Foodies (and toddlers) everywhere are devastated at the news that pasta maker Ronzoni has discontinued its star-shaped pastina
Ouch, this one hit us right in the childhood nostalgia. If you grew up with an Italian grandmother, surely Ronzoni star-shaped pastina pasta was a staple on your dinner table. But the brand is breaking hearts everywhere with the announcement that, due to an issue with its supplier, the pastina will be discontinued.
Last week, Ronzoni posted a statement to its social media, explaining the gutwrenching decision.
— Ronzoni (@ronzonipasta) January 3, 2023
“After extensive efforts, we regretfully announce that Ronzoni Pastina is being discontinued. This wasn’t a decision that we wanted to make,” the statement reads. “Unfortunately, our long-term supplier informed us that they would no longer be making Ronzoni Pastina as of January 2023. We searched extensively for an alternative solution but were unable to identify a viable option to make Pastina in the same beloved small shape, size and standards you have come to expect from Ronzoni. As a result, we had to make the difficult decision to discontinue this product.”
The brand added, “Your passion for Ronzoni fuels our passion to deliver for you. We haven’t given up, but as of today, we can no longer offer Ronzoni Pastina to our customers. Thank you for your understanding and trust in Ronzoni pasta.”
So, basically, they’re saying this might not be permanent. Truly, it’s a heartbreaking situation all around—Ronzoni clearly didn’t want to stop making pastina, just as much as the star-shaped pasta’s legions of fans don’t want it to disappear from store shelves. Considering chicken soup with pastina was the sick day meal in my home growing up, and I woke up this morning with a stuffy nose, this news hits just a little harder.
While pastina fans have been flooding the Twitter comments with threats of a boycott, it’s important to remember that Ronzoni doesn’t seem to have made this decision lightly, and it sounds like they’d keep making pastina if they had any other options. We’ll keep hoping they’re able to bring it back, and in the meantime, Barilla, Goya, and Good & Gather are a few other brands that also offer tiny, star-shaped pasta.
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