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Ronzoni Pastina pasta is being discontinued as of January 2023, and fans of the popular pasta shape are not happy.
Pastina means “tiny dough” in Italian and is, upon close inspection, shaped like a little five-pointed star. It is labeled by the company as Pasta No. 155 and has been a popular comfort food that gives consumers several different ways to prepare it, such as being used in a soup or simply served with butter and Parmesan cheese.
The brand is part of 8th Avenue, a private company behind several consumer brands. A spokesperson from 8th Avenue explained the termination of the beloved tiny pasta. They said:
"Pastina’s small size and star-shape require specialized production from a third-party manufacturer, and our long-term manufacturer informed us that they would cease producing Ronzoni Pastina effective January 2023."
They added:
“Despite exhaustive efforts, we have been unable to identify a viable, new manufacturer who could make Pastina in the same shape, size, and standards that Ronzoni customers have come to expect from this comforting classic.”
Netizens react to discontinuation of Ronzoni Pastina; brand will still produce other types of pasta
Ronzoni Pastina Pasta No. 155 has been one of the most popular brands that created the tiny star-shaped pasta. They have recently announced the discontinuation of manufacturing their product due to their inability to find a third-party manufacturer for the same.
However, Ronzoni's brand will continue producing other types of pasta, including Manicotti, shells, Mostaccioli Rigati, Orzo, Rigatoni, Rotelle, Cavatappi, and much more.
While some netizens have accepted that their comfort food will no longer be available and have resorted to buying pasta from other brands, others are heartbroken at the news and have taken to social media to mourn.
Many have claimed that this news has ruined their new year, while others are calling on their "Italian grandmas" to band together and prevent this from happening.
Numerous petitions have been created on Change.org asking 8th Avenue to find a way to continue manufacturing the Pastinas. One such petition, started by Lisa Yakomin, already has over 1,170 signatures. The petition talks about how Pastina has been a source of comfort food for the sick and that discontinuing them would be really difficult for consumers. It says:
"Pastina has been a staple in households across the globe for decades, and has long been heralded as the perfect choice when you're feeling under the weather. We urge 8th Avenue Food & Provisions to reverse their ill-advised decision, and ensure that Pastina will be enjoyed for generations to come."
8th Avenue has not responded to consumer demands, but the representative mentioned that they haven't given up the search for a manufacturer yet.
