“We aren’t Italian; we just have good taste,” said Casey Ottmann, who helms Pastamoré. Ottmann’s mother, Deedee Lindanbaum, founded the company in 2001 to celebrate the joy of sharing a simple but beloved dish, which led to the growth of the Denver-based pasta company.
“Every culture has some form of pasta dish and everybody that has a stove knows how to make it,” Ottmann said. “Which is what makes pasta viable as a business.”
After the Denver native identified a gap in the pasta market, of imported olive oils and flavored pasta sold locally in Colorado, Pastamoré was born. Since then, Pastamoré has transformed from a modest farmers market stall to a thriving enterprise.
The distinct yet creative name, blending “pasta” with “amóre,” or “love” in Italian, embodies Ottmann’s sentiment: “Pasta is the dish to make when you’re hosting. It’s easy to make a big portion of and it’s cheap. I like for people to think of the love that is present at a table when people are sharing a pasta dish.”
The Denver-based pasta company started by selling imported olive oils at different farmers markets around town In high school at the time, Ottmann and his brother Jacob enjoyed working the Pastamoré tables during weekends as it was a fun time and easy money.
“When we had success, the excitement was doubled because we were experiencing it all together,” Ottmann said. His mom had no background in pasta or food distribution. Before Pastamoré, Lindanbaum worked in golf sales. However, she understood the versatility of pasta and how it’s a staple in most homes regardless of culture, so she began sourcing olive oils from small distributors to sell at farmers markets.
Its clientele and inventory slowly grew until it eventually purchased its Denver warehouse in 2011. This is when the company was able to grow by making its pasta and shipping it out directly to customers and distributors.
While Ottmann initially pursued a music career in Los Angeles, he remained involved in the company remotely, managing marketing and technical aspects. His return to Denver in 2015, just before his mother’s lung cancer diagnosis, marked a pivotal moment. He took over the full operation of Pastamoré, allowing his mother to focus on her health.
After her passing in 2019 and his brother’s departure, Ottmann assumed full control of the company. He now manages Pastamoré from a cozy warehouse north of Cherry Creek, alongside his Italian greyhound, Dot, and dedicated team of seven employees.
“I am hesitant to still refer to Pastamoré as a family business now that it’s just me,” Ottmann. “But we are still a family here.”
Ottmann went on to express his pride that Pastamoré was founded by a woman, and is still mostly run by women working in the warehouse and traveling to farmers markets. “My employees get flack for having a ‘man’s job’ [working in a warehouse] but they’re total badasses.”
A recent focus of the last few years of the company has been its gluten-free selections. Attending a gluten-free festival monthly in Littleton run by the National Celiac Association, Pastamoré cares deeply about consumer feedback, especially since there are so few quality gluten-free pasta.
Devin from Pueblo shared a positive review on Yelp about the Denver-based pasta company’s products. “Love, love love Pastamoré gluten-free pastas!” Devin said. “You can’t even tell they’re gluten-free. Seriously, I’ve been searching for excellent gluten-free pasta since I was diagnosed 10 years ago and this is it! Better yet, it’s local!”
While the company has expanded from selling exclusively at farmers markets to Italian festivals, wine festivals and craft shows across the country, they can still be found weekly at local farmers markets throughout Colorado. Their best-sellers are the Tomato Basil Fettuccine and Lemon Pepper Linguini.
When asked about Pastamoré’s future goals, Ottmann made it clear that his ambitions do not include becoming the “biggest” pasta company on the market or making the most money possible. Instead, he continues the company because he has a genuine passion for his craft and a strong desire to build on what his mother started.
“I want to focus on the day-to-day of having an ethical business where the product makes people happy,” Ottmann said. “I get to fulfill people’s love languages of food and music every day by making things that people enjoy; it’s the best feeling I’ve had in my whole life.”