Outside of Italy there is a growing appreciation for fresh pasta, so much so that it is even encouraging the company, Gruppo Rana, to create production plants to specifically target this market. A market that accounts for 50% of total sales of Gruppo Rana, which is present in 36 countries. “The path to internationalisation”, explains Gian Luca Rana, ceo of Pastificio Rana, “first started in Europe and then continued in the United States, where, after two years, we opened a factory in Chicago to produce sauces and fresh pasta for the American market – a venture which has produced a real ‘cross fertilisation’ of our skills. The whole team has worked to its full potential, leveraging the experience gained both in Italy and abroad, combined with the natural propensity for innovation which is inherent in the dna of Rana. We have created a range of premium products, full of taste and high in quality, which has been received with tremendous enthusiasm both from the retailers and from the consumers.”
Gruppo Milo is present in the United States and in Europe (predominantly in the United Kingdom, Germany and France), but also in Australia and in Japan. “For the future we have our sights set on the East”, explains Marida Milo, co-owner of the company. “At the moment, the export value stands at 40% of total sales, mainly from the pasta extruded through bronze (paccheri, gomitoni, fusilloni etc.) and the flavoured, coloured pastas.”
The impact of exports on turnover for Raviolificio Lo Scoiattolo, found mostly in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, England, Australia, the United States and Canada is very high at 65%.“Outside Italy, all of the more sophisticated forms of pasta are highly regarded, as it is the case for Perline, GranPanzerotti and Medaglioni”, says Massimiliano Di Caro, marketing director for Raviolificio Lo Scoiattolo, “because the quality of their ingredients makes them represent the true notion of made in Italy. We have also received great appreciation for our gluten free line of pasta, since the recipe we suggest makes it very similar to conventional pasta.”
Finally, for Il Pastaio di Maffei, the main destination for its fresh semolina pasta and gnocchi are the United States.