Interview - Steve Robinson - Otway Pasta

There’s nothing like homemade pasta, and when you can get all the flavour, quality and artisanal delights from it without having to make it yourself, even better! We spoke with Steve Robinson, owner and chief pasta maker of Otway Pasta Co. and discussed why his product is so well-loved by those who try it.

FFW: What inspired you to create the business?

OTWAY PASTA CO.: It started as my passion for bringing wholesome quality food to my family’s table. It began by simply feeding my family. Once friends tried my pasta, they were blown away by the taste. They encouraged me to sell it to local cafes in the Colac area. The business grew from very humble beginnings. It was never planned, but it has evolved into an amazing business that I am extremely proud of.

FFW: What makes your pasta so special?

OTWAY PASTA CO.: Our products are made from quality Australian ingredients. We don’t ever compromise the quality of our ingredients to save money. We only use the best we can source.

FFW: Would you say your pasta is more nutritious than other brands? If so, why?

OTWAY PASTA CO.: Our pasta is definitely more nutritious. We use Durum wheat semolina, whole, ‘true’, free range chicken eggs, ‘00’ white flour, organic olive oil, filtered water. It is the high quality of ingredients that we use that make it more nutritious.

FFW: What’s unique about the ingredients you use?

OTWAY PASTA CO.: Our products are made from quality Australian ingredients including flour from the premium hard wheat growing region of NSW, ‘true’ paddock laid free range eggs, organic olive oil and salt from the oldest family-owned salt manufacturer in Australia.

FFW: Do you offer any gluten free products?

OTWAY PASTA CO.: Yes. We have an amazing range of both fresh and dried gluten free pasta and sauces.

FFW: What quality values do you adhere to?

OTWAY PASTA CO.: We use traditional methods to create our pasta and sauces. Small batches, time and a focus on the best raw materials are what makes our pasta and sauces taste great!

FFW: What sorts of sauces do you offer?

OTWAY PASTA CO.: We offer five varieties of sauces. We do both meat and meatless sauces: Napoli with Basil, Napoli with Chilli, Super Veg, Bolognaise and Amatriciana. We are soon to release a creamy bacon sauce.

FFW: Do you supply all your products nationwide?

OTWAY PASTA CO.: We ship our dried pasta and veg based sauces all over Australia and internationally. We sell our fresh pasta predominantly inn Victoria and the southeast of South Australia.

FFW: What are the most compelling virtues of your brand?

OTWAY PASTA CO.: The quality of our products. As a regional manufacturer I am honoured to support our community, and when customers buy our products, we get to support our Australia farmers and producers.

FFW: What kinds of retailers are stocking your products?

OTWAY PASTA CO.: We are fortunate to have great stockists supporting our business. We can be found in lots of towns throughout Victoria.

Take a look at this proud Aussie brand the next time you are sourcing suppliers for wholesale pasta. Reach out to Otway pasta today.