Barilla Changes The Way You Think About . Pronto. Pasta Maker Partners with Celebrity Chefs Bryan and Michael Voltaggio to Launch First-of-its-Kind Pasta

(Northbrook, IL) October 20, 2015 – On the busy streets of New York City, teamed up with celebrity chefs and brothers, Bryan and Michael Voltaggio, for some friendly, brotherly competition to officially launch Barilla® Pronto™, an innovative new pasta that requires no boiling or draining.

For the recent Pronto™ live event in NYC, the Voltaggios took their #onepanpronto cooking prowess to the Flatiron District to show that anyone can make a delicious pasta meal in minutes. With help from YouTube influencer Alyissa Sheikh of Mind Over Munch, the Voltaggios paired up with unsuspecting passersby and faced-off in a pasta cooking challenge to create delicious, original Pronto™ recipes on behalf of #TeamBryan or #TeamMichael.

”Pronto™ is a game changer for the busy home cook,” said Chef Michael Voltaggio. “You don’t have to wait for the water to boil, you don’t have to worry about draining, and the precise thickness and shape of each Pronto™ cut make it easy to get perfectly ‘’ pasta every time!”

Barilla® Pronto™ pasta is placed in a 12-inch skillet, covered with three cups of cold water, then cooked over high heat until the water is absorbed, eliminating the need to boil or drain.

“Even though my brother won the challenge, cooking Pronto™ alongside New Yorkers all day was a crazy, good time,” said Chef Bryan Voltaggio. “People were surprised to learn just how easy it is to create a delicious meal. I’m a professional chef, but I also cook for my family. With just one pan, Pronto™ allows everyone to get involved and add their favorite ingredients. My family is super busy, so it’s great to know that with Pronto™, my family can put a great meal on the table in just 10 minutes!”

Participants cooked confidently in the Pronto™ kitchen when preparing the dishes on #TeamMichael or #TeamBryan, and were excited to create more Barilla® Pronto™ recipes at home. Barilla® Pronto™ delivers the same great taste and al dente texture they expect from Barilla®, while making mealtime prep and cleanup faster and easier than ever.

“We know people are craving ease and convenience in the kitchen, but they still want to create unique and impressive meals for their family and friends,” said Jennifer Ping, Senior Brand Manager, Barilla Group. “Barilla® Pronto™ perfectly bridges that gap. Whether you’re an expert chef or a novice cook, you can feel more confident in the kitchen.”

Barilla® Pronto™ – available now at leading grocery stores nationwide – is offered in five varieties including Elbows, Half- Cut , , Half-Cut , and Rotini. Prepared in just 10 minutes, Barilla® Pronto™ cooks perfectly al dente every time.

Share your Pronto™ experiences using #onepanpronto and visit www.Barilla.com/Pronto for additional Pronto event details, Voltaggios’ original Pronto™ recipes and more Pronto™ inspiration.

About the Barilla Group Created in Parma in 1877 out of a shop that made bread and pasta, Barilla is today among the top Italian food groups, a world leader in the pasta and pasta sauce businesses in continental Europe, bakery products in Italy, and the crispbread business in Scandinavia. Currently, the Barilla Group owns 30 production sites (14 in Italy and 16 abroad) and exports to more than 100 countries. Every year, its plants turn out around 1,700,000 tons of food products that are consumed on tables all over the world, under the following brand

names: Barilla, Mulino Bianco, Voiello, Pavesi, Academia Barilla, Wasa, Harrys (Francia and Russia), Misko (Grecia), Filiz (Turchia), Yemina and Vesta (Messico). For more information, please visit: www.barillagroup.com or www.barilla.com.

Barilla Contact: Rachel Drakulich 312-233-1337 [email protected] # # #