Heinz is no stranger when it comes to releasing wacky pasta meals. Earlier this year, the famed multinational food company partnered with Absolut Vodka to launch a limited-edition pasta sauce in the UK. Heinz is also behind the Alphagetti and Zoodles canned pasta along with several pop culture-inspired meals. But, in what can be called a surprising twist, its latest offering has been declared too outlandish by several ardent critics.
Heinz recently introduced Spaghetti Carbonara in a can, its first pasta release in a decade. Described as #NoDramaCarbonara, Heinz’s tinned rendition is “an easy, quick (and tasty) carbonara recipe that’s fail-proof, taking all the fuss out of cooking, allowing pasta lovers to nail it every single time,” per the product’s description. The pasta itself is nowhere near the same quality as fresh, homemade carbonara. Heinz’s version swaps eggs and pecorino cheese for a laundry list of chemical preservatives that mimic the original flavors, including maltodextrin and stabilizers.
The Spaghetti Carbonara in a can was a major topic of conversation on BBC Radio 4’s Today program, in which presenter Jonny Dymond asked whether the canned pasta signals the “end of culinary civilization” or is a “leap forward that brought us the joy of Pot Noodles and microwave meals.” Amongst Italians, the overwhelming sentiment seems to be the former.
Chef Alessandro Pipero, who runs the Michelin-starred restaurant Pipero in Rome and has been dubbed the “carbonara king,” was not amused by Heinz’s Spaghetti Carbonara in a can. “Do you mean in a tin, like cat food?” he asked while speaking with The Guardian.
“I don’t really know how to respond to this, shouldn’t we stick to putting things like Coca-Cola in a can?” Pipero also told the Times. In a later interview on CBC Radio, the chef admitted that the concept is both “genius” and “industrious,” but said he refuses to try the pasta for himself.
“I have no problem with Heinz,” Pipero said. “Maybe I have a problem with people that buy the carbonara from Heinz and say, 'Good,' then they buy it again.” He also mentioned that he plans to sell his own carbonara sauce, made from fresh and whole ingredients, in Italian supermarkets soon.
Ciara Tassoni, who manages the Italian restaurant Bottega Prelibato in London, was less forgiving than Pipero when asked about canned carbonara.
“It's a disgrace and it couldn't be any further from authentic carbonara,” she told The Sun. “If somebody came in here and asked for a can of carbonara they would immediately be thrown out.”
On the other hand, folks over on Reddit — namely, the r/iamveryculinary subreddit — were amused by Heinz’s Spaghetti Carbonara in a can and reveled in the disappointments of online Italians.
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“This has left the Italian healthcare system on the verge of collapse due to a shortage of IV limoncello,” one user commented under a post sharing an article titled, “Italians revolted as Heinz unveils spaghetti carbonara in a can.” Similarly, another user wrote, “The website links to a story of Gordon Ramsay receiving the same criticism for his carbonara, so honestly, stop crying (directed at the outraged Italians).”
“I am Italian and we’ve had packaged version of carbonara for ages (frozen, in a pouch with powdered ingredients, etc) so I don’t understand what the big deal is now that it’s in a can..?” said a separate user. “Just don’t buy it, how hard could that be lol.”
Alessandra de Dreuille, meals director at Kraft Heinz, told The Guardian that people are craving “convenient meals that are effortless to prepare.” The canned carbonara hopes to appeal to Gen Z consumers in particular, with Heinz claiming that the pasta “is set to become a new [favorite] amongst the younger generation, scratching the itch for delicious food with no cooking skills required.”
“Whether enjoyed as a comforting meal after a long day or shared with friends whilst catching up on the latest TV series, Heinz spaghetti carbonara is the perfect fuss-free dinner solution,” de Dreuille added.
Heinz’s Spaghetti Carbonara in a can is only available in the UK. The pasta is currently sold out on its website.
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