The manufacturer of Pasta Chips - Vintage Italia - to receive a capital injection to speed up expansion

Advantage Capital Agribusiness Partners, LP (ACAP), along with Silas Capital and Emil Capital Partners, announced it is leading a $3 million financing round in Florida-based Vintage Italia.

Dedicated to providing capital to companies in food and agribusiness industries, ACAP has selected Vintage Italia – founded by entrepreneur Jerry Bello – as the first company within the snack food category to receive support from the fund.

One of the company’s brand names, Pasta Chips, is a baked alternative to the regular potato chip that uses higher protein grains like farro to increase nutrients.

The investment will help the company accelerate its rapid growth, supporting its release of new product lines to large retailers, including Walmart, Costco and Safeway.

Bello, founder and CEO of Vintage Italia:
 

“We’re the first in the industry to create the only snack food made from fresh pasta dough.”

“We created Pasta Chips as a healthier alternative to the bland, overly processed options in the deli section, and we’re dedicated to finding new ways of offering our customers quality, gourmet taste and an elevated snack food product that has greater focus on nutrition.”

Bello, who has co-founded branded food companies Sensible Portions, Brownie Brittle and Mamma Says, created the new Pasta Chip inspired by a traditional Italian dish – baked pasta dough drizzled with olive oil.

After a trip to Italy, Bello came up with the concept of using actual fresh pasta pieces to convert into a salty snack line, Pasta Chips.

Tyler Mayoras, Principal at Advantage Capital:
 

“Since its introduction to the market in 2013, Pasta Chips has been setting a new standard for products in the better-for-you snack aisle.”

“Vintage Italia is changing the snack brand marketplace and proving that baked chips can be regionally inspired, healthful and tasty.”

The Florida-based company had then, as it does now, a passion for using the same semolina flour, ancient grains and Italian herbs that have been celebrated for hundreds of years in Italy. The chips come in different seasonings based on favorite regional Italian sauces.

Tom Vilsack, United States Agriculture Secretary:
 

“We created the Rural Business Investment Company as a way to inspire innovation and investment in rural America, and it is encouraging to see it doing just that.”

“Matching private investors with businesses in rural communities helps companies get the capital they need to grow and create jobs.”

ACAP is a $154.5 million fund that is licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a Rural Business Investment Company (RBIC).

The fund is a partnership between Advantage Capital and nine Farm Credit organizations, established to bring together resources and people focused on providing more private capital, small business investment and quality jobs to rural America.

Farm Credit supports rural communities and agriculture with reliable, consistent access to credit and financial services.