If it is true that Rome was not made in a day, even a good plate of pasta does not like haste because Pe’ fa’ ‘e cose bone ce vo’ tiemp’ (Doing things right takes time), as the motto of Pasta Rummo, the historic pasta factory in Benevento and a Made in Italy excellence with almost two centuries of activity, says.
The company’s history began in 1846, when Antonio Rummo built the first mill along the Calore River, and in 1860, a second mill on the Sabato River, to produce high-quality fresh pasta from durum wheat semolina. The company’s three horses, Bruto, Bello and Boiardi, transport the wheat from Puglia and Campania to the mill. Step by step, the company grew until, in 1935, it became a joint-stock company and moved its headquarters to Via dei Mulini.
Quality, tradition and innovation: the recipe for success
1991 marked a significant change for the company because Rummo decided to discontinue the mills and focus only on pasta production. The new pasta factory in Contrada Ponte Valentino was opened in the same year.
The company’s success results from a skilful mix of tradition and innovation. In 2005, ‘Rummo Lenta Lavorazione’, a production method inspired by tradition, was launched, while in 2010, the company won the ‘Innovazione Amica dell’Ambiente‘ award from Legambiente for having reduced CO2 emissions by 30% with the implementation of a cogeneration plant.
In 2010, together with three other Italian companies, Rummo received the Leonardo Qualità Italia award from the President of the Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, for quality product innovation combined with a solid international, commercial and production vocation.
October 2015: #SaveRummo
While it is focused on producing new types of whole-grain and organic pasta, the company unfortunately made headlines in October 2015 when a severe flood caused by the Calore River bursting its banks submerged and heavily damaged the pasta factory, bringing the entire production to a standstill and putting 160 jobs at risk. That’s when the spontaneous #SaveRummo solidarity campaign took off on social media, quickly going viral and inspiring the entire web to mobilise through fundraisers and petitions urging individuals and schools to buy Rummo products. On that occasion, dozens of volunteers also pitched in to shovel out the mud so the pasta factory could get back up and running, and thousands of families across Italy bought only Rummo pasta for months on end.
Over 175 years of Italian pasta
In 2020, Rummo launched its wholemeal pasta made from 100% Italian wheat. In 2021, to mark the company’s 175th anniversary, the Ministry of Economic Development issued a postage stamp with a Poste Italiane cancellation to celebrate the pasta factory’s success.
Today, Rummo is led by Cosimo Rummo, born in 1954. He represents the fifth generation of the Rummo family, and his son Antonio is vice president. The company has two factories that produce thousands of tons of pasta annually, and it sells in Italy, 45 countries and five continents.
Congratulations to those who bring Italian pasta to the world!
Read the stories of other great Italian pasta makers.