Japan Food Innovation : Pasta ‘Pakitto’ from Nagatanien Co.,Ltd.

Innovating Pasta like never before, achieving time performance by breaking dry noodles.

In 2023, Nagatani-en, founded in 1953, introduced a new product called “Pakitto” that achieves time performance in March. This product involves splitting pasta in half and microwaving it along with the sauce.

In December 2022, despite being unreleased at the time, Nagatanien-en received the “36th New Technology and Food Development Award” from the Japan Food Industry Newspaper, creating a buzz within the industry.

Nagatani-en is originally known for its ochazuke (rice with tea), and they have a history of creating easy and time-saving products. The founder, Yoshio Nagatani, established Nagatani-en Honten in 1953 and comes from a prestigious family lineage of tea merchants, connected to the founder of Japanese sencha tea, Nagatani Soen. After World War II, the 10th generation descendant of Nagatani Soen, Nagatani Kaotaro, developed “Ochazuke Nori” with the idea of making it easy for people to enjoy ochazuke, typically served as a closing dish at small eateries, at home.

The product Pakitto was developed by an employee with 5 years of sales experience and no previous product development background, driven by the desire for a product like this.

Pasta is a universally loved dish for both young and old, during lunch and dinner. However, boiling the noodles, making pasta sauce, and cleaning up afterward can be surprisingly cumbersome when considering preparation and cleanup. Even making a single serving can be challenging.

Secret of product development of Pakitto is cooking time. Microwave cooking times vary depending on the model. The developer considered over 1000 cooking methods but faced numerous challenges. That’s when Nagatani-en decided to “go back to basics” and came up with the idea of “steaming.” This approach allowed them to create a product that achieves the ideal al dente texture.

Product Lineup: 4 SKUs

Bolognese: This rich Bolognese features the umami of slowly cooked ground meat and the deep flavor of cheese. The pasta and sauce combine to create a rich and intense taste like that of a restaurant.

Carbonara: Carbonara is characterized by its rich flavor, featuring three types of cheese and egg yolk. The pasta and sauce intertwine to create a rich and intense taste like that of a restaurant.

Pepperoncino: Pepperoncino has the distinctive flavors of black olives and garlic. The pasta and sauce combine to create a rich and intense taste like that of a restaurant.

Tarako: By emulsifying the sauce using pasta cooking water, they achieve a rich and intense flavor where the pasta and sauce meld together. Tarako (cod roe) is used generously, and it has a rich and intense flavor with the richness of butter.

Cooking Instructions:

1. Put 160ml of water and the pasta into the container, then lightly mix.

2.Heat in the microwave (600W) for 5 minutes and 30 seconds, then let it sit for 7 minutes and 30 seconds.

3. After mixing well inside the bag, serve on a plate, and it’s ready to enjoy!

Source: Nagatanien website https://www.nagatanien.co.jp/brand/pakitto/