A postwar Hiroshima caramel maker whose name honors calcium and vitamin B1, now Japan's top snack maker
QUICK FACTS
Est. 1949 — best known for potato chips and snack foods.
HISTORY
Calbee was founded on April 30, 1949 in Hiroshima by Takashi Matsuo as Matsuo Food Processing Co., in the years after World War II when malnutrition was a serious concern in Japan. Its first product was a calcium-fortified caramel, and in 1955 the company took the name Calbee, a coined word combining 'calcium' and 'vitamin B1' to express its mission of making food that supports people's health.
The company found its breakthrough with snack foods, launching Kappa Ebisen, a shrimp-flavored cracker, in 1964, followed by Sapporo Potato and Potato Chips in 1975. Calbee went on to become Japan's largest potato-based snack maker, built on close relationships with Japanese potato farmers, and today sells its chips and crackers internationally.
PRODUCTS
Shrimp-flavored cracker launched in 1964, the company's first major nationwide hit
Japan's best-selling potato chip line, made with domestically grown potatoes
Stick-shaped potato snack launched in 1995, a lasting favorite
TIMELINE
This page is compiled from publicly available company history and is provided for general reference only. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please consult the brand's official website.