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Pasta Lensi – setting the pace in pasta quality

In just four years York-based Pasta Lensi has become the leading supplier of dry pasta to the UK industrial sector, building on the expertise learned in other countries by parent company American Italian Pasta Company, North America's largest maker of dry pasta. Pasta Lensi's UK sales have shot from zero in 2001 to being on target for 20,000 tonnes in 2005. Pasta Lensi now has its sights on the UK retail pasta market, with the launch of Pasta Chef, a new range of restaurant quality, authentic Italian pasta exclusively for speciality food outlets and deli counters. Nigel Singh, Pasta Lensi's Head of UK Sales, spoke to The Grocery Trader. The Grocery Trader-Nigel, first of all, to whet our appetites, why is dried pasta better than fresh?! In two simple words, it's down to 'al dente,' or the bite. Mouth feel and texture are key aspects of eating pasta-hence they have so many shapes, and why chilled pasta hardly exists in Italy. Italians are very passionate about pasta, and to them it's just as important that pasta is cooked 'al dente' as for their local football team to win the League. Chilled pasta can never be 'al dente.' The only time Italians use fresh pasta, not chilled, is when they make it themselves for filled pasta like ravioli or tortellini. GT-Why does 'Made In Italy' matter when it comes to pasta? Consumers expect dry pasta to come from Italy: it's a stamp of authenticity, whatever quality they are buying. There aren't many food sectors with this loyalty. No one in the UK expects Indian or Chinese food to come from India or China, or even chilled pasta to come from Italy. GT-When did you join Pasta Lensi? What is your brief? I joined Pasta Lensi in 2000, at the very start of our European adventure, even before the factory in Verolanuova was finished. My role has changed from the early days, when it felt like I was starting my own business, as I had to put the basic structures into place. Today I act as the bridge between the factory in Italy and the customers in the UK and Ireland. I get involved in every aspect of the business, from product innovation and design to marketing, sales and logistics. At the moment I am finalising the marketing plan for Pasta Chef 's UK launch and conducting an analysis of the foodservice market, to focus on areas where we want to target our resources. GT-We last spoke in 2002. What's been happening since then? Though in the early years our focus was on the industrial sector, we have not missed opportunities where we can add value. We worked closely with Asda to develop Montevalle, the first premium pasta packed in paper bags by machine. Traditionally, pasta was packed in paper bags by hand. Pasta Lensi brought efficiency to the packing process, allowing great quality at a lower price. Launched in 2002, Montevalle is Asda's premium offering. Last year we added three new shapes and in 2006 we plan to add two more. We've also been busy with some alternatives to wheat, a major growth area for us worldwide. GT-How big is American Italian Pasta Company, Pasta Lensi's parent company? Last year AIPC sold $417m worth of dry pasta. It has become the leading pasta supplier in North America, from startup in 1988. The last two years have been very tough for all US pasta manufacturers, due to the decline in pasta consumption as a result of the Atkins type diet. AIPC trades across the world from four US plants and one Lensi plant in Italy, making products for, and delivering them to, countries as far afield as China, Japan, Argentina, Sweden and South Africa, as well as home markets. We even send pasta from Italy to the USA for those consumers that will only buy 'Made in Italy' pasta. GT-How big is the opportunity here as you see it? What is AIPC's overall vision for the UK and Pasta Lensi? The opportunity is massive: for instance we have only just scratched the surface of food service. In two to three years our aim is to replicate elsewhere our success in the industrial sector and be the leading supplier in all the sectors where quality, service and innovation count as much as price. There are areas within every sector-retail, foodservice, branded or, as we have demonstrated, industrial-where we can do this. As and when required, Pasta Lensi can open further production capacity to handle new business. We already have plans in place to add new capacity in the New Year. GT-What does the industrial sector cover? What kind of customers do you supply? Our industrial customer base is very diverse, from major multi-nationals to small owner-managers. Pasta Lensi pasta ends up in all types of end products, from canned goods to chilled ready meals and salads. The chances are if you buy a pasta product in a UK retailer, the pasta within it comes from Pasta Lensi. We supply packs from 250g to 1000kg in weight, from a minimum of one pallet to full containers, either direct from Italy or from our UK depot. GT-What's made you so successful in this market? Success has come through our flexibility, speed of delivery and dedication to customer service, quality and innovation: we can be more responsive to fluctuations in demand, and they can hold less stock. We never planned to be the biggest or the cheapest supplier, just the best. We're now committed to building on this success in retail, with the launch of premium pasta under the Pasta Chef brand. GT-How big is the UK dried pasta market in retail, and what's driving it? The retail pasta market in the UK is worth £110 million and declined by 4% over the last 12 months. Lack of investment and competition from chilled pasta and pasta meals is holding back the category. Unlike in the USA the low carbohydrate craze has had little impact; dry pasta has been static or in decline for the last four years. This is despite consumers seeing pasta as healthy, convenient and versatile food. Dry pasta offers fantastic value! GT-What changes have you seen in the UK retail market since you joined Pasta Lensi? Five years ago the retail shelves were almost entirely filled with retailer brands, with their market share approaching 90% and RSP for 500g of pasta at 45p. The leading brand was Buitoni. Today, retailer brands share has dropped back and the average price for 500g pasta is 31p. Though Napolina is now the brand leader for mainstream pasta, there are many more other 'premium' brands on the shelf, like Montevalle and Decceco. GT-In 2002, all products you sold here were 'Made In Italy.' Is that still the case? Yes, we continue to supply pasta solely from our plant in Italy. Since 2002 we have invested further to add another production line and extend the warehouse. Pasta Lensi have also invested