About Dalla Costa
Overview
Dalla Costa Alimentare, commercially known as Pasta Dalla Costa, is an Italian pasta manufacturer based in Castelminio di Resana, in the province of Treviso, Veneto. The company specializes in dry pasta and has built its identity around a combination of traditional Italian pasta-making, product innovation, specialty diets, and customized or private-label production. The Dalla Costa family states that it has been involved in the pasta industry since 1898, making the business’s history span more than a century. 1
The company operates with two primary identities: as a consumer-facing brand offering diverse pasta lines, and as a B2B manufacturer providing private-label solutions for international distributors, retail chains, and emerging brands.
Quick Facts
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Brand | Dalla Costa / Pasta Dalla Costa |
| Company | Dalla Costa Alimentare Srl |
| Industry | Food & beverage / pasta |
| Main Product | Dry pasta |
| Origin | Italy |
| Headquarters / Plant | Castelminio di Resana, Treviso, Veneto |
| Family Tradition | Pasta industry since 1898 |
| Production Types | Conventional, organic, gluten-free, legume-based, and specialty pasta |
| Manufacturing Approach | Traditional Italian methods combined with modern product development |
| Business Model | Own-brand products + private label/custom manufacturing |
| Major Certifications | IFS Food, BRCGS Food Safety, BRCGS Gluten-Free, EU Organic, USDA Organic, VeganOK, Kosher |
| Product Positioning | Italian tradition, variety, wellness, and innovation |
| International Focus | Export and private-label business |
History
The origins of Dalla Costa trace back to 1898, when the Dalla Costa family began working in the pasta sector. According to the company, three generations of experience have shaped its approach to pasta production. 2
The company’s philosophy centers on preserving the fundamentals of traditional Italian pasta-making while continuously experimenting with new ingredients, shapes, and recipes. This heritage is presented not merely as a static tradition but as the foundation for ongoing innovation. Dalla Costa states that it selects semolina and other raw materials, mixes, extrudes, and dries the pasta while maintaining traditional production principles.
Location and Italian Identity
Dalla Costa is located at Via della Fornace 131, Castelminio di Resana (TV), Italy.
The company’s Italian identity is central to its branding. Dalla Costa emphasizes the use of Italian raw materials and production processes, specifically citing Italian wheat and water from a local spring. Its products are marketed under the Made in Italy designation. Recent corporate positioning highlights the use of 100% Italian durum-wheat semolina for its traditional pasta range.
Product Portfolio
Dalla Costa’s portfolio extends beyond standard formats like spaghetti, penne, and fusilli into several specialized categories:
Tradizione (Traditional Pasta)
This core line focuses on classic Italian flavors, forms, and ingredients. Products include familiar formats such as:
- Spaghetti
- Penne
- Fusilli
- Maccheroni
- Casarecce
- Farfalle
- Rigatoni
- Other conventional Italian shapes
Specialty and Ancient-Grain Pasta
The company works with alternative grains and cereals, including Senatore Cappelli durum wheat, spelt, barley, rice, corn, and buckwheat. Industry catalogs list these materials among the raw ingredients used for their specialty products.
Legume Pasta
A modern category within the portfolio includes pasta made from legumes. Examples include chickpea pasta, pea pasta, and other legume-based formats. For instance, the organic chickpea fusilli is made from organic chickpea flour and is marketed as gluten-free, plant-protein-rich, and suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets. Similarly, the organic green-pea pasta uses organic pea flour as its principal ingredient.
Gluten-Free Pasta
Gluten-free products constitute a major segment of the company’s offerings. Dalla Costa produces gluten-free pasta using ingredients such as rice, brown rice, corn, buckwheat, and legumes. The catalog includes 100% rice, corn, and buckwheat gluten-free products. The company holds BRCGS Gluten-Free certification, supporting this specific production line.
Organic Pasta
Organic products form another important segment. Dalla Costa offers organic pasta made from both conventional and alternative ingredients, including rice, peas, and chickpeas. Some products carry dual positioning as both organic and gluten-free. The company lists EU Organic and USDA Organic certifications.
Product Architecture
The company organizes its current portfolio into several broad lines:
- Tradizione: Emphasizes classic pasta formats, Italian ingredients, and familiar culinary applications.
- Benessere: A “wellness” range focusing on contemporary dietary needs, including legume pasta, gluten-free options, cereal-based gluten-free products, protein-oriented items, and vegetarian/vegan choices.
- Kids: Pasta developed specifically for children, utilizing playful shapes and colorful products to engage young eaters.
- Licenze: Licensed and co-branded products. The portfolio identifies collaborations involving recognizable brands such as Disney and Hello Kitty. This strategy positions pasta as a fun, character-driven consumer product rather than solely a traditional food item.
Manufacturing Philosophy
A key element of Dalla Costa’s identity is the integration of traditional techniques with industrial-scale manufacturing. The company emphasizes bronze-die extrusion, a process that gives pasta a rougher, more porous surface, aiding sauce adherence. Bronze extrusion is described as part of its traditional approach.
