It was one of the favourites in the shopping cart during the 2020 lockdowns. We are talking about pasta. But how are consumer habits changing and what products do they demand?

First of all, Italians continue to see themselves as home-based chefs, as Ciro Moccia of La Fabbrica della Pasta di Gragnano says: "There is propensity to buy special products for gratification and enjoyment, cooking something different than usual. We are committed to continuing to improve the already high quality of an artisan product, a strategy that pays off, as confirmed by the increase in exports from September onwards.”

 Alessandro Caminati, Fumaiolo’s CEO, also confirms the focus on foreign countries: "We are developing foreign markets, where there is strong growth in pasta exports." But, in Italy and abroad, the approach of this company is quite unique: "We are also relying on frozen food for pasta. We have been producing deep-frozen fresh pasta for more than 30 years to offer a more practical alternative to home production, with the added value of a long shelf-life and no preservatives.

Even a niche such as gnocchi has experienced the changes of this unusual year. "In 2020, we launched two new lines as well as three new flavours in the existing stuffed gnocchi line,” explains Alberto Bianco from Gnocchi Master marketing. "Even though our sector lives on tradition and 'classic' flavours, we are noticing strong demand from consumers for new formats and also for new, more sustainable packaging. What about exports? Strong growth also for Master: "In 2020, it increased by 55% in value, mainly thanks to stuffed gnocchi."

A market whose importance is highlighted by the numbers: according to data from Unione Italiana Food, last year exports increased by 16% exceeding 3.1 billion euros, while 50 million more packages were sold in Italy than in 2019. At TUTTOFOOD 2021, held at the same time of HostMilano at fieramilano from 22 to 26 October, industry leaders will be the stars of the dedicated TUTTOPASTA area.