Challenge over protein pasta between Barilla and De Cecco (but not only)

It's all about 'muscle' in the latest challenge between the pasta world's leading players, who have entered the field to 'win' the audience of protein fans, a market where quantity purchases have increased by 6.2% in one year for a turnover of more than 2.1 billion euros (source: Niq).

A dynamic sector where, until now, traditional pasta has remained on the sidelines due to its limited protein contribution (13-14%) and where legume-based proposals have played a limited role (66 million euro in the retail channel, i.e. around 5% of semolina pasta turnover), mainly developed from a gluten-free perspective.
Still more marginal is the weight of hyper-protein pastas, with their 12.5 million euro between super and hypermarkets. But this could soon change as some of the industry's leading brands have decided to join the protein transition, bringing the value of high protein to the heart of their offerings to meet the demand of the health market and ride a phenomenon that shows no signs of going out of fashion.

Barilla has just launched Protein +: a line of pasta made from selected durum wheat semolina and pea protein, bronze drawn and characterised by a higher protein content (20%). "It took two years of work and over 660 tests to be able to obtain a pasta with the same characteristics as the traditional one in terms of cooking firmness, taste and colour, but with 30-40% more protein per portion", explains Marzia Silva, global product development pasta director of the Barilla group.

Presented at Tuttofood, where it was honoured with the Better Future Award as the best innovation in the world of pasta, Protein+ debuts with three classic formats (penne rigate, fusilli and spaghetti) in 400 gram yellow carton packs.

Another new range of pasta with increased protein content is on the shelves, with the same format and a recommended price of EUR 2.59. It is the one launched at the beginning of the year by De Cecco and which is expected to reach 60% weighted by the end of 2025: there are six references made with coarse-grained durum wheat semolina and a selected blend of legume flours (lentils, broad beans and peas), with 30% protein. "Our intention was not to develop a pasta aimed at sportsmen and women or those with a protein diet, but rather to improve the nutritional and health profile of wholemeal pasta, alongside which we also want to position it in the point of sale,' says Carlo Aquilano, chief commercial officer - 'In fact, our High Protein line is naturally rich in fibre and many micronutrients (such as phosphorus and manganese, zinc and selenium) and in addition has a high protein content, without compromising on taste and cooking properties, which remain those of the De Cecco brand'.