- Report: #1254099
Complaint Review: Barilla pasta company - Markham Ontario
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Barilla pasta company
Markham, Ontario, Canada
Web:
barilla.com
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Barilla pasta company misleading consumers by obscuring where product is made Markham Ontario
Barilla pasta was initially produced in Italy. in North America it is noe produced also in Canada and USA. For pasta loversbadly made pasta is readily apparent in preparation and ofcourse in taste. This defect is frequently due to variations in the type of water and the Duram wheat used and its origin. That is why it is so difficult to produce pasta that cooks and tastes the same even if the producer is the same and is famous for its product.
Barilla is an old and respected Italian manufacturer of pasta that now makes pasts in several parts of the world. I bought a box of tagliatelle and abox of spaghetti of this make from two different supermarkets on two occasions. Each time the pasta did not cook well and shame of shames both times the strands stuck together during cooking. In the case of the tagliatelle (a type of pasta similar to fettucini bur much thinner) the strand were also considerably thicker than one would orinarily expect. Indeed that is the consistency of this very product by the same company when purchased in Italy.
It is my opinion and any pasta lover will tell you that pasta should not taste flourt and rough; it should never ever stick when being prepared and never in this particular product be of that thickness. The spaghetti incidentally fared no better.
As a result; following the second of these unpleasant experiences I picked up the box still containing a small uncooked amount of pasta and explored it comparing it with two other type of similar pasta I had in my kitchen (Di Ceccho and Molisana) both produced in italy. The difference was striking. I then examined the empty box of Barilla and was struck by the following finding:
a) An abundance of historical information about the fame and heritage of the company referencing in some detail its Italian heritage.
b) More than one symbol carrying the colours of the Italian flag. Thereby coveying the impreassion that the contents were indeed Italian in origin.
c) most telling of all; absolutely no reference anywhere as to where the product is made. Iam not sure as to the legality of this; but it seems to me that all products must perforce indicate where they were made or produced.
There was a telephone number in Markham,Ontario- Canada and an email Address. Perhaps I can be excused for assuming as I did that these contacts were for information.
The person who answered somewhat reluctantly and after keeping me on the line admitted that their North American pasta is "also made in Canada and USA" she added "but we have Italian experst to supervize." She sounded upset and asked me again if I intended to go to the press with this. I said I would.
She was unable or unwilling to offer any explanation as to why nowhere on the packaging box did it say where the product was made.
I daresay there may still be boxes of this pasta with no provenance still on the shelves.
If you value your taste buds and your love for pasta avoid this make. If you can wait till you get to Italy to savour the real McCoy in its infinite and mouth watering variety. But if like me you need to satisfy your pasta cravings then avoid Barilla that is not made in Italy and says so on the container. Better yet for fetuccine try Molisana and for pasta corta Di Ceccho provided the it says Made in Italy.
