The coronavirus outbreak boosts sales of dry pasta.
The industry that produces grain-based meals has been significantly impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic.
Family flour is in high demand due to home baking. As more people choose sandwiches over other foods for breakfast every day, bread, buns, and rolls have all but disappeared. Additionally, customers who want to stockpile pasta in case stay-at-home orders take longer than a few weeks are drawn to the product due to its longer shelf life.
A durum miller stated late last month that while pasta producers who serve supermarkets “were going 90 mph,” those who supply restaurants “are going zero mph.” The mill has been grinding for a whole six days.
The miller responded, “Many mills supply both sectors.” “However, everything else is outweighed by the demand for dry pasta in the grocery stores.”
Industry observers stated that there were only logistical problems in providing mass merchandisers and grocers at a never-before-seen speed for early spring, rather than shortages of durum, semolina, or pasta products.
A miller noted supply chain improvement during the second week of increased buying patterns brought on by community lockdown mandates in cities and states eager to flatten the COVID-19 curve. “The industry can meet the demand hands down; it’s just a matter of lining things up,” the miller said.
The quick exhaustion of pasta goods at the supermarket level forced producers to focus on adjacent logistical execution.
The National Pasta Association, which postponed its annual conference until mid-March due to COVID-19, reported that more individuals are staying at home as a result of self-quarantines, school and company closures, and increased demand for the products of its members.
The National Pasta Association (NPA) stated in an update on March 27 that “members are working tirelessly to increase production and deliver products quickly and efficiently in order to keep pasta supplied on grocery store shelves.” “Our members are not just improving cleaning, but also looking out for their staff members by limiting their exposure to outside workers, working remotely when it’s feasible, and strictly adhering to CDC rules.
“We will continue to adapt and adjust as necessary during this unprecedented time, as things are changing almost daily.”
According to the most recent data from Chicago-based market research company Information Resources, Inc., the pandemic’s effect on dry pasta sales was not entirely apparent. The dry pasta category saw dollar sales of $2.15 billion in the 52 weeks that concluded on February 23, up 0.3% from the same period the previous year, according to IRI. $1.54 billion in unit sales, an increase of 0.4%.
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According to IRI, Barilla America, Inc. is the biggest producer of spaghetti, macaroni, and pasta (without noodles) in the country. Sales for the 52 weeks that concluded on February 23 totaled $644 million, a 3.2% increase over the same period the previous year. In contrast, dollar sales at Riviana Foods and American Italian Pasta Co. decreased by 4.8% and 3%, respectively, over the previous year.
However, when IRI releases revised data, that tendency is probably going to shift.
The president and CEO of Riviana Foods, the pasta and rice division of Madrid-based Ebro Foods in North America, Bastiaan de Zeeuw, stated that all of Riviana’s production facilities are now up and running more than before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We shipped a minimum of 30% more branded pasta in March this year compared to the same month last year, and we informed customers that we anticipate being able to supply them with the same additional volume in the upcoming weeks if needed,” Mr. de Zeeuw stated.
According to him, the pasta manufacturer has no trouble finding enough durum wheat for its goods.
Furthermore, according to Mr. de Zeeuw, Riviana has been able to continue producing all cuts and shapes of its pasta products during the epidemic, despite the fact that certain bakeries have restricted specific bread stock-keeping units to ensure the most in-demand goods are adequately stocked.