Milling & Baking News - October 29, 2013 - 24

Pasta Update 

Pushinggluten-free for spark
the buttons on pasta
Companies turn to

hen Todd Hale, senior vicepresident of consumer and
shopping insights for North
America at Nielsen Co., addressed
participants at the National Pasta Association's annual meeting earlier this
year in Palm Beach, Fla., he encouraged pasta companies looking to drive
change and growth at retail to look to
"hot buttons" for guidance.
He described "hot buttons" as areas
where retailers are specifically putting a lot of focus today. At the time of
the meeting, Mr. Hale identified convenience, private brands, right-sized
box and health and wellness as trends
resonating with consumers. One trend
that didn't receive much mention in
that April presentation but that has
clearly emerged in recent months as a
"hot button" is gluten-free.
Going gluten-free
Barilla Group, which is the world's
largest pasta company, posted a 4% increase in dollar sales and 7% gain in
unit sales within its Barilla America
Inc. spaghetti/macaroni/pasta (no
noodles) business in the 52 weeks
ended Sept. 8, according to data from
Chicago-based market research firm
Information Resources, Inc.
Bannockburn, Ill.-based Barilla
America, Inc. hopes to continue the
sales surge with a new line of glutenfree pasta that debuted earlier this fall
in select markets. The pasta, which
combines non-bioengineered corn and
rice, is made in a dedicated gluten-free
facility in Italy and is available in four
varieties: spaghetti, penne, rotini and

elbows. Each 12-oz box has a suggested retail price of $2.39.
The pasta is set for a national roll-out
in 2014. Barilla said the introduction
of the gluten-free pasta is "a strategic
addition to the Barilla pasta portfolio
and to the pasta category overall."
The nation's second-largest pasta
company, New World Pasta, Harrisburg, Pa., earlier this month introduced Ronzoni Gluten-Free Pasta in
three new varieties: spaghetti, penne
rigate and rotini. The pastas blend
white rice, brown rice, corn and quinoa, and contain 19 grams of whole
grains per serving.
"Today's consumer is looking for
new and unique products to suit their

dietary lifestyle needs, and we want
to be there to answer that call," said
David Heimbecker, senior director of
marketing for New World Pasta Co.
Gluten-free also was behind a new
line launch at DeCio Pasta. The Tempe,
Ariz.-based company in late August
said it spent more than two years planning the product launch. Made in a
dedicated, stand-alone facility, the pasta is available in seven varieties: garlic

Agency clears New World Pasta whole grain claims
NEW YORK - The National Advertising Division in late September determined that New World Pasta
can support whole grains claims made on the company's Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Pasta. The claims
were challenged by Barilla America, Inc., a competing maker of pasta products.
In its complaint to the NAD, Barilla challenged several claims made by New World Pasta in on-line,
print and e-mail advertising and by in-store shelf talkers. The challenged claims included:
* "Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Pasta has 2x the whole grain as the leading brand."
* "Both are whole grain. But only one is 100% whole grain."
* "One of these has 100% whole grain. Can you tell which one?"
* "These pasta dishes may look the same, but Ronzoni Healthy Harvest is made with 100% whole
grain so each serving provides 56 grams. That's twice as much as Barilla Whole Grain, which has
only 28 grams."
New World Pasta said it appreciated "NAD's careful and thorough review of the issues involved in
this case, as well as the opportunity to work with NAD and participate in the self-regulatory process."
Meanwhile, Barilla said it respects "the process put forth by the National Advertising Division
and believe that self-regulation remains a great method to ensure that consumers have the right
information to make informed purchasing choices." MBN

and chive fettuccine, sweet potato fettuccine, tomato basil garlic fettuccine,
lemon pepper, spinach basil garlic,
sweet potato orzo and wild mushroom.
A partnership inked in May between
Heartland Harvest, Kankakee, Ill., and
Indianola, Iowa-based Harvest Innovations is expected to deliver new glutenfree pasta to the market as well.
"The two companies will join forces
in their manufacturing and technical
capabilities to provide exciting new
gluten-free pasta options to the market that are not only gluten-free, but
nutritious and great tasting," said
Dennis Bunck, chief operating officer
of Heartland Harvest.
Post, Smucker into pasta category
While gluten-free may be dominating new product trends in the pasta
category, a potential acquisition looms
that will alter the landscape for one
large player. In mid-September, St.
Louis-based Post Holdings, Inc. entered into an agreement to acquire
Dakota Growers Pasta Company, Inc.
from Viterra, Inc. for $370 million. Dakota Growers Pasta manufactures a
full line of dry pastas for retail, food
service and food processors, including whole grain and organic items.
Product lines include Dakota Growers
Pasta, Dreamfields and Pasta Sanita.
Post said Dakota Growers will be
managed independently from other
Post businesses by its existing management team.
The company anticipates closing
the transaction in January 2014, but it
is subject to closing conditions and the
expiration of waiting periods required
under antitrust laws.
In the 52 weeks ended Sept. 8, Dakota Growers had spaghetti/macaroni/pasta dollar sales of $32,369,020,
up 9% from the same period a year
ago, according to I.R.I. Unit sales were
15,460,260, up 15%.
A smaller transaction in mid-August
saw J.M. Smucker Co., Orrville, Ohio,
enter the pasta category with the purchase of Enray, Inc., a Livermore, Calif.based manufacturer and marketer of
organic, gluten-free grain products.
Enray offers three varieties of ancient grains pastas under the TruRoots
label: elbows, penne and fusilli. The
pastas combine quinoa, amaranth and
brown rice. MBN
- Eric Schroeder

24 / October 29, 2013 Milling & Baking News

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