Leave to dry for several hours or overnight. 9. Coat with sugar if desired. Optional variations: 1. Add cinnamon sticks or cloves while simmering. 2. Use rosewater or cardamom for a more aromatic flavour. 3. Dip dried pieces in chocolate for a modern twist. Storage: Keep in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Picard holds a bottle of John Lemon, which has since sold well due to the controversy.

0 4 cups watermelon rind (white part only, green skin removed)

0 2 cups sugar 0 2 cups water 0 1 tbsp lemon juice

0 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional) 0 Extra sugar for coating (optional) Instructions: 1. Peel off the tough green outer skin from the watermelon rind. 2. Cut the white rind into small cubes or strips. 3. Boil the rind in water for about 10 minutes until slightly tender, then drain. 4. In a pot, combine sugar, water and lemon juice to create syrup. 5. Add the rind pieces and simmer over low heat for 45–60 minutes

Yoko says ‘Oh no’ to John Lemon beer

THE old saying about lemons and lemonade has borne fruit for a French craft brewery, which was ordered by Yoko Ono to stop making its John Lemon beer – and has now nearly sold out thanks to the publicity. Aurelien Picard, owner of the Brasserie de l’Imprimerie brewery in the Brittany region, says he received notice in late March from lawyers for Ono to halt the use of the brand name or pay royalties for referencing her late husband, Beatles legend John Lennon. “There were numbers such as €100,000 (RM461,670), and between €150 and €1,000 per day in penalties if we didn’t do what they said. Basically, they demanded we recall all our product and immediately stop using the brand,” Picard told AFP. After some back-and-forth, the small brewery won permission to sell its remaining 5,000 bottles by July 1, then halt production of the brand. But the media attention generated by the dispute turned out to be great publicity: The brewery nearly sold out of John Lemon in a matter of days.

Bottles of the beer named John Lemon, a play on words in reference to British musician John Lennon. – PICS FROM AFP

two employees and sells between 50,000 and 80,000 bottles per year, mainly to liquor stores and restaurants within a 40km radius. It is now looking for a new name for its flavourful blonde beer. Picard thought of Jaune Lemon – the French word for “yellow” – but Ono’s lawyers were sour on the idea, he said.

“It was crazy. I have less than 1,000 left. It was kind of funny, amid our misfortune,” said Picard. The brewery, several of whose beers play on celebrity names, launched John Lemon five years ago because it seemed “cool”, said Picard. The company, located in the northwestern town of Bannalec, has

– 123RFPIC