Cook From Italian Household Buys Barilla Jumbo Pasta Shells. Then They Realize Something’s Off: ‘my Nonna’s Gonna Notice’

jumbo pasta shells (l) woman shares purchase issue (c) barilla jumbo pasta shells (r)

A home cook purchased a box of Barilla Jumbo Pasta Shells after eating them their “whole life” with their Italian family. However, they claimed shrinkflation may have hit the popular pasta brand after seeing the size of the noodles.

In a video with over 118,000 views, TikToker Grim Reaper Slay (@grimreaperslay) shows the open blue cardboard box of pasta on the countertop.

“We’ve been buying your jumbo shells for arguably at least my entire life,” they say. “Here’s my issue…these used to fill up my grandmother’s entire hand.”

They place one of the pasta shells on the counter next to a Keurig cup. The noodle is slightly smaller than the pre-filled coffee filter.

“Essentially, you’re marketing what used to be your medium shell as your jumbo shell and acting like the Italian grandmas are not going to notice,” they say. “My nonna’s gonna notice.”

The TikToker questions why the brand decided to shrink its popular jumbo shells.

Did Barilla Actually Shrink Its Pasta Shells?

Other Italian customers on social media say they also questioned the jumbo pasta getting smaller when preparing dishes like stuffed shells. This leads many to question whether “shrinkflation,” the strategy used by companies to shrink products to cut costs during inflation, is to blame.

One Facebook user wrote, “I have noticed that Jumbo Shell pasta has been smaller in size. Stuffed shells are no longer jumbo in size. Is it just me to notice?”

Another replied, writing, “I noticed that too. I bought some not long ago. I opened the box and what in the world!!! Yes, it was smaller, and it made it harder to stuff. I’m not happy.”

A poster on the forum Lipstick Alley concurred, asking why its so hard to find true jumbo pasta now.

“I went to 3 grocery stores. The jumbo shells they had were only an inch long and not stuffable. I want the shells that are so big that they fit in the palm of your hand. Is there a super jumbo pasta shell shortage?” they asked.

However, Barilla has not released any information about changing the sizes of its popular pastas.

This isn’t the first time customers have noticed Barilla potentially shrinking its products. The pasta brand even faced a lawsuit in 2016 after customers alleged that it underfilled its pasta boxes, according to Food Business News.

Viewers Agree With The TikToker

In the comments, others who used to use the jumbo pasta to make popular Italian dishes say they noticed the same issue.

“I knew I wasn’t crazy!! I hadn’t made jumbo shells in a few years I recently bought these and convinced myself I must have remembered the size wrong! I knew they were huge back in the day,” one wrote.

“I don’t even have a nonna and I noticed,” another joked.

“I knew I wasn’t crazy. The last time I made stuffed shells. A lot of them were broken by the way and very small,” a third added.

However, some suggested the smaller jumbo pasta may not be a new issue.

“I haven’t been able to find a true jumbo shell in over a decade. Stuffed shells are one of my favorite meals, so I made them quite often until the shells got smaller,” a commenter wrote.

In a TikTok direct message to BroBible, the TikToker suggests it has been about 2 years since they purchased Barilla Jumbo shells at their original size.

“They had gotten smaller, but this is the SMALLEST they have ever been,” the TikToker says. “My grandmother’s recipe calls for 2-2.5 [tablespoons] of filling, and now they barely hold one.”

They also say they don’t plan to buy from Barilla until the size and quality return to what they remember from childhood.

“Until they fix it, I’m never buying their pasta again in any form. It’s not just this. All of their products’ quality has diminished drastically. They don’t cook the same or taste the same,” they write.

https://www.tiktok.com/@grimreaperslay/video/7594933267699141902

BroBible reached out to Barilla via email for further comment. We will update the story when they respond.

The post Cook From Italian Household Buys Barilla Jumbo Pasta Shells. Then They Realize Something’s Off: ‘My Nonna’s Gonna Notice’ appeared first on BroBible.