Taste and use

That's what makes this Sicilian pasta so special:

• Taste: These penne have a strong, slightly nutty flavor and are very digestible.
• Quality feature: This pasta owes its dark color to the ancient durum wheat variety "Timilia". However, it is not a wholemeal pasta.
  
• Use: "Timilia" penne with a "Siccagno" tomato passata sauce is an unbeatable combination. You can find more recipes on our Blog.

Cultivation and ecology

This is how "Timilia" durum wheat is grown:

• Cultivation method: Organic farming. "Timilia" is grown by various members of the Valdibella cooperative. The yields are lower than on a conventional wheat field. "But this wheat is ideal for organic farming: it is very resistant to diseases and I don't have to invest money in fertilizer or pest control," says Massimiliano, one of the producers. "Timilia" durum wheat can only be grown on the same field every three years. In the crop rotation, legumes such as lentils and chickpeas, as well as other cereals, are planted in between. The legumes bind nitrogen from the air and thus maintain soil fertility. The "Timilia" durum wheat is sown in February. Before sowing, the soil is gently cultivated without plowing. It can be harvested in May or June. In our video to find out more about the durum wheat variety "Timilia".
• Producers: The durum wheat is grown by various members of the Valdibella cooperative. Here you can find a blog post on "Timilia" cultivation. The grain is cleaned and threshed in a nearby mill. From there, it is delivered to organic pioneer Girolomoni, which uses a gentle process to produce pasta. Valdibella uses the "Addio Pizzo" label to declare that it does not pay protection money to criminal organizations.

This is how the price is made up

Producers can sell the "Timilia" grain to the cooperative for 0.70 euros per kilogram. Conventional durum wheat from the EU is traded at 0.20 to 0.25 euros.

Cultivation & processing CHF 3.16

• Cultivation and harvesting: various cooperative members, Cooperativa Valdibella
• Processing: De Vita Mill, Girolomoni

Transport & logistics CHF 2.38

• Export and logistics: Valdibella, Galliker
• Fees: Customs
• Quality assurance: SQTS laboratory
• Packaging: Zurich plant
• Shipping: Post

Procurement & distribution CHF 2.05

• Coordination, communication, online market: Crowd Container