nir-vana innovation network

This Italian company is a Sicilian artisan pasta factory that produces exclusively wholemeal pasta of the best quality by using only the wheat harvested in its fields, located in Belice Valley near Palermo, in an unspoilt area.
The company covers a plot of 270 hectares (667 acres) and the wheat is cultivated with low environmental impact.
After stone-milling the wheat, the whole durum wheat semolina becomes pasta through bronze dies. Then the pasta is dried out slowly in static cells, where the temperature is always kept at 38° to maintain the color, fragrance, and taste of Sicilian durum wheat. Using specifically coarse semolina, the pasta results to be “naturally rough” in order to hold better sauces.
The pasta is produced in a modern factory, which tries to combine tradition, food standards and craftsmanship in its production.
The company produces the following types of pasta:
- long pasta, like Spaghetti;
- short pasta, like Busiate, Casarecce, Maccheroni, Mezze Penne, Penne, Pipe.
All the products are hand packaged and each packet contains 500g of pasta, except the special type Busiate that contains 400 g. The Spaghetti package is 5x10x31,5, while the short pasta is 6x12x31,5.
A standard box of spaghetti is cm 40x29x21,5 h and contains 16 pz, while each box of short pasta is cm 51x27x23,5 and contains nr. 16 pz.
The pasta can be preserved up to 30 months.
When transported it is better, but not essential, to use a refrigerated container.
The company is currently exporting to Australia, France, Germany, Japan, and England, but it would like to broaden its commercial network through distribution agreements.

Advantages & innovations

The main feature of this pasta is that it preserves the aroma and flavor of freshly harvested wheat. To obtain a high quality durum wheat, the wheat is always planted after the harvest of Chick pea, Lentil, sulla grass and broad bean, which besides enriching the ground with nitrogen improve its structure permitting the durum wheat to develop all its properties. The durum wheat varieties used are the "Horizon" and the old "Senatore Cappelli", that present excellent characteristics for pasta and whose grains have special tastes and aromas. The company was selected by Gambero Rosso as a closed chain pasta factory and included it in the forthcoming Top Italian Food and Wine experience 2020 guide.

Stage of development

ITALY

Partner sought

The company is looking for new distribution channels through ho.re.ca and fine stores.