Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Pasta is our passion. It has been our passion for over a century! The entire team at Antoniou Bros. Co. believes in creating the highest quality pasta in the Region and the only way to do so is by truly understanding all the characteristics of pasta!
Not only are our laboratory technicians chemical engineers but all of them have taken several culinary courses catered to restaurant cooking of pasta. Both our QCQuality Control and R&DResearch & Development departments have taken culinary courses to ensure both departments always strive to produce the tastiest pasta in the market. The Antoniou Bros. pasta is famous for being able to handle the most challenging cooking environments.
Below are a list of answers to our frequently asked questions (FAQ). If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We love pasta so much, we never stop talking about it.
How to cook Antoniou Bros. Pasta?
Not all pasta shapes are treated equally. Each shape has its own distinctive cooking style. The following method works with the majority of pasta shapes. First, bring a large enough pot to carry at least 1 liter of water for every 100 grams of pasta. When the water starts boiling add salt, at least 10g of salt for every 100g of pasta. Pour pasta and stir gently. The pasta is ready to eat when it is “Al dente” or at your preferred tasting level. Some prefer the pasta crunchier whereas others prefer it softer. The longer you cook the pasta the softer it becomes.
What does 'Al Dente' pasta mean in cooking terms?
Al Dente is the preferred cooking style for Pasta throughout Italy. It means that pasta is ready to eat but not too soft. There is a very simple way to check this. While cooking, grab with a fork or spoon some pasta, cut the pasta in half and if you see a white circle inside, it needs another couple of minutes. When it has a uniform color, it’s ready to be drained. If it stays too much after being uniform color, it is considered by some to be soft. However, ultimately these are all tasting preferences around the world. In Italy “al dente is the preferred cooking style, whereas in Egypt, the preferred cooking style is to be on the softer side.
Should I add salt while cooking the pasta?
If you are on a low sodium diet, then probably should consult with your nutritionist. On the other hand, a very famous saying in most culinary schools is “salt the pot, not the pasta”. That means that you should add the salt once the water in the pot has reached boiling levels. This ensures that the flavor of the pasta is enhanced from the inside out. If you attempt to add the salt on the pasta instead of the water it will not have the complete effect as the pasta will already have been cooked.
Do I add the salt before or after the water starts boiling in the pot? and does the salt make the water boil faster?
We recommend adding salt after the water has started boiling. By adding salt to water before it comes to a boil actually increases the amount of time it takes to reach the boiling point, so wait until the water is boiling then add the salt. When you add the salt, it only increases the water’s temperature by about one degree Fahrenheit. Salt does not increase the boiling speed of water, on the contrary, it will slow it down a bit.
Does Antoniou Bros. use any additives or artificial colorings in the pasta?
Antoniou Bros. does not believe in the usage of additives or preservatives. We are firm believers that the true taste of pasta comes from the natural and pure manufacturing process without the use of additives, artificial colors, and preservatives. In the long run, it is a far healthier choice to use natural raw materials than using raw materials filled with unnecessary chemical additives. Antoniou Bros. is the only pasta manufacturer in Egypt that does not use any artificial colors. This is clearly evident by the delicious taste of Antoniou Bros. pasta. The taste comes from all the natural goodness of pure hard wheat.
Is Antoniou Bros. Pasta healthy for you?
Yes. Antoniou Bros. Pasta is a good source of thiamin, folic acid, iron, riboflavin, and niacin. Pasta is also low in sodium and fat, and is a cholesterol-free food. When eaten in proper amounts pasta can provide the foundation for a healthy, low-fat diet. Antoniou Bros. pasta does not use any additives, preservatives or artificial colorings but stays true to the natural goodness of hard wheat.
Is Antoniou Bros. Co. a publicly held company?
Antoniou Bros. Co. is privately owned by the Antoniou family. The fourth generation of the Antoniou family is as committed to producing quality and innovative products today as its great-great grandfather was a century ago.
Where is the production facility of Antoniou Bros.; in Alexandria or Borg El-Arab City?
Antoniou Bros. is located in the 4th Industrial Zone of New Borg El Arab City, which is considered a district of Alexandria. Antoniou Bros. is considered the largest pasta manufacturer in Alexandria, Egypt. The Antoniou Bros. premises intersects three main roads of which one of them has been named “Makarona Street.” Makarona in Arabic means Pasta.
What type of flour does Antoniou Bros. use to make pasta and why?
Antoniou Bros. uses the highest quality flour milled from hard wheat that has a minimum of 10.5 grams protein. Hard wheat is what helps Antoniou Bros. maintain its consistency of pasta taste and shape. Antoniou Bros. has very strict guidelines regarding the quality of the wheat. We use only the purest form of flour, free from any artificial colorings or additives.
Does Antoniou Bros. manufacture pasta from Semolina and why?
Antoniou Bros. does not manufacture pasta from Semolina.The main reason is that although Semolina on average has a higher protein content than regular hard wheat flour, the added cost for the end consumer in our opinion is not justified. Coupled with the fact that Antoniou Bros. has managed to manufacture pasta from hard wheat with very similar cooking behavior as pasta from semolina at a fraction of the cost!
What is the difference between Semolina and Antoniou Bros.' Flour?
Semolina is milled from durum wheat that typically has a protein content from 10.5 grams to 12.5 grams, whereas the flour that Antoniou Bros. uses is milled from hard wheat which typically has a protein content from 10.5 grams to 11.5 grams. Furthermore, the manufacturing process is the key factor in ensuring that the protein content is not destroyed during the process. Only the most experienced pasta manufacturers are able to manufacture pasta while maintaining its original protein content levels.
How many employees at Antoniou Bros.?
