According to a recent announcement, in Japan, the standard trio of Pringles flavors will be joined by a convenience store-exclusive fourth, which will be the popular Nippon snack in itself: nori seaweed.
The standard trio of flavors almost always guaranteed to be available on a Japanese convenience store or supermarket shelf are Umashio (Tasty Salt), CHEEEEEESE (four types of cheese), and Sour Cream and Onion.
The official name of the new Pringles flavor is Otsumami Nori (Snack Nori). While many Japanese chips use nori-flavored salt, these chips make use of the flavorful umami-packed nori the consumers can find in bowls of ramen or the onigiri rice balls, and in this case, actually kneads that nori into the chips themselves, resulting in a deeper flavor and less stained fingers.
The new Otsumami Nori Pringles, which features a label showing off the crunchy nori “in the chip” to illustrate the kneading method, will go on sale as a convenience store exclusive in Japan starting August 30.
Pringles potato chips in Japan come in a wide variety of seasonally and regionally limited edition flavors. Over the years the usual consumers have seen fish & chips, karaage, and sukiyaki recreated as Pringles potato chips.