in other facilities that allow us to make gluten-free pasta, and we will continue to invest as required for our customers' needs. GT-Where do premium pastas like your new Pasta Chef range fit in as part of the deli counter offering? The UK retail market has diverged, with price-driven private label on one side, and premium branded pasta on the other. Retailers are seeing a growing demand from consumers for authentic Italian pasta. It's no longer a big deal to hop on a £30 flight to Milan, Rome or Florence and eat pasta like the Italians do. The discerning market is no longer a niche market, that's why we have great hopes for Pasta Chef, which provides affordable quality. GT-What's the story behind Pasta Chef? Pasta Chef is the perfect pasta for those looking for authentic Italian pasta as consumed in the best restaurants. It features an exclusive recipe developed for Pasta Lensi by top Italian chefs, using the highest quality semolina, with 14% protein and high levels of gluten (which makes pasta "al dente.") It is then drawn through bronze dies to give a rough surface. This enhances its cooking performance, enabling the pasta to absorb more sauce. Pasta Chef is then dried slowly at low temperatures in the traditional way. The range consists of old favourites like Spaghetti, Tortiglioni, Fettuccine and Pennoni, as well as regional shapes Fusilli, Bucati, Giglio and Radiatori. GT-What marketing support are you putting behind the launch of Pasta Chef? Our focus for Pasta Chef is to drive distribution in the specialist trade, department stores, delicatessens and fine food outlets where you would expect to buy the best quality food. We have retained the PM Partnership to conduct an extensive trade marketing campaign. This will be followed up with a consumer campaign in the New Year, and we will be throwing down the gauntlet "The Pasta Challenge-the best pasta you have eaten, or your money back"! By the end of 2006 the consumer campaign will change be aimed at "foodies." The theme will be "eat pasta like the Italians do," and cook Pasta Chef "al dente," with fresh ingredients and simple sauces. There will be a Pasta Chef cookbook available for distribution in retail to support this message. In addition to the "Taste Challenge," we will be running promotions to win Italian cooking lessons and trips to Tuscany as well as links with Sacla sauces. Petty Wood will manage the sales and distribution function. They have available free display units for Pasta Chef that will help highlight the range to the consumer. From there, over the next year Pasta Lensi will invest in marketing plans focused on the Pasta Lensi brand, and Pasta Chef in particular. GT-Should supermarkets stock premium dry pastas in both the deli counter and the dried pasta fixture-what's your view? The only retailer that stocks premium pasta away from standard pasta is JS, the rest site it alongside standard. I believe JS would sell a lot more premium pasta if it were where customers expected to find pasta. GT-UK food has undergone a quiet revolution recently, with growing demand for low-carb and gluten-free alternatives and organic options. What have you been doing in response? Last year, we developed low carbohydrate pasta for some of the world's leading food manufacturers, and made 99% of all the low carbohydrate pasta on UK retailers shelves. Pasta Lensi also led the market with the development of a wheat-based product that did not use soya. It tastes very good, too! We have also invested in our factory to obtain certification from the Italian Ministry of Health to produce gluten-free products. We work to a level of 20 parts per million, a significant improvement on UK guidelines of 100 ppm. Pasta Lensi has a range of 100% Organic Corn pasta and Organic Rice pasta under the Lensi brand, and has developed gluten-free pasta that looks and tastes like standard pasta without the obscure ingredients found in other brands. We are now working with UK retailers to develop this technology for private label. Recently we developed Fibre Plus, aimed at consumers on the GI diet and the type of consumer that would eat Kellogg's All Bran, and are currently working on, and are close to launching, a pro-biotic pasta. Pasta Lensi is now Italy's single largest purchaser of Organic Durum Wheat Semolina, most of which goes to retailer brands. We never planned this, but it demonstrates our customers' trust in our ability to generate products for the quality side of their business. GT-How are you working with individual supermarkets and other large retailers to educate staff and drive the premium dry pasta market? The key is to provide retail buyers with the evidence that premium pasta is what the consumer wants and that it will contribute to category growth and profits. Pasta Lensi developed Pasta Chef following consumer research, and we provide retailers full analysis of the category and proposed action to maximise sales. GT-How do you service the supply chain? Pasta Lensi has developed a multi-route supply chain flexible to our customers' needs. We make deliveries direct from Italy in 9-10 days or from our depot in Kings Lynn in three days. For the Pasta Lensi brand, we have retained Petty Wood to sell and distribute our branded retail business. GT-Looking ahead, what's the next big thing for pasta? The UK follows the USA in most new trends, and having a US parent company helps Pasta Lensi stay ahead on innovation and trends. My US colleagues say the GI diet has led to a fourfold increase in sales of wholewheat pasta. Pasta Lensi launched Fibre Plus early this year to capitalise on expected demand as more consumers adopt the GI diet. Fibre Plus has an excellent GI score and is perfect for consumers looking to increase dietary fibre. One portion provides 1/3rd of the RDA of fibre. Another homegrown trend is the growth in healthy children's foods, especially pasta in the shape of children's favourite characters. Jamie Oliver has clearly lit the blue touch paper, and the demand for better food for our children is spreading back to the home. The evidence for change is clearly shown in the decline in sectors like canned pasta and chicken nuggets. Jamie is taking his show to the USA, and maybe this is a trend we can export over there. GT-Finally, if all goes to plan, where do you want Pasta Lensi to be in the UK in two years' time? I would hope that over the next two years Pasta Chef would have established itself as a recognised premium brand. In addition Lensi will have become a creditable supplier to the food service industry. If we can replicate our success in the industrial sector we will then need to start considering installing further capacity, in line with our longterm plan. Pasta Lensi 01904 738604