A Des Moines staple known for its old-school Italian fare may soon have to rethink its signature ingredient if steep new federal duties make imported pastas too costly.For nearly eight decades, Noah’s Ark Restaurant on Ingersoll Avenue has taken pride in exclusively serving pasta made in-house or imported from Italy. James Lacona, the restaurant’s current caretaker and great-grandson of founders Noah and Sally Lacona, said pasta is as central to the menu as steak is to a steakhouse. “It’s our main staple,” he said. “If the price goes up, either we have to import it and pay the piper, or we’ll have to find an American company that makes them.”The U.S. Commerce Department is proposing an antidumping duty of about 91.74% on Italian pasta exporters after a government probe found La Molisana and Pastificio Lucio Garofalo made sales at “less than normal value” during the July 2023–June 2024 review period. Combined with an existing 15% tariff on European Union goods, the total duty could reach roughly 107% if finalized in 2026. The potential sticker shock has drawn national attention. CBS News reported this week that consumers could pay more or find fewer Italian brands on grocery shelves if the duty is adopted, while noting the decision is not final and that the White House says “Italian pasta is not ‘disappearing.’”Lacona said he’s taking a wait-and-see approach. “You hear a million different things, but what actually gets developed? Will this tariff situation stay, or is it somebody spouting off something and they’ll reach an agreement?” he said. One backup plan Lacona is considering sits about 30 minutes up Interstate 35. Barilla, one of the brands facing tariffs on Italian exports, manufactures most pasta sold in the United States at plants in Ames, Iowa. The rest is made in Avon, New York. The company provided KCCI the following statement on the situation:”The Barilla Group is affected by the Department of Commerce’s preliminary decision as it currently stands. We are therefore evaluating possible initiatives ahead of the final determination next year. Since the matter is still under evaluation by the DoC, Barilla is unable to provide further comment at this stage.”Lacona says, even a switch to domestic noodles might not prevent higher costs, because many restaurants and retailers could pivot to U.S.-made pasta at the same time, putting pressure on supply. “Unfortunately, when things are done rash or suddenly, it’ll cause a shortage,” he said.Barilla’s Iowa footprint underscores the scale of U.S. production: the company recently completed a $65 million expansion of its Ames plant, which opened in 1998 as Barilla’s first American pasta facility.If the proposed duty takes effect at current levels, analysts say prices could climb and some Italian SKUs could temporarily vanish as importers reassess their margins and supply chains. Industry experts foresee leaner pasta aisles if imports become uneconomic, though the timing remains uncertain pending Commerce’s final determination.Noah’s Ark has adapted before. The restaurant once made most pastas in-house, but rising labor costs led it to import certain shapes to preserve quality and authenticity. Lacona said he hopes any changes arrive after the holidays, when the restaurant sees its biggest crowds. “There could be a silver lining if it brings back American jobs,” he said. “But it might not end up being cheaper.” The National Pasta Association says the United States produces about 4.4 billion pounds of pasta a year, second to Italy’s 6.6 billion, while Americans consume nearly 6 billion pounds annually.
A Des Moines staple known for its old-school Italian fare may soon have to rethink its signature ingredient if steep new federal duties make imported pastas too costly.
For nearly eight decades, Noah’s Ark Restaurant on Ingersoll Avenue has taken pride in exclusively serving pasta made in-house or imported from Italy. James Lacona, the restaurant’s current caretaker and great-grandson of founders Noah and Sally Lacona, said pasta is as central to the menu as steak is to a steakhouse.
“It’s our main staple,” he said. “If the price goes up, either we have to import it and pay the piper, or we’ll have to find an American company that makes them.”
The U.S. Commerce Department is proposing an antidumping duty of about 91.74% on Italian pasta exporters after a government probe found La Molisana and Pastificio Lucio Garofalo made sales at “less than normal value” during the July 2023–June 2024 review period. Combined with an existing 15% tariff on European Union goods, the total duty could reach roughly 107% if finalized in 2026.
The potential sticker shock has drawn national attention. CBS News reported this week that consumers could pay more or find fewer Italian brands on grocery shelves if the duty is adopted, while noting the decision is not final and that the White House says “Italian pasta is not ‘disappearing.’”
Lacona said he’s taking a wait-and-see approach.
“You hear a million different things, but what actually gets developed? Will this tariff situation stay, or is it somebody spouting off something and they’ll reach an agreement?” he said.
One backup plan Lacona is considering sits about 30 minutes up Interstate 35. Barilla, one of the brands facing tariffs on Italian exports, manufactures most pasta sold in the United States at plants in Ames, Iowa. The rest is made in Avon, New York. The company provided KCCI the following statement on the situation:
“The Barilla Group is affected by the Department of Commerce’s preliminary decision as it currently stands. We are therefore evaluating possible initiatives ahead of the final determination next year. Since the matter is still under evaluation by the DoC, Barilla is unable to provide further comment at this stage.”
Lacona says, even a switch to domestic noodles might not prevent higher costs, because many restaurants and retailers could pivot to U.S.-made pasta at the same time, putting pressure on supply.
“Unfortunately, when things are done rash or suddenly, it’ll cause a shortage,” he said.
Barilla’s Iowa footprint underscores the scale of U.S. production: the company recently completed a $65 million expansion of its Ames plant, which opened in 1998 as Barilla’s first American pasta facility.
If the proposed duty takes effect at current levels, analysts say prices could climb and some Italian SKUs could temporarily vanish as importers reassess their margins and supply chains. Industry experts foresee leaner pasta aisles if imports become uneconomic, though the timing remains uncertain pending Commerce’s final determination.
Noah’s Ark has adapted before. The restaurant once made most pastas in-house, but rising labor costs led it to import certain shapes to preserve quality and authenticity. Lacona said he hopes any changes arrive after the holidays, when the restaurant sees its biggest crowds.
“There could be a silver lining if it brings back American jobs,” he said. “But it might not end up being cheaper.”
The National Pasta Association says the United States produces about 4.4 billion pounds of pasta a year, second to Italy’s 6.6 billion, while Americans consume nearly 6 billion pounds annually.
Dining and Cooking