It was with great fanfare that potato chip giant Calbee unveiled the Renji de Poterich brand of chips. These stand alone among other fried potato slices in that the bag is microwavable, allowing you to heat up the chips and unleash a taste sensation that has only been previously enjoyed at the Calbee factory.
On 19 February, a limited run of Renji de Poterich hit the shelves of leading convenience store chain Family Mart across the country. Snack fans, including our Japanese writing team, flocked for a taste of these warm chips seasoned with butter and soy sauce.
However, on 22 February Calbee made a shocking announcement that they were recalling all bags of Renji de Poterich immediately over concerns that they may catch fire. It’s been reported that the company had received complaints from some customers that smoke and flames had appeared while heating.
In total, 160,000 bags will have to be reclaimed. To make matters worse, the highly anticipated Renji de Pizza Potato, scheduled to be released on 12 March, has also been suspended.