Unlike most food processing manufacturers, Antoniou Bros. is headed by Engineers and strongly believes in in-house expertise. Thus, we have our own workshop, our own logistics team, our own R&D staff, as well as all imaginable supply chain services in house. This translates in a team of over 200 employees coming together to create Antoniou Bros. pasta! Almost all of the original staff that started the journey of Antoniou Bros. is still with Antoniou Bros. as they all strongly believe that we are the only manufacturer that is truly trying to reach the very challenging equation of best possible quality at affordable prices.
How many pasta production lines at Antoniou Bros.?
There are six production lines; one for long pasta, one for nest pasta, three for special short pasta, and one for short pasta. All production lines were purchased from Italy. The entire production process is automated via a control room without any human intervention. In terms of production capacity, Antoniou Bros. is considered the largest specialty pasta manufacturer in Egypt. Given our history Antoniou Bros., is the most experienced pasta manufacturer in the Middle East.
What are the available grades of pasta quality?
Antoniou Bros. has only one quality and that is premium pasta made out of hard wheat durum milled at 72% extraction rate. The wheat is sourced from Europe or Americas. The flour is milled locally in Egypt.
Where are the available packing sizes?
The standard offering available for retail packing is 350 grams, and 1000 grams whereas for bulk packing, the standard offering is 10 Kilograms. However, please discuss with one of our sales associates for other sizes. Our automated packaging machines can pack starting from 200 grams up to 1000 grams and our Bulk packaging machines can pack from 5Kg up to 20 Kg.
Where are the available pasta shapes?
Our pasta is divided into four major categories; Short Pasta, Special Short Pasta, Long Pasta and Nest Pasta. Our entire portfolio spans across 50 pasta shapes; however, we focus on about 25 shapes daily. The aforementioned 25 shapes are available in our online catalog. Kindly click here to visit our online product album.
Do you have the premium type of long pasta (spaghettoni)?
Spaghetti is the most requested pasta shape in the world! The majority of pasta manufacturers typically can only offer 1.6mm diameter and 1.9mm diameter. Given our expertise, we can offer spaghetti up to 2.25mm diameter (also known as spaghettoni) which is considered one of the hardest pasta shapes in the world in terms of its drying process. The thicker the diameter of the spaghetti, the more challenging it becomes in the drying process. Furthermore, the longer it takes to cook. Given our expertise, we are able to offer all sizes of spaghetti; however, given our competitive advantage, almost 90% of our annual spaghetti volume is for the 2.25mm diameter size.
Do you have very thin vermicelli?
We offer vermicelli in two forms. The main form of vermicelli is as a short pasta and the second form is as nest pasta. We are very unique in the market as our vermicelli is extremely thin. The short pasta vermicelli has a diameter of 1.0mm whereas the nest pasta vermicelli has a diameter of 0.85mm.
Can I pack Antoniou Bros. pasta under my own label?
Absolutely! Antoniou Bros. is considered the largest supplier of pasta in Alexandria, Egypt under the Egyptian Government’s white label program. Given our very large portfolio of pasta shapes, we also pack for several non-pasta food processors who want to have unique pasta shapes in the market under their brand. Coupled with the diversity of our packaging plant, we can pack pasta into all of the top retail sizes and bulk sizes requested.
Can I pack my own label in gusset bags?
Absolutely! Antoniou Bros.’ packaging plant is extremely sophisticated offering all type of bag options including pillow bag, gusseted bags, and square bottom bags. Furthermore, we have the latest MARKEM thermal printers in the market capable of printing large size images and text on each bag.
Can I stock my plastic and carton raw material at your warehouses?
Absolutely! Antoniou Bros. has one of the largest raw material warehouses in Egypt, built specifically for our clients’ needs.
What is the primary and secondary packing material used?
For retail sizes, the primary material is BOPP/CAST 50 microns for the 350g packing size and BOPP/CAST 55 microns for the 1000g packing size. In terms of the secondary material, we can pack them in HDPE or cartons (depending on the budget of the customer). For bulk sizes, we pack the pasta in wooven bags. We also offer an additional HDPE bag inside the wooven bag for added protection (optional and dependent on the customer’s budget).
What is the lead time for delivery?
Depends on the size and complexity of the order. If the order is of our own standard product offering, then most orders are filled almost within a few days. If it is a customized order with special packing/labeling requirements, it can take between 4-8 weeks pending our suppliers’ lead time in terms of primary and secondary packing.
How much pasta can a 20' DV container hold?
Depends on the size and complexity of the order. Generally speaking, spaghetti in retail sizes can occupy the maximum allowed payload of the container (around 24 tons) whereas short pasta can range between 9 to 12 tons. Please contact one of our export specialists and they will send you a detailed simulation of the loading process for any shape and quantity requested. Every export order is run via a software simulation in order to determine the most cost efficient loading sequence as well as the number and type of containers.
My country requires a health certificate from an ISO laboratory, what are the available options in Egypt?
We can offer lab certificates by SGS or we can offer lab certificates from the Egyptian Ministry of Health. Both certificates are ISO certified and accepted worldwide.The Egyptian certificate is backed by the Egyptian Government.
I would like to attend the loading of my order - would that be possible?
Absolutely! We can also offer loading inspection services by SGS. Furthermore, there are several excellent hotels in our area for overnight stays. The Borg El-Arab airport is only minutes away from our factory. We can arrange for your entire accommodation & lodging. If your stay will be longer in Egypt, we can recommend several great touring companies that can make your stay in Egypt unforgettable!
Is it true that Antoniou was the first industrial pasta manufacturing plant in Egypt?
Yes, Ioannis (Yannakos) Antoniou, the great grandfather of the Anotniou Brothers is attributed for being the founding father of pasta manufacturing in Egypt. For more of our history, kindly refer to our group overview page.
Random Pasta Shapes
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