Frequently Asked Questions

Simple. We set out to make the best pasta in the world.

We started with the best grain — British-grown spelt, farmed regeneratively, traceable back to the field. We push it through bronze dies for that rough, sauce-holding texture. We slow dry it for 20 hours so every bit of flavour the grain has to give actually makes it into your bowl.

The result? Pasta that tastes of something real. "Love" is the most common word in our reviews — over 1,200 five-star reviews and counting. Cook it once and you'll understand why

Discover our award-winning British Pasta..

Spelt is an ancient grain that's been grown since around 5000BC, long before modern wheat was developed. It hasn't been genetically modified, and it has a gorgeous nutty flavour that comes through beautifully in the pasta. All of our spelt is grown in Britain.

Our pasta is not gluten free and is not suitable for coeliacs. Spelt is an ancient variety of wheat, so it does contain gluten.

If you're not coeliac but find wheat pasta doesn't agree with you, that really comes down to your own tolerance and it varies person to person, so it's not something we can promise you either way. Do drop us a line at hello@northernpasta.co.uk if you'd like to chat it through.

YES! Just British flour & water go into making our delicious pasta.

Just British spelt flour, a small amount of wheat semolina, and water. No eggs, no dairy, no additives. That's it.

Typical Values per 100g

Energy1458kJ
Energy331kcal
Fat1.4g
of which saturates0.2g
Carbohydrate67g
of which sugars0.5g
Fibre 5g
Protein12g
Salt<0.01g

We're not certified organic. We chose regenerative instead.

Organic removes synthetic inputs, but it doesn't necessarily set out to improve the soil. Regenerative goes further. It's about actively building soil biology, holding carbon and water, and bringing biodiversity back, and it's measured and audited year on year rather than being a one-off conversion. That's the bit we care about, so that's the standard we went with.

Because it's made completely differently to the pasta we are used to. British-grown spelt, regeneratively farmed, milled in the UK, extruded through bronze dies, slow-dried for hours. We also pay our farmers and millers fairly. Every step costs more than the industrial process, but every step is why it tastes so different. We also pay our farmers and millers fairly and make it in small batches in our factory in Carnforth, near the Lake District (our home!) Cook it once and you'll see what we mean.

Bronze dies give each piece of pasta a slightly rough texture, that's what makes sauce cling to it rather than slide off. Slow drying (at low temperatures over many hours) preserves the natural flavour of the grain and means the starches don't burn the way they can in industrial high-heat drying. It takes longer. It's worth it.

On our website and in our independent stores you will find The Big Bags - our 450g bags
In major retail stores - Booths, Waitrose - you will find our smaller bag size - 360g

Our pasta has a shelf life of 18 months from the production date. Store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

We do not offer wholegrain pasta...yet

Absolutely. It's just British spelt flour, a little wheat semolina and water, nothing else. Our Conchigliette (the little shells) are a firm favourite with little ones. It cooks quickly, so do taste it early.

We'd say 80 to 90g per person for a main, or a bit more if you're properly hungry. Our 360g bag does about 4 generous portions, and our 450g bag does 5.

Use a large pan with plenty of well-salted water, think salty like the sea. Follow the timings on the bag but taste before the time's up to get the perfect al dente bite. Don't forget to save a cup of pasta water before you drain, it's liquid gold for finishing your sauce.

They're all good, but here's a rough guide. Radiatori is our hero, the ridges catch sauce like nothing else. Rigatoni is a classic for anything rich. Fusilli is great with pesto or lighter sauces. Casarecce loves a good tomato sauce. Gigli is stunning with creamy or buttery dishes. And Conchigliette (the little shells) are perfect for soups, kids, or chunky sauces.

Six: Radiatori, Fusilli, Rigatoni, Casarecce, Gigli, and Conchigliette. Each one chosen because it's genuinely brilliant at holding sauce.

Yes. Our bags are 100% paper with a biodegradable window, so the whole thing goes in your paper recycling. No plastic. Our factory runs on solar power too.

Every farm growing our spelt is independently audited each year by A Greener World, a non-profit certifier whose auditors work completely independently of us and our millers.

Farms are assessed against five measurable outcomes: soil health, biodiversity, water, carbon, and input reduction. Glyphosate is banned pre-harvest, blanket spraying across a whole field isn't permitted, and every farm has to maintain in-field biodiversity zones like wildflower strips, beetle banks and hedge margins. To stay in the programme, farms have to show improvement year on year.

It means when we tell you how our grain is grown, someone independent has been out and checked.

From British farms, grown using regenerative methods that prioritise soil health and work with nature rather than against it. We work closely with our farming partner and source our flour from British millers. Full farm-to-fork traceability is something we take seriously.

Regenerative farming focuses on building healthy soil and biodiversity rather than depleting it. No glyphosate, no unnecessary chemicals, fewer inputs and in the long run, more nutrient dense grain and better tasting pasta!

No. Glyphosate is not used during the growing of the wheat or spelt we source for Northern Pasta Co.

Our farmers do not use glyphosate as a pre-harvest desiccant, which is where most consumer concern sits.

The truth about open British farming systems is while we can be clear about how our grain is grown, we recognise that it isn’t possible to give absolute guarantees about the wider environment around a farm, for example due to neighbouring farms.

We'd love to see our pasta on your shelves. The easiest way to order is through Faire, where you'll find our full range: faire.com/direct/northernpasta

We also work with Diverse Fine Food and Cotswold Fayre, so if you already order through either of them you can add us to your next delivery. Anything else, just email hello@northernpasta.co.uk

You'll find us in Waitrose stores across the UK, in Booths, Whole Foods, Daylesford, Darts Farm, Westmorland and Sous Chef, plus a growing network of independent delis and farm shops. Use the stockist finder to find your nearest.

Because pasta is a food product, we're not able to accept returns. If anything arrives damaged, or isn't what you ordered, emailhello@northernpasta.co.ukwith your order number and a photo within 30 days and we'll put it right. Nothing to send back and nothing to pay.

Changed your mind? No problem. Let us know within 14 days of your order arriving and you can send it back to us within 14 days of telling us, unworn, unwashed and with tags on. Return postage is at your own cost, and we'd recommend a tracked service so it doesn't go astray. Once it's back with us we'll refund you within 14 days.

If your merch arrives faulty or damaged, that's on us. Get in touch and we'll cover the return.

We use DPD Tracked delivery for all shipping. You will receive tracking information as soon as the parcel is scanned into the DPD network. If you require a quicker delivery, or a specific date, please contact us; hello@northernpasta.co.uk

Please note we deliver to mainland U.K only and are unfortunately unable to deliver to Northern Ireland or the Scottish Highlands & Islands.

We apply a standard packaging & delivery charge to all orders of £4.50.

We know, postage and packaging have got so expensive, and it's expensive for us too. We keep it as low as we can and delivery is free on orders over £35.

If you'd rather skip it altogether, you'll find us in Waitrose, Booths and lots of lovely independents. Pop your postcode into our stockist finder to find your nearest.

Yes, anytime. Log into your account to pause, skip a delivery, change your frequency, or cancel. We never hold you to anything — the subscription is there to make your life easier, not harder. If you get stuck, email hello@northernpasta.co.uk and we'll sort it.