Historically, trade-industry material has also noted the company’s use of bronze extrusion and low-temperature drying. Consequently, Dalla Costa’s products are positioned between traditional Italian pasta craftsmanship and modern, scalable food manufacturing.
Innovation Strategy
Innovation is a defining characteristic of the brand. Rather than limiting itself to standard durum-wheat pasta, the company experiments with various inputs and formats:
- Different grains and ancient grains
- Legumes and vegetables
- Gluten-free and organic ingredients
- Protein-oriented formulations
- Children’s products
- Colored pasta and creative shapes
- Licensed characters
The stated philosophy is that traditional pasta knowledge serves as a basis for creating new types of pasta, rather than simply reproducing existing formats. This results in a catalog ranging from conventional durum-wheat pasta to 100% chickpea and 100% rice products.
Certifications and Quality Standards
Dalla Costa maintains a broad certification portfolio to support its operations across specialized food categories. Current certifications include:
- IFS Food
- BRCGS Food Safety
- BRCGS Gluten-Free
- EU Organic / BIO
- USDA Organic
- VeganOK
- Kosher
These certifications validate the company’s claims regarding food safety, organic sourcing, gluten-free integrity, and suitability for vegan and kosher diets.
Dietary Positioning
The company actively targets plant-based consumers through its VeganOK certification and naturally vegan legume-based products. This aligns with the broader Benessere strategy, which combines gluten-free, organic, vegetable-based, and protein-oriented products to address modern dietary trends.
Private-Label Manufacturing
Beyond its own brand, Dalla Costa operates significantly as a contract manufacturer. It explicitly offers private-label pasta, providing services that cover raw-material selection, customized pasta formats, and packaging. Stated customers include distributors, retail chains, and emerging brands. This dual role means that consumers may encounter Dalla Costa’s manufacturing capabilities under brands other than Pasta Dalla Costa.
Manufacturing Scale
The company reports that its facility can produce up to 100 pasta formats, encompassing organic, VeganOK, gluten-free, and Kosher varieties. The plant infrastructure includes:
- 2 production departments
- 4 production lines
- 15 packaging lines
This capacity allows for adaptation to different volumes and specifications. Dalla Costa states that it serves customers internationally and maintains customized product references for various clients.
International Business
While rooted in Veneto, Italy, Dalla Costa’s business model is international. Its products are marketed beyond Italy, and its private-label capabilities are designed for global distributors, retailers, and brands. The company competes in the broader Italian pasta-export industry by leveraging “Made in Italy” branding, specialty products, and customized manufacturing.
Brand Positioning Summary
Dalla Costa’s market position can be summarized as a combination of Italian pasta tradition, product innovation, dietary specialization, and customization. It addresses multiple consumer needs simultaneously:
| Consumer Need | Dalla Costa Response |
|---|---|
| Traditional Italian pasta | Tradizione |
| Organic food | BIO / Organic |
| Gluten-free diet | Gluten-Free |
| Plant-based eating | Vegan / legume pasta |
| Higher plant protein | Pea/chickpea and protein products |
| Alternative grains | Rice, corn, buckwheat, spelt, etc. |
| Children | Kids range |
| Fun/character products | Licensed products |
| Customized retail products | Private label |
This structure defines Dalla Costa as a multi-segment pasta specialist rather than a narrowly defined traditional label.
Distinctive Characteristics
Several factors distinguish Dalla Costa from typical pasta producers:
- Long Family History: The family traces its involvement in the pasta industry to 1898.
- Italian Manufacturing: Production is based in Veneto with a strong emphasis on Made in Italy.
- Broad Product Development: The company works with conventional grains, ancient grains, legumes, vegetables, and gluten-free ingredients.
- Special-Diet Expertise: The portfolio includes organic, gluten-free, vegan, and Kosher-certified products. 3
- Creative Formats: The company produces unusual shapes and dedicated children’s products.
- Licensed Collaborations: Partnerships with brands like Disney and Hello Kitty are part of the licensed-product architecture.
- Private-Label Capability: It manufactures customized products for other businesses.
- Traditional Techniques: Bronze-die extrusion remains a core component of its quality narrative.
Conclusion
Dalla Costa Alimentare Srl, known as Pasta Dalla Costa, is a family-rooted Italian pasta manufacturer with a history in the sector dating to 1898. Based in Castelminio di Resana in Veneto, the company combines traditional Italian pasta-making with extensive product innovation. Its portfolio spans traditional durum-wheat pasta, organic products, ancient grains, legume-based pasta, gluten-free options, protein-oriented varieties, children’s pasta, and licensed character products. Additionally, Dalla Costa operates as a private-label manufacturer, producing customized pasta and packaging for retailers, distributors, and other brands. Its certifications, including IFS Food, BRCGS Food Safety, BRCGS Gluten-Free, EU Organic, USDA Organic, VeganOK, and Kosher, reflect its focus on food safety and specialized dietary markets.





