30 March 2015

PRESS RELEASE – The young Sherbrooke company Naturellement Pasta, which specializes in producing and marketing fresh, hand-stuffed egg pasta, has made it its mission to share the taste of Italy through its products.

Entrepreneurs Massimo Conti and Elisabetta Maestri are of Italian origin and started their company to provide customers with nothing less than a gastronomic journey to the Émilie Romagne region, recognized as a gourmet destination in Italy. To reproduce this authentic flavour, the business owners focus primarily on the quality of their ingredients and the traditional method of preparation, from making the pasta to filling it.

Starting their company required investments of about $175 000. The project benefitted from the technical support of Pro-Gestion Estrie and total financial support of $50 000 from Sherbrooke Innopole, through the Local Investment and New Entrepreneur fund. This startup also created one part-time and two full-time jobs. The owners plan to hire at least five other employees in the next five years.

Nathalie Prince, Director, Business Development – Advanced Manufacturing, Josée Fortin, Director General of Sherbrooke Innopole, Massimo Conti and Elisabetta Maestri of Naturellement Pasta, and Nathalie Morier, Management Advisor at Pro-Gestion Estrie

“Naturellement Pasta is enhancing the supply of Sherbrooke’s food and beverage production sector, which has about 30 businesses. This manufacturing sector currently employs close to 700 people and is growing. We wish much success to Mr. Conti and Ms. Maestri, and we are proud to be supporting the launch of their company,” said Nathalie Prince, Director–Local Development at Sherbrooke Innopole, which supported the entrepreneurs through the different steps of their startup.

Since it opened last fall, Naturellement Pasta has been offering its flagship product to Italian food lovers: fresh egg pasta (ravioli, cappelletti, tagliatelle, etc.), as well as a variety of sauces (tomato, mascarpone and smoked bacon, cream and orange zest, etc.), prepared meals (vegetarian or with meat), and other flour-based products (focaccia, pizza, etc.) to complete their product range.

The two business managers foresee rapid growth in their client list: “According to our market study, the pasta market is currently growing in Canada, particularly for fresh and refrigerated pasta. Current trends in favour of healthy eating also mean that today’s consumer is looking for high-quality products with the best ingredients. At Naturellement Pasta, our products are made with the freshest foods, without artificial flavours or preservatives. Their freshness is due to careful preparation at the right temperatures, which required meticulous research and development,” they said.

The company is focusing its sales especially on high-quality restaurants and bistros as well as fine grocers. Naturellement Pasta products are already available in the region in some IGA stores, the Boucherie du Terroir at Sherbrooke’s Marché de la Gare, and the Oh la vie grocery store in Magog. Some renowned restaurants also include the company’s pasta in their menus.

Naturellement Pasta has already started expanding its distribution network with a foray into the Montreal market. The owners have also signed an agreement with a representative of the cities of Trois-Rivières and Drummondville. In the meantime, Naturellement Pasta products can be purchased directly at its boutique at 2433 King West, where the company has its production lab.