Pasta continues to serve as Italy’s most enduring export success and cultural ambassador, according to data released for World Pasta Day 2025, organized by Unione Italiana Food (UIF) and the International Pasta Organisation. The annual celebration returns on October 25 with events and a global social media marathon honoring the dish that has become synonymous with Italian lifestyle and craftsmanship.
A nationwide survey by AstraRicerche for UIF’s pasta makers found that eight in ten Italians view pasta as the most authentic symbol of Italian identity, while 96.6% see it as the leading ambassador of Made in Italy worldwide. Pasta ranks among the Top 5 sources of national pride, alongside monuments (84.9%), art (75.8%), landscapes (73.6%), and literature (69.2%), surpassing even music and sport. For seven Italians out of ten, “if you say Italy, you think pasta” — a cultural connection deeper than that with pizza, wine, or cured meats.
A 4.2-MILLION-TON POWERHOUSE
In 2024, global pasta production reached 17 million tons, with Italy contributing 4.2 million, reaffirming its position ahead of Turkey and the United States.
Domestic consumption remains the world’s highest — 23.3 kg per capita annually — but the Italian industry’s strength lies in its international reach. Nearly 60% of Italian pasta production is exported, generating €4 billion in value, up 4.8% from 2023. Exports totaled 2.42 million tons last year (+9.1%), primarily to Germany, the U.S., the U.K., France, and Japan. The upward trajectory continues in 2025, with volumes rising 2.5% in the first half of the year.
“Pasta is a matter of belonging and identity,” said Margherita Mastromauro, President of the Italian pasta makers at Unione Italiana Food. “It is a pillar of our economy and culture. However, tariffs and geopolitical tensions risk undermining the international competitiveness of a sector that is strategic for Made in Italy.”
CULTURAL SHOWCASE: “ORGOGLIO PASTA” AT GALLERIA ALBERTO SORDI
Rome’s Galleria Alberto Sordi is hosting the digital exhibition “Orgoglio Pasta” (Pasta Pride) from October 21 to 25, marking World Pasta Day with a blend of culture, business, and gastronomy.
The initiative highlights the dual nature of pasta — cultural icon and economic asset — and reinforces its role as a symbol of Italian conviviality and creative industry.
TRADITION MEETS MODERN VALUES
The UIF survey underscores the values Italians most associate with pasta: tradition (58%), simplicity (36%), health and well-being (33.7%), national pride (32.6%), and conviviality (25.5%). For two-thirds of Italians, pasta remains the defining food of the Mediterranean diet, even ahead of olive oil and vegetables. The research also dispels persistent myths: only 20% believe pasta should be excluded from weight-loss diets, and fewer than 30% think it disrupts sleep when eaten at dinner.
A GLOBAL ASSET OF THE ITALIAN ECONOMY
With exports to over 200 countries, Italy’s pasta industry remains resilient, thriving despite inflation, trade barriers, and geopolitical instability. It stands not only as a strategic driver of the agri-food sector but also as a global symbol of identity, quality, and resilience — proof that in Italy, economic excellence and cultural heritage often come served in the same bowl.