The fact that Japanese chips brand Koikeya puts this phrase at the top of their press release for their new 濃いじゃが koijaga (lit. "dense potato") anchovy and olive flavored chips indicates that they consider this an attention-grabbing and appealing feature.

However, while some of our readers may raise their eyebrows at the idea of individually wrapping potato chips in plastic, it should be noted that there are only ten of them per bag.

This may still seem unreasonable, but Koikeya cites several reasons behind their decision to develop this new product.

To begin with, Koikeya explains that the novel coronavirus pandemic has changed consumer behavior and it's more common to hear opinions such as "I'm more concerned about hygiene now," and "I prefer snacks that can be individually distributed to others." Koikeya's own surveys also revealed that the need for hygienic "individual packaging" is expanding.

Moreover, the diversification of work styles and changes in the social environment have brought about significant changes in the daily eating habits of Japanese people. Young people, in particular, are moving away from the traditional style of eating three meals at fixed times of the day. As the boundary between full meals, light meals and snacks becomes more blurred, Koikeya saw an opportunity to develop a denser, larger, and more filling type of potato chip. In fact, they consider Koijaga to be a "new genre" of "high-density potato chips."

Since they're individually wrapped, you don't need to eat the whole bag at one sitting and they'll stay fresh longer. It's also convenient for sharing with friends and family or for snacking at work. Finally, holding them by their wrappers is not only hygienic but lets you keep your fingers clean.

When it's time to eat one, you'll appreciate "the multilayered texture created by the overlapping of potato pieces which makes for a satisfyingly crunchy texture, the rich flavor of the anchovies and olives which impart a luxurious taste, and the parsley and red bell pepper flakes which add color and a vibrant appearance."

If you're interested, you'll find 濃いじゃが アンチョビオリーブ Koijaga Anchovy and Olive on store shelves in Tokyo as well as Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa prefectures from October 3rd, 2022. You'll also be able to buy them from that date at the KOIKEYA Online Store.