This macaroni move is giving Italian-American comfort food fans some serious agita.
Pastina, the tiny, star-shaped pasta boiled for soup or prepared with butter and heaps of Parmesan cheese, could be in danger of becoming extinct after US-based brand Ronzoni announced Tuesday it would cease production of the product.
The shocking communiqué had carb lovers begging the brand to reconsider — and prompted online petitions, hoarding and price-gouging, with bids for a box starting at $20 on eBay.
“After extensive efforts, we regretfully announce that Ronzoni Pastina is being discontinued,” the brand posted on Instagram, citing supply-chain issues.
“Unfortunately, our long-term supplier informed us that they would no longer be making Ronzoni Pastina as of January 2023,” the brand continued. “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.”
While other brands make pastina, Ronzoni is a household name for many fans, who expressed their devastation on social media. The announcement sparked multiple petitions on Change.org, including one titled “Save Pastina!” that’s garnered nearly 900 signatures so far.
The petition, started by Lisa Yakomin, begins: “Pastina has been a staple in households across the globe for decades, and has long been heralded as the perfect choice when you’re feeling under the weather & in need of a meal that is filling but won’t upset your stomach.”
It continued: “Whether you serve it with butter, marinara sauce, or in soup, Pastina is the ideal choice for anyone seeking a little TLC. We, the undersigned, urge 8th Avenue Food & Provisions to reverse their ill-advised decision, and ensure that Pastina will be enjoyed for generations to come.”
8th Avenue Food & Provisions acquired the Ronzoni brand, which has been around for more than a century, in 2021, according to a release.
Yakomin’s plea prompted aficionados to share a slew of heartfelt memories — many of which noted that it’s the ultimate comfort food, as well as a cure-all for anyone under the weather.
“Whenever I came down with a cold as a child, my mom would make pastina for me and it would make me feel instantly better while eating it,” wrote Hartford, Connecticut-based petition-signer Gabrielle Witt.
“To this day, as an adult, whether I am sick or just need a bowl of comfort, I’ll still make pastina.”
Consumers also took to social media to express their dismay.
“This is not how we wanted to start 2023, Ronzoni!” one devastated consumer wrote on the brand’s Instagram page.
Others had a more “eat the rich” response to the pasta giant’s decision to cease production.
“You’re telling me you aren’t rich enough to hire some people to figure out how to make more tiny little delicious stars of sunshine?” scoffed one user on Instagram.
And at least one commenter directed their outrage at 8th Avenue Food & Provisions’ CEO, questioning his familiarity with the Italian-American comfort-food staple.
“The CEO’s name is Scott McNair, that doesn’t sound like an Italian name to me. Perhaps Mr. McNair is not familiar with this product,” one user wrote on Instagram.
Ronzoni and 8th Avenue Food & Provisions did not immediately return a request for comment.
