Brescia-based pasta maker Il Pastaio has begun construction of a manufacturing plant in the United States. The new factory, which joins four existing ones in Italy, will be built in Allenwood, in the state of Pennsylvania, within a Keystone opportunity zone. The foundation stone of an investment costing 12.5 million euros was laid last December, and the production lines are expected to be ready by the end of 2025. "The idea of opening in the U.S. dates back a year ago," says Pierluigi Colombi, administrator of the company best known for its production of gnocchi, including those under the Patarò brand. “The new Trumpian course makes ours an even more advantageous decision,” Colombi admits, “both in the hypothesis that the new president will lower taxes to 15% for those who produce in the U.S. and in the hypothesis that he will impose new duties on Made-in-Italy agribusiness exported to the United States”. Today for Il Pastaio, the U.S. market is worth about 8% of its 90 million euros in sales, but expectations for this investment are very high.