When exploring Japanese snacks, Calbee is one of the first brand names you’ll come across. Since its inception more than seven decades ago, the Japanese company has produced food items sweet and savory, but they are most famous for their chips. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most beloved Calbee chips — and don’t forget to pick some up at Tippsy Marketplace to try at home!
What is Calbee?
Calbee, Inc. first began under the name Matsuo Food Processing Co., Ltd. in Hiroshima in 1949. It was founded by Takashi Matsuo, who had the desire to provide people with food in the aftermath of World War II, when resources were scarce. The company started by making caramels, but in subsequent years Matsuo reoriented towards crackers and created what is now Calbee’s most famous product: Kappa Ebisen, aka shrimp chips.
The 1970s saw the brand launch potato chips. Then in the 1980s, Calbee launched its own cereal products in an effort to introduce the American breakfast staple to the Japanese market. Today, Calbee has a presence in various countries across the globe, including the United States, Indonesia and Australia. You may not have realized it, but when you visit your local supermarket and spot Harvest Snaps baked green pea snacks, that’s a Calbee America brand!
The best Calbee chips
Calbee chips come in a variety of forms and flavors. Here are some of the brand’s most popular snacks, starting with their iconic shrimp chips.
Calbee “Kappa Ebisen” Shrimp Chips
Made by kneading real shrimp pieces into a wheat-based dough, these chips are loaded with the rich, salty yet subtly sweet flavor of shrimp. The rectangular chips are marked with diagonal ridges, evoking the appearance of the sea creatures themselves. There are various flavors, including wasabi and garlic soy sauce, but the one you’ll be sure to find at virtually every Asian grocery store is the original, which debuted in Japan in 1964.
A favorite snack of both children and adults, the latter may happily pair Calbee’s shrimp chips with beer, liquor or sake for a satisfying combination! Sake is the perfect adult beverage for any kind of savory food, so you may take your pick of nearly any of the more than 500 bottles available at Tippsy Sake. Perhaps reach for Ichinokura “Tokubetsu Junmai” Taru, a sake that has been stored in cedar vats, and is noted for pairing well with panko-fried shrimp.
Calbee Potato Chips: Butter Flavor
In the mood for something decadent? Munch on Calbee potato chips flavored with honey, butter and cheese, and fall in love. These indulgent snacks are sweeter than your average potato chip, and just the right amount of savory. Parsley adds another layer of seasoning to bring some brightness to the rich, creamy taste.
When looking for a drink, try going with a light-tasting sake like Tippsy bestseller Kizakura “Hana Kizakura,” to provide a bit of contrast. This junmai ginjo is smooth and mildly sweet with a hint of cherry blossom.
Calbee “JagaRico” Potato Sticks
Irresistibly flaky and crispy, these potato sticks come in a variety of flavors. The original flavor is salad, meaning that the potato sticks are infused with bits of carrot and parsley. Other flavors of JagaRico sticks you can find at Tippsy Marketplace include Hokkaido butter, double cheese and umami seaweed.
Your choice of sake to pair with JagaRico sticks may be different depending on which Calbee flavor you choose. If you go with the original flavor, take a look at sake with herbaceous qualities, such as Harushika “Extra Dry.” This dry junmai’s notes of sage and mint, coupled with an underlying umami, align with the vegetal taste of the potato sticks.
Calbee Potato Chips: Seaweed and Salt Flavor
Seaweed is a major snack and snack flavor in Japan, so of course the country’s most well-known chip manufacturer makes nori shio (seaweed and salt) potato chips. Seaweed is a fabulous ingredient that provides scrumptious vegetal and sea salt flavors. Its taste is so yummy and addicting that nori fries — french fries peppered with seaweed flakes — are becoming a trendy food offering at bars in major cities in the U.S. (Let me just say they are my new favorite appetizer.)
A great option for sake pairing is “umeshu,” also known as plum wine. Umeboshi (pickled ume) is a common filling for onigiri (rice balls wrapped in seaweed), so it’s a fitting combination! The sweet yet tart flavor of an umeshu such as Nanbu Bijin “Plum Sake” provides an excellent balance to the saltiness of seaweed chips.
Calbee Potato Chips: Pizza Flavor
Not the typical Japanese flavor you were expecting? Pizza has actually been trending upwards in Japan for the last few decades, with more than just fast-food pizza chains popping up. A new fascination with a Japanese take on traditional Neapolitan pizza has emerged — there are even Michelin-recommended pizza restaurants!
On the more casual end, you have Calbee’s pizza-flavored potato chips. Try them for yourself to see how they stack up to American versions such as Pringles Pizza Crisps and Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Pizza Crackers.
Believe it or not, sake pairs exceptionally well with pizza because of some ingredients they have in common: yeast and lactic acid. Watch how we pair New York City pizza with Akabu “Junmai Ginjo” in the video below!
Calbee Potato Chips: Hot and Spicy Flavor
Cayenne brings a pleasant kick to these flavor-packed potato chips, but it’s not just about heat. These chips are loaded with a myriad of spices, including garlic, turmeric, cumin, paprika, nutmeg and more! Soy sauce and ginger also provide some Asian flavor.
A nigori sake would be a good match for a flavor explosion like this. Kurosawa “Nigori” is a beloved creamy sake whose milky mouthfeel and sweet, fruity taste would provide a welcoming contrast to the dryness and spiciness of the chips.
Visit the Tippsy blog to learn more about nigori, also known as cloudy sake.
Calbee “Vegetaberu” Vegetable Chips
If you want to feel slightly less guilty about your snacking habits, opt for Calbee “Vegetaberu” Vegetable Chips. They’re similar to American brands such as Sensible Portions Sea Salt Garden Veggie Wavy Chips, but with a few differences. For one, the Calbee chips are adorably heart-shaped, making it a fun snack for kids, or a nice treat for adults who need a little pick-me-up. The Calbee version also has a waffle texture instead of a wavy texture.
As with other brands’ vegetable chips, a bag includes three types: green (spinach and green bell pepper), yellow (kabocha squash and yellow bell pepper), and red (carrot, red bell pepper and tomato).
A child might reach for a juice box to go with their veggie chips, so as an adult, why not choose a juicy sake? Harada “Junmai 80” offers notes of mango and sweet rice, and pairs well with vegetable dishes.
Calbee: Your new favorite chip brand
Lay’s, Herr’s, Pringles — these are all household potato chip names in America. Japan’s equivalent is Calbee; everyone knows it, and everyone loves it. With the increasing popularity of Asian snacks internationally, major Japanese brands like Calbee are reaching new heights. But don’t take our word for it. Try these inventive potato chips for yourself, and if you’re of legal drinking age, don’t hesitate to enjoy them with your favorite beer, sake or alcoholic beverage of choice.
Resources
Trinh, J. “Calbee Shrimp Chips have a cult following. Here’s how it happened.” LA Times, 2021.
https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2021-09-05/calbees-shrimp-chips-have-a-cult-following-heres-how-it-happened
Calbee. “History.”
https://www.calbee.co.jp/en/corporate/history/product.php
