
Specifically women who want to share lovely photos of whatever they’re eating on social media.
Snack food maker Calbee is the king of Japanese potato chips, which is a throne you don’t get to sit on without constantly pushing the envelope of fried spud slice innovation. To that end, Calbee has brought us such delights as matcha green tea chocolate potato chips, KFC potato chips, and the unusual “sushi-flavor-flavor” potato chips.
And now Calbee’s determination to take chips to bold new places has led to the creation of potato chips…for women!
Well, not just any women. Potato chips, in and of themselves, aren’t seen as a particularly masculine or feminine snack in Japan (because, well, they’re potato chips, which just about everyone agrees are delicious). Instead, Calbee says its new Potato Chips Lovely Cheese, as they’re officially called, were designed to appeal especially strongly to women in their 20s and 30s who enjoy snapping pictures of whatever they’re munching on to post on Instagram and other social media photo-sharing platforms.
The Lovely Cheese flavor actually provides a double dose of its marquee ingredients, with a mixture of rich gouda and milder cream cheese. There’s also just a touch of blueberry for an ever so slightly sweet sensation and aroma, all of which Calbee says makes the Lovely Cheese chips an excellent pairing selection with the sparkling wine commonly popped open by fashionable young ladies for Christmas parties in Japan.
But just as important as the flavor, according to Calbee, is the festively distinct bag, which it hopes will become a visual shorthand for “Holiday party time!” over the next few weeks.
Oddly enough, the chips themselves aren’t billed as looking any different than any other variety. Still, the mix of cheese and blueberry does sound intriguing, and since Calbee doesn’t sell its sakura butter chips anymore, this is your best option for pretty-in-pink chips.
Lovely Cheese is on sale now exclusively in Japanese convenience stores, priced at roughly 150 yen (US$1.30) per bag. It’ll be available through mid-January, so it’ll still be an option for New Year’s Parties too.
Sources: Ryutsu News via Otakomu, PR Times
Top image: Pakutaso
Insert image: PR Times
Follow Casey on Twitter, where he misses Men’s Pocky and regrets never having been able to try Asahi First Lady beer.


Snack maker promises its extra-thick, extra-expensive potato chips are extra-delicious
We try Japan’s new “wet potato chips” — A moist revolution or soggy defeat?
The perfect summer snack – potato chips that are made to be cool, literally
Edamame potato chips appear in Japan, made with the king of edamame, dadachamame
New “wet” potato chips revolutionise the snack industry in Japan
We followed Tokyo’s mystery walking map and ended up creating our own bar-hopping adventure
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Say hello to Japan’s new stationmaster cat!【Video】
Hokkaido has an Ice Festival that’s less famous than the Snow one, but beautiful in its own way
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
Nearly one in ten young adults living in Japan isn’t ethnically Japanese, statistics show
The Purple Lucky Bag from Village Vanguard is an extra-large waste of money
The beautiful, awesome cosplayers of Tokyo’s OTHER Halloween hot spot: Ikebukuro
Japanese idol creates kawaii Gunpla, the world’s cutest Gundam models【Photos】
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
Umamusume anime girl plushie recalled for having parts she absolutely should not have【Pics】
Princess Mononoke magnets return just in time to treat yourself to awesome anime decorations
Top Japanese cosplayer Enako returns to Comiket after 6 years, creates mayhem with admirers
Giant hotel rooms in Osaka reflect the new non-niche face of travel in Japan.
We ate sushi made from Japan’s most expensive tuna ever【Taste test】
Japanese beef bowl chain Sukiya’s 2026 Smile Box lucky bag basically pays for itself
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
Human washing machine pods coming to Japanese hotels【Photos】
Japanese potato chip maker to sell potato-growing kits
Calbee goes spicy with two new potato chip flavors — Thai tom yum kung and Sichuan-style tofu!
KFC-flavor potato chips returning to Japan after a nearly decade-long absence
Pizza Potato crisis causes turmoil in Japan for chip-lovers and opportunists alike
Green tea chocolate-covered potato chips arrive in Japan! 【Taste test】
Get ready for a cherry-blossom-flavored spring with Sakura Butter potato chips from Calbee!
Microwavable potato chips go on sale in Japan, because why should we eat cold potatoes? 【Video】
Let’s talk about chips: Japanese netizens weigh in on the ten best potato chips in the country
Calbee teams with gourmet French chain for uni and dried roe potato chip flavor
Results of national poll for new flavor Calbee chips turn up “Tuna Corn Curry,” other bizarre flavors
Calbee Potato Chips pouch impresses us and makes us want more chips
New snack sensation: super sour and certainly salty lemon flavour potato chips
Lotteria wins us over with two amazing new potato chip burgers
Smelliest sushi in Japan to become potato chip flavor
Japan’s new microwavable potato chips are amazing, but the best thing isn’t how they taste
Leave a Reply