Pasta Noodles Co. looks to differentiate in RTE with rapid-cook technology

By Ryan Daily

- Last updated on GMT

Image Credit: Pasta Noodles Co.
Image Credit: Pasta Noodles Co.

Related tags Pasta Rte Meal kits

The Pasta Noodle Company is shaking up the ready-to-eat (RTE) space with a trio of options inspired by classic Italian dishes, created with natural ingredients and ready to eat within two minutes, company founder Paolo Internicola told FoodNavigator-USA.

We believe that the future is in rapid-cook technology, and we’ve finally cracked the code on how to reduce time and effort spent cooking pasta, while delivering an authentic Italian experience that consumers come to expect from pasta meals. We’re raising the bar for what consumers can expect from the food category — and from the pasta aisle — and we’re adding quality options that have long been missing from the ready-to-eat aisle.​”

Providing a quicker option than traditional pasta

Last month, Pasta Noodle Co. launched its first set of products with three RTE pasta dishes in Marinara, Spicy Marinara, and Italian Mac and Cheese, which were created with the help of Italian chef Gino Campagna. The product is solid in a 12-pack for $39.95 on its website or can be purchased from select retailers nationwide, including Hi-Vee stores, Internicola said.

"The pasta comes from Italy, we pack here in the US because of the logistics and then we are starting distribution in the US,​" Internicola said. "It's a very new product; it's an amazing market, and we are opening a new category we call rapid-cook pasta.​"

Unlike traditional pasta which takes approximately eight minutes to cook, the brand's pasta takes two minutes to cook due to its steam technology, Internicola explained. Pasta Noodles Co. cooks the pasta completely with steam cooking and then dries for it two hours, which reduces the shape and size, he said. Then, a consumer needs to add water, the sauce packet, and microwave for two minutes for a complete meal, he added. 

Delivering on quick meals that are better for you

With these products, Internicola also taps into the growing demand for pasta and convenient meals, especially among younger consumers. In the US, 55% of adults from a global survey of consumers said that they eat pasta regularly, according to Statista data​. Additionally, US consumers eat 5.15bn servings of instant noodles a year, according to the World Instant Noodles Association​.

You can create a full meal in ... minutes, so that will be a very helpful item for older people, for new generations, for students, for [people in the army],” Internicola said. “The future is about ready-to-cook meals but with quality.​”

Part of that quality comes from providing products with natural ingredients and no preservatives – two claims featured in Pasta Noodles Co.’s products - Internicola said. “We need to start building products with new technology, like ours, that can give healthy products to the consumer​,” he added. 

Focusing on supply chain to scale up

Pasta Noodles Co. is looking to grow its business methodically and with a focus on its supply chain, Internicola explained.

The company is focusing on exploring placement in college campuses, military bases, and convenience stores, he said. “We need to increase the supply chain before we can then go after the big retailers like Target, Walmart, or Costco,​” he added.

The key is to bring the consumer to the shelf and buy your product.  But the key is branding. If people understand that your product is good, and they need to go buy it from the show, otherwise you don't have any future. So that's the reason why we are very particular on building our branding campaign before we can go to the big market.​" 

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