100% Italian durum wheat, from sustainable agriculture, shaped with a bronze mould, slow drying at low temperature, fair remuneration of producers: these are the main characteristics of the "Consumers' Pasta" which arrived on the shelves of Carrefour Italy on June 25th. A product that doesn't come from above, a product with ambitious and precise objectives that comes from the movement "Who's the boss?! The consumer's brand", born in France and now present in nine countries and on three continents.
On the one hand, there is the desire to promote local food, to guarantee a fair purchase price to farmers and breeders; on the other hand, the desire of consumers to free themselves from imposed models and to participate in changes in society, to no longer be mere consumers but, on the contrary, actors of change. The aim is to enable everyone to buy according to their own convictions and to guarantee respect for social, ethical and environmental factors, both in terms of food quality and safety, and the cost of what they put in their baskets.
explains Enzo Di Rosa, founder of "C'est qui le patron?! "
The movement "C'est qui le patron ? the consumer's brand" born in France in 2016, supports the local food industry and promotes the fair sharing of income throughout the sector. The "Pâtes des consommateurs" have been available since June 25 in Carrefour Italy stores throughout the country. The specifications were drawn up and voted on collectively by 3,558 consumers.
What are the characteristics of Consumer Pasta?
In Italy, the voice of the consumer is heard from the moment the first reference to be included in the basket of Who's the boss? is chosen! Pasta, the icon of Italian gastronomy.
A detailed questionnaire evaluates every aspect of the product, from the origin of the wheat to the colour of the packaging. For pasta, 3,558 consumers responded. 88.2% of them chose to use durum wheat grown in Italy and 71% specified that it should come from sustainable agriculture, in order to avoid the exploitation of natural resources and to preserve public health. At the same time, 65.8% of the participants expressed the wish that 0.5 cents per package purchased should be earmarked for increasing the production capacity of organic farming. In strict compliance with the founding principles of Who's the boss? 76.5% of consumers decided to pay producers a guaranteed fair price of 400 euros per tonne of wheat (+35% compared to the average market price), which would allow them to live serenely and invest in their own business.
For the production method, eight out of ten consumers chose the shaping with a bronze mould, for a more porous paste and therefore better able to retain the sauce, and slow drying at low temperature, between 60 and 80 degrees, which preserves the nutritional values of the raw materials. In contrast to industrial drying systems, which reach 115 degrees, this method requires longer processing times and therefore higher costs. However, it also guarantees pasta of higher quality and much better taste.
The carbon footprint of consumers' pasta is low and it is produced with 100% green energy. The blue packaging (chosen by 50.2% of consumers) is nevertheless green, as it is made of recyclable paper using fibres from FCS-certified drills.
All right, the price is fair (it's true)
The range currently extends to three products, spaghetti, penne and fusilli, available in 500 gram packs.
The next products in the Who's the Boss? basket!
The process that led to the creation of the Consumer Pasta took about seven months. Who's the boss?! is already working on the questionnaires for the new products of "the consumer's brand. »
After pasta, the next product created will be the "Consumer's Tomato Coulis". Then milk, eggs, flour and oil will be added. New references chosen and selected among the first three products acclaimed by consumers on the C'est qui le patron website! The consumer's brand: ingredients that can be found in every Italian home and that represent a good part of the Italian food tradition.