Caputo Distributor List

[FornoBravo]

Hello all,

With Caputo's help, we have compiled the list of stocking distributors in the U.S. for Caputo pizza flour. You should be able to find a company pretty nearby, who will sell to the public. The flour comes in a 22lb sack. Give it a try and let us know how the buying experience works, and if you like the flour.

The list is here:

http://fornobravo.com/brick_oven_cooking/pizza_ingredients/caputo_distributors.html

James

[Pete-zza]

I spoke today to the importer of the Caputo 00 pizzeria flour and he confirmed for me that the large bag of the flour weighs 25 kilos, or 55 pounds. It does not come in 22-pound bags as indicated in the FornoBravo post.

Also, I confirmed that not all stocking distributors of the flour do cash and carry. Some do but some don't.

The importer was happy to hear that PennMac is carrying the smaller size (5-lb., repackaged) bags. He is still trying to convince the miller, Molino Caputo, to sell the 1 kilo bags, and will be pressing the point again when the senior Caputo visits the U.S. next month. I was told that selling the Caputo 00 flour is a tough business. It apparently isn't an easy task to convince pizza operators to try the flour, knowing that they will have to charge appreciably more for their pizzas. Progress is being made on this front, albeit slowly. He is happy, of course, to see that our members by and large like the Caputo 00 product, and he got a big kick out of our efforts to reverse engineer the A16 and other doughs that use the Caputo 00 pizzeria flour.

Peter

[Pete-zza]

As I indicated in the last post, thought was being given to selling Caputo 00 flour in small (1 kilo) bags in the U.S. Recently, fellow member David indicated that Forno Bravo was now selling the Caputo flour in both small bags and large (25 kilo) bags. Through an exchange of emails today with the importer, I learned that the small bags are not the same flour as the Caputo 00 pizzeria flour. The flour in the small bags is called 00 Extra and is more like an Italian all-purpose flour. It blend of grains is different from the Caputo 00 pizzeria flour, with about 1% less protein,  but can also be used for making pizza dough. However, I was told that the finished crust is likely to have a more breadlike characteristic. Hopefully, one of our members will give the new flour a try to see how it compares with the Caputo pizzeria flour.

Peter

[PizzaBrewer]

Pete:  Just to sort it all out, I believe there is a "red" and a "blue" Caputo 00, right?  And now there is a third type, the 00 Extra?

Which is "THE" pizza flour to use?  How could I be sure of getting the right one if I contact one of the distributors?

Thanks for any info, I hope to pick up a 25 kg. bag in the near future and would hate to get the wrong one.

---Guy

[Pete-zza]

Guy,

You have it right. There is the Caputo 00 "pizzeria" flour (in a blue bag), a "red" Caputo, called Caputo Rosso (in a red bag), and now the 00 Extra (which I believe is also in a blue bag). (FYI, the Caputo Rosso is a stronger flour than the Caputo 00 pizzeria flour but it can also be used to make pizza dough. The 00 Extra is the weakest flour of the three.)

The one you want to be sure to emphasize when you are ready to buy is the Caputo 00 "pizzeria" flour in the blue bag. It comes in a 25 kilo bag and is also repackaged in smaller bags (5 lbs.) by PennMac. I believe the 00 Extra comes in only the 1 kilo bag. The 00 Extra is so new in the U.S. that some folks who sell it don't know that it is different from the Caputo pizzeria flour. So, you can expect some confusion for a while.

Peter

[pizzanapoletana]

the 00 extra comes in 1 and 10kg bags. It is true that is weaker, but you would not notice much difference unless you go for really long fermentation dough.

[Pete-zza]

Marco,

Thanks for the clarification. Do you know whether the 00 Extra is sold in the U.S. in the 10 kilo size? I didn't think to ask the importer.

Peter

[pizzanapoletana]

I don't know if it is exported in 10kg bag to US. However the only other caputo whch I would reccomand is the Gialla (yellow). Slightly weaker then the Pizzeria, is best used in colder climates.

Ciao

[Pete-zza]

The section of the Forno Bravo website that contained the list of stocking distributors for the Caputo 00 flours was taken down. The latest list is at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,2594.0.html.

Peter