A Czech food manufacturer has taken the boil-in-the-bag rice concept into the pasta market.

Podravka-Lagris, which also produces rice, legumes, pasta and potato mixtures, launched Lagris-branded chifferi, fusilli and penne dried pastas in its domestic market last November. A farfalle variant is due to launch next month.

The pasta, which scooped a final place at the Sial d’Or competition in the savoury grocery category, is sold in 340g packs containing four single-serve bags that can be placed in boiling water and cooked in minutes. The bag is pierced so the pasta drains without the use of a colander. Podravka-Lagris said the format was designed to offer shoppers convenience and effective portion control.

The range is currently listed with major multiples in the Czech Republic, including Tesco and Ahold as well as several independents, and is priced €0.95 for a 340g pack. Its launch has been supported by print advertising, sampling and promotional activity.

The pasta is made from high-quality semolina triticum durum, which the producer said remained stable during cooking and didn’t stick together or overcook in the bag when boiled.

The product had great potential and could give retailers improved margins in what had become a highly commoditised category, claimed Jeffrey Osterroth, general manager at Atoz Group, publisher of Czech retail trade magazine Zboži & Prodej. “This is a completely innovative product and makes meal preparation quick and easy for the consumer,” he said, adding that it had been rolled out a year before US brand Ronzoni launched its own boil-in-the-bag pasta in America.

“Pasta is a commoditised category that has seen prices pushed down in recent years but this product opens up a whole new market,” he added.

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