Calbee Kappa Ebisen Shrimp Chips 35% Less Salt

The 35% Less Salt version of Kappa Ebisen exists because enough people asked for it.

The standard Kappa Ebisen has been running since 1964 on the same formula and the same salt level, and for most of that time nobody questioned it.

At some point, enough customers wrote in to say the salt was more than they wanted — either for health reasons or simply because they found the standard version too assertive — that Calbee developed a reduced-sodium alternative that preserves the character of the original without the full salinity.

The whole-shrimp construction is identical: natural shrimp ground shell-and-all into the dough, non-fried, finished with a light oil spray.

The shrimp flavor, the crunch, and the calcium content are all present in the same proportions.

The reduction comes entirely from the salt, cut by 35% compared to the standard version — from 1.7g of sodium equivalent per 77g bag in the original to 0.4–0.8g per 68g bag here.

The salt used in the reduced version is 65% Goto Nada no Shio — sea salt harvested from the waters around the Goto Islands in Nagasaki Prefecture, one of Japan’s most mineral-rich fishing grounds.

Sea salt from this region carries a natural mineral complexity that allows less of it to deliver more flavor presence than a refined salt would at the same quantity, which is part of how Calbee maintains a satisfying savory character despite the reduction.

Reviewers who switch from the standard version frequently note that they find it difficult to return — the shrimp flavor, no longer competing with a strong salt presence, becomes more clearly the center of the chip.

About this item
Item Name : Kappa Ebisen 35% Less Salt
Brand : Calbee
Item Form : Snacks
Number of Items : 68g (Pack of 1)