Rfg. Pasta/Noodles 2010-08-12

Refrigerated pasta broke the $200 million barrier in 2009, making the promising growth category eligible for this year’s SymphonyIRI list. With $217 million in supermarket channel sales during the latest 52 weeks ending June 13, the refrigerated pasta and noodles category is still a relatively small one, but its 9% dollar sales growth on a 6.6% increase in volume during that time indicates that lots of shoppers are gravitating toward these premium pastas, despite firm to rising prices.

It’s a trend with some history to it. In 2007, dollar sales of refrigerated pasta rose 11.4% on a 7.5% increase in volume. In 2008, volume was flat, but dollar sales still managed to grow 8.7%. And, in 2009, dollar sales were up about 6% on a 2.3% increase in volume.

Many retailers have experimented with coolers in the grocery aisles, allowing premium items like these to be merchandised adjacent to pasta sauces and other related products. And, new flavors and varieties of refrigerated pastas give shoppers the opportunity to replicate a restaurant dining experience at home, without breaking the bank.