Pasta Evangelists

How ethical is Pasta Evangelists?

Pasta Evangelists is a fresh pasta delivery company owned by Barilla G.E.R Fratelli S.p.A. which has not achieved The GOOD Shopping Guide’s ethical benchmark on our Ethical Recipe Boxes Ratings Table and therefore cannot be classed as an ethical company based on its current practices and policies.

Companies that fall below the benchmark often demonstrate insufficient commitment to ethical and sustainable business practices across key areas. We recommend consumers read more about ethical issues in the recipe box sector and consult our Ethical Recipe Boxes Ratings Table to find companies above the benchmark with Ethical Accreditation.

What does Pasta Evangelists do?

Pasta Evangelists is a UK-based fresh pasta delivery company founded in 2017 by Alessandro Savelli, Chris Rennoldson, and Finn Lagun. The company specializes in artisan fresh pasta and sauces delivered directly to consumers across the United Kingdom through subscription boxes and one-off orders. Pasta Evangelists sources ingredients seasonally from small farmers and growers across Italy, offering restaurant-quality pasta meals that can be prepared at home in minutes. The company’s products are also available through retail partners including Ocado, Amazon, Marks & Spencer, and Harrods Food Hall. Sales increased by over 300% during 2020, and in January 2021, Italian pasta giant Barilla G.E.R Fratelli S.p.A. acquired a majority stake in the company for approximately £40 million. The founders remain significant shareholders and continue to lead the business as it operates as a stand-alone entity within the Barilla Group.

Why does Pasta Evangelists fail to meet the benchmark?

Pasta Evangelists’ significantly below-benchmark performance stems primarily from serious public record criticisms of its parent company Barilla, alongside concerns regarding animal welfare practices, gaps in organic certification, and mediocre performance across multiple ethical criteria where the company achieves only acceptable rather than good ratings.

The most troubling concerns involve Barilla’s public record criticisms. In September 2013, Barilla CEO Guido Barilla sparked international outrage when he stated during an Italian radio interview that he would “never do an advert with a homosexual family” because the company preferred “traditional family” values. When asked how gay consumers should respond, Barilla replied, “if they don’t like it they can eat another brand.” The remarks triggered immediate global condemnation from LGBT rights groups, politicians, and consumers worldwide. The hashtag #boicottabarilla (boycott Barilla) trended across social media in multiple languages, with campaigns calling for supermarkets to remove Barilla products from shelves. Gay rights organizations including Equality Italia and GLAAD launched boycotts, with one activist noting “we accept the invitation from the Barilla owner to not eat his pasta.” Rival pasta brands responded with gay-friendly marketing messages, while consumers shared stories of emptying their cupboards of Barilla products. Although Guido Barilla apologized days later, stating he respected “everyone, including gays and their families,” the damage to the brand’s reputation was significant and lasting.

Additionally, in 2022, a federal judge ruled that Barilla would face a class-action lawsuit for false or deceptive advertising. The lawsuit centered on Barilla’s claim of being “Italy’s No. 1 brand of pasta” when the company’s products are manufactured in the United States, potentially misleading consumers about the product’s origin and authenticity. These combined criticisms contribute to Pasta Evangelists’ bottom rating for public record criticisms through its association with Barilla.

Pasta Evangelists also receives a bottom rating for animal welfare. Barilla permits animal testing when required by law, a practice that falls far short of ethical standards in an era when cruelty-free alternatives are widely available. This policy demonstrates insufficient commitment to animal protection and fails to meet consumer expectations for ethical food production.

The company receives a bottom rating for organic certification. Pasta Evangelists has not achieved independent organic certification for its ingredients despite sourcing from Italian farmers and growers. The UK household food waste sector faces significant challenges, and while recipe boxes can help reduce waste through pre-portioned ingredients, ethical and sustainable sourcing remains crucial. Organic certification demonstrates commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable agriculture that Pasta Evangelists has not established.

Beyond these bottom ratings, Pasta Evangelists achieves only acceptable rather than good ratings across multiple criteria including environmental reporting, genetic modification policies, transportation practices, and vegetarian/vegan verification. This pattern of mediocre performance indicates the company lacks comprehensive ethical commitments across its operations. The company also lacks Ethical Accreditation from The GOOD Shopping Guide, which would provide independent verification of its ethical practices and policies across all business areas.

What does Pasta Evangelists do well?

Despite these serious concerns, Pasta Evangelists demonstrates some positive performance through its parent company Barilla. The company avoids involvement in the nuclear power industry, fossil fuels, armaments, and political donations, receiving top scores in these categories. These areas represent baseline ethical expectations rather than exceptional performance.

What can Pasta Evangelists do to improve?

The most urgent priority for Pasta Evangelists is addressing the serious public record criticisms stemming from its parent company Barilla’s discriminatory statements and deceptive advertising practices. While the 2013 anti-gay controversy predates Pasta Evangelists’ founding, the brand operates under Barilla ownership and must ensure the parent company demonstrates genuine commitment to diversity, inclusion, and respect for all consumers regardless of sexual orientation or family structure. The company should publicly affirm its opposition to discrimination and demonstrate through actions, not just words, that all consumers are valued and welcomed. Additionally, Barilla must address the false advertising concerns and ensure transparent, honest marketing practices that do not mislead consumers about product origins.

Pasta Evangelists must immediately address its bottom rating for animal welfare by prohibiting animal testing entirely rather than permitting it when required by law. Cruelty-free alternatives exist, and ethical food companies should refuse animal testing under any circumstances. The company should implement comprehensive animal welfare policies with third-party verification.

The company should pursue independent organic certification for its ingredients, demonstrating commitment to sustainable agriculture and environmental protection. Given Pasta Evangelists’ emphasis on quality Italian ingredients from small farmers, organic certification would align naturally with the brand’s positioning and significantly strengthen its ethical credentials.

Pasta Evangelists must elevate its performance across the multiple criteria where it currently achieves only acceptable ratings. The company should strengthen environmental reporting with more comprehensive sustainability disclosures, improve genetic modification policies with robust GMO-free commitments, enhance transportation sustainability through carbon-neutral delivery options, and secure independent verification for all vegetarian and vegan product claims through recognised certification bodies.

Consumers seeking ethical recipe box and fresh pasta delivery options should consult companies above the benchmark on our Ethical Recipe Boxes Ratings Table, particularly those with Ethical Accreditation. Find out more about how we rate brands on ethical criteria.