Great Yarmouth food firm Pasta Foods is joining forces with the East of England Co-operative to launch a new fusilli product.

The EDP Business Awards winner is working with the Top100 firm to meet grocer's demand for locally-sourced pasta.

Usually the company produces pasta to be branded for other international food companies, but under the new arrangement for the first time in its history, a product will carry the Pasta Foods label.

Karl Jermyn, Pasta Foods managing director, said launching the name on packaging has meant a big rebranding exercise for Pasta with a new logo and colours, but it will not affect the Marshalls name which Pasta Foods has traditionally used in Scotland.

'It's a flagship for us and a pioneering product as far as we are concerned,' he said. 'It will go on sale in 127 Co-op stores in the region and our aim is to grow our business into the locally sourced market.

'As we are Britain's' s leading dry pasta producer, there are rapidly emerging opportunities for locally sourced and UK-sourced outlets.'

He added: 'This could become a massive business for us and we're delighted to have started on our own doorstep with the East of England Co-op.'

'They too are very excited by the development and we are already lining up a second product for them - Alphabetti, with pasta-shaped letters aimed specifically at children. It will be made from high quality wheat with a protein level of about 12pc.'

Ultimately the aim is to source the wheat locally, if farmers can be persuaded of the potential opportunity.'

As well as the Pasta Foods name, the firm said the new packaging will feature Waveney Mill in Great Yarmouth where the Pasta Foods' story began more than 130 years ago. Now the company sells pasta to major food companies in more than 30 countries around the world, the farthest being New Zealand.