Fresh pasta producer Pasta Evangelists is set to open its first UK factory after a £13 million investment.

The new site will open this month located in North Acton in London, and boasts an area of 27,000 square feet.

The company, which is owned by co-founders Alessandro Savelli, Finn Lagun and Chris Rennoldson, was bought by Barilla Group in January 2021. It offers fresh pasta recipe kits delivered to consumer homes, and its Pasta Academy gives customers the opportunity to learn how to make their own pasta.

According to Pasta Evangelists, its facility will become the nation’s largest pasta factory, producing over 50 tonnes of fresh pasta a week. Alongside its pasta, the Barilla Group-owned company aims to produce over 90 tonnes of sauce and 15 tonnes of oven pasta a week, providing employment for between 60-70 people.

The factory will house pasta-making machinery from Italian manufacturer Italgi in order to produce enough pasta for its one million customers.

Alessandro Savelli, CEO of Pasta Evangelists, stated: “We’re delighted to announce the launch of our first pasta factory in the UK, and we’re proud to say it will be the UK’s largest pasta factory to date.

“The launch comes after years of planning and innovation, as we aim to expand our pasta offering to thousands of consumers across the UK. Utilising the latest technology and machinery will help us on our mission to experiment with new flavours, high-quality seasonal ingredients and a variety of pasta shapes to expand our growing pasta portfolio.”

Gianluca di Tondo, CEO of Barilla, added: “The demand for freshly made, premium pasta has dramatically grown over the last decade, and we want to take consumers on a journey of taste exploration and discovery.

“We believe the new Pasta Evangelists factory will fulfil the growing demand for restaurant-quality, fresh pasta dishes, bringing the best of Italian food to the UK”.