News on Chips and Snacks from Asia

PoLoPo, a B2B deeptech firm, is shifting focus to the snack industry. It's patented potato offers up to three more protein than regular tubers, enabling high-protein chips with great taste and texture for brands and food manufacturers.

Shri Vibracion opens a new 83,000 sq. ft. facility in Pune, marking its growth from a small workshop to a global player in food processing machinery, with a focus on hygienic, high-performance solutions for the potato and snack industry.

Sinobake, a leader in food processing technology, has unveiled its latest innovation: a high-performance potato chip forming machine designed to elevate the potato chip manufacturing process with unparalleled precision, versatility, and efficiency.

Aviko is expanding its Gansu, China plant, boosting flake capacity by 70% to meet global demand, especially in Asia. The move supports sustainable growth, aligns with Cosun’s strategy, and strengthens Aviko’s global position in potato processing.

The potato snack aisle is a battlefield-crammed with crisps, chips, fries, and a dizzying array of flavours. With global market revenues expected to reach over USD 126 billion by 2034 and a steady 3% annual growth rate, it’s clear that competition is fierce and only getting hotter.

Rising frying oil prices present a significant challenge for potato snack manufacturers, directly impacting their profit margins and operational strategies.

Sinobake’s compound potato chip production line delivers high-efficiency output of 500–600kg/h with precise mixing, shaping, frying, and seasoning—ideal for scalable, consistent snack manufacturing.

Consumers are rejecting synthetic antioxidants in snacks, pushing the industry toward natural options. Prasan Solutions' AO17, a plant-based antioxidant, leads the shift with clean-label benefits, safety, and effective frying oil protection.

JagaRico, a popular Japanese snack by Calbee Japan, resembles potato chips in the form of French fries. It comes in a variety of flavors, including limited seasonal editions.

SGX Catalist-listed Zixin Group Holdings Limited, a leading biotech-focused sweet potato company, has achieved a breakthrough in producing sweet potato chips and fries.

Mr. Shaban Al-Nahar, Chairman of Beirut Erbil Company, visited the Dutch Consulate in Erbil to welcome Consul Adriaan IJsselstein. They discussed strengthening Iraq-Netherlands cooperation, focusing on advancing the potato sector with Dutch expertise.

Under the patronage of the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Abbas Jabr Al-Maliki, and under the slogan 'Iraqi Potatoes: A Growing Sector with Promising Export Opportunities,' the Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with Nahar Al-Awrad Company, organized the Iraqi Agricultural Export Forum, which focused on developing the potato sector and its products, such as potato chips and frozen potato fingers.

Calbee, Inc. has announced that its newly constructed Setouchi Hiroshima Factory in Hiroshima City will commence operations on January 13, 2025. This facility is Calbee's first new factory in Japan in nearly 19 years.

Calbee Group has partnered with the Shiretoko Shari Agricultural Cooperative to secure a stable supply of potatoes. As part of their collaboration, the agricultural cooperative plans to build a new frozen processing facility, aimed at enhancing production and ensuring consistent potato supply for Calbee's operations.

Kerala-based banana chips maker Beyond Snack has secured USD 8.3 million in a Series A funding round led by 12 Flags Group, a consumer-focused fund started by Rakesh Kapoor, the former global CEO of Reckitt Benckiser. 

AAHAR 2025 is India's premier food and hospitality trade fair that showcases the latest innovations, trends, and products in the food industry.

Bikano, a leading name in the Indian snacks and sweets industry, announced the virtual inauguration of its state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Jewar, Greater Noida, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

SV Agri conducted its annual variety show featuring Ganesh variety of potatoes, attracting key stakeholders from the chips processing industry.