Dallaglio by Sacla’ pasta sauces

Launched: September 2009
Ex-England rugby skipper Lawrence Dallaglio teamed up with Sacla' in September to release a range of pasta sauces. The products are based on recipes created by Dallaglio's Italian father, Vincenzo, and are available in three flavours: classic Bolognese; tomato, mozzarella & basil; and tomato, chilli & garlic.

The sauces, which are aimed at the family dining market, are listed in Ocado, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Waitrose at an rsp of £2.39 a jar. There was a gap in the market for a sauce with heritage, says Sacla' UK MD Clare Blampied.

"The Dallaglio heritage includes Lawrence's aunt and uncle who ran fruit and vegetable markets in Piemonte, where Sacla' is based."

At the time of the launch, Dallaglio insisted it was not a case of simply slapping a celebrity name on the pack. He described it as an authentic brand he intends to build on, and suggested antipasto was an obvious next step.


Findus frozen pasta
Launched: September 2009
It will always be best known for the crispy pancake, but in the early 1970s Findus also produced the first frozen lasagne. Now it is innovating once again with three pasta dishes in a resealable bag format designed to let consumers decide how much they want to eat while also reducing waste.

Each pack contains up to four main meal portions and is available in Fusilli Bolognaise, Penne Carbonara and Penne & Meatballs in a Tomato Sauce (rsp: £2.99). Shoppers only have to pour out and cook as much as they want to use any unused product can be returned to the freezer in the resealable bag.

"The new bagged frozen pasta range does everything that frozen does well but adds flexibility by allowing the consumer to take charge of portion control," says Neil Sanderson, business unit director for Findus UK.


Giovanni Rana Chicken With a Hint of Rosemary Tortelloni
Launched: September 2009
A fair few Brits, particularly the over-55s, find pasta a little "out there". Pasta producer Giovanni Rana therefore developed a product specifically for the British palate. The recipe was devised with help from consumers Daniela Calastri from Essex and Monica Costa from London, who won a competition to find UK versions of the "Italian Mama".

The pair went to Verona to meet company founder Signor Rana and told him of the British love of chicken, inspiring him to create a dish for the UK. He combined chicken with rosemary, commonly used in Italian cuisine, and gave a British flavour to an Italian dish a style of cuisine described as Brit-talian. Giovanni Rana Chicken With a Hint of Rosemary Tortelloni is in Asda now (rsp: £1.99 for 250g).


The Fresh Pasta Company Flour Mix for Egg Fresh Pasta
Launched: September 2009
It's one thing for a dinner party host to impress their guests with a home-made pasta sauce but how about boasting that they made the pasta themselves?

The Fresh Pasta Company, which produces premium pastas and pasta sauces, has launched a mix of flours and dehydrated egg that gives consumers the chance to make their own fresh pasta. The budding pasta chef only has to add water and knead by hand or with a food processor, and the pasta is ready to take a shape pressed through an extruder.

"It is made with a balanced mix of the finest Italian flour and durum wheat semolina to achieve a soft and silky pasta dough with a bite," says the company. "The Italian egg used in the mix adds a warm yellow colour, fine subtle flavour, and silkiness to the dough." The mix went on sale in independents in September.


Focus On Pasta & Pasta Sauces