The Real Reason Barilla Is Changing Its Logo

While not a perfectly round number, a 145th anniversary is still a good time to give any brand a facelift. At least, that's what Barilla has decided, by announcing they are marking the milestone event with a brand-new logo. Strictly speaking, it's more of a modernization than a transformation. So, if you don't notice the changes to the logo right away, there's nothing wrong. Italian Food News explained, in a January 20 post, that the company's 60-year-old logo no longer has a white outline, the red in the center has taken on a deeper hue, and the year of the company's establishment (1877) now appears over the name Barilla, which has also changed fonts.

And there's even more news regarding the revamp. Reuters has reported that Barilla will no longer include a plastic window in its box design as part of its attempt to cut its plastic consumption by 126 tonnes this year. For European fans, the excitement doubles as Barilla will also debut a new product in eight countries on the continent — something called Al Bronzo aka bronze died pasta. These special pastas will be sold in red boxes and may one day arrive Stateside, if we're lucky.

The new Barilla logo is very exciting for fans. However, the real news many are likely curious to uncover is what exactly bronze died pasta means. Epicurious gives a quick explanation, noting that this type of pasta receives its shape as the dough passes through a "die," or pasta mold. Bronze died pasta is essentially pasta that's passed through a die made of bronze. It's also called bronze cut pasta. The reason why the material merits attention is because most contemporary pasta dies are made from teflon as it is a lot cheaper.

Bronze dies aren't some attempt to just appear artisanal, however. The mechanism produces pasta that is coarser, which makes it better for attracting pasta sauce to stick to the noodle. But, as Home Cook World notes, teflon cut pasta does have its merits, too. Namely, it holds the molded shape of the pasta better. Most will say that bronze cut is better because they care about sauce more than the rigid integrity of any particular pasta noodle, however, so this comes as great news for those looking for a more distinguished pasta option at the grocery store.

"Today we celebrate our 145-year heritage, while adapting to the challenges of our time and evolving with people," said Gianluca Di Tondo, global chief marketing officer at Barilla, as noted in Food Business News.