Carbe Diem: Pasta, Reimagined

The brand recently hosted a restaurant takeover at Josefina, a celebrated Twin Cities restaurant known for its modern Italian-inspired menu. The one-night-only dining experience featured elevated dishes from Chef Mohamed Elsebai, co-created with Carbe Diem Chef and Co-founder Katey Alden showcasing how the pasta performs in a restaurant setting. The event is part of an ongoing series of Carbe Diem restaurant takeovers in cities across the country — memorable, chef-driven experiences designed to introduce pasta-lovers to the benefits of a lower-carb pasta solution, as the brand expands its retail footprint.

Meet the co-founder

We sat down with Katey to talk about the inspiration behind Carbe Diem and the restaurant takeovers, how the brand is scaling with General Mills' support and what’s next.

Katey, what originally inspired you to create Carbe Diem?

Katey: Like a lot of people, I love pasta. As a chef, I’ve learned how to create meals that are both satisfying and supportive of my wellness goals — but I know most people don’t have the time, tools or training to do that consistently.

Carbe Diem started as a way to help others find that same balance. All the same flavor and texture of the pasta we all love but with better macros, so if fits how more people want to eat today. No gimmicks, no alternative flours…just pasta made with intention, delivering 55% fewer net carbs, 24g of fiber and all the joy of the original. Once our team realized it was possible, I knew I could help others say yes to pasta again.

The brand has seen rapid growth in a short time. What’s driving that momentum?

Katey: A few things are working together. Many consumers today are no longer looking for the next new diet trend to try, but instead are looking for long-term sustainable changes they can make and stick to. In order to make that happen, taste really matters and finding foods that work for everyone at the table is key. That's what sets Carbe Diem apart.

Second, we've been able to combine the best of both worlds: the scale and expertise of General Mills with the agility of a startup. This “secret sauce” has fueled our growth, and today we’re consistently the #1 spaghetti and #1 low-carb pasta on Amazon.

Are there specific consumer insights that shaped how you built the brand?

Katey: Absolutely. We saw that many consumers have a deep emotional connection to pasta, but they’ve had to cut it out or make it only for their families. Carbe Diem gives them permission to enjoy pasta again, for themselves and with the people they love. That’s powerful.

How has your go-to-market strategy evolved as the brand has grown?

Katey: We launched our eCommerce presence first to build demand ahead of retail distribution. It's also an awesome channel to utilize when you want to be able to learn and pivot quickly early on. We then launched with a select set of key retailers who understood our positioning. That allowed us to build credibility and prove product-market fit early.

As we’ve scaled, we’ve leaned into experiential activations — like our restaurant takeovers in Denver, Tampa and Minneapolis — to let people taste Carbe Diem in a way that feels elevated but accessible. It’s a great way to build awareness and bring our “real pasta, no compromise” promise to life.

Looking ahead, our growth strategy includes a planned retail expansion — reaching a total of 3,000 grocery stores by the end of 2025. We're pairing that with thoughtful marketing that centers on inclusion, flavor and freedom — because that’s what food should feel like.

You mentioned doing these restaurant takeovers in different cities — what’s the magic in those events?

Katey: Whether you're one of the consumers, buyers, or influencers in the room that night, there's something special about experiencing Carbe Diem in a restaurant setting. It’s not just a taste test — it’s a full experience. We work with talented chefs to create dishes that feel elevated but still familiar, so guests can see exactly how our pasta performs in the hands of professionals — but also envision how they can bring it into their own kitchens. Those moments create real advocates for the brand because they’ve tasted the difference, not just read about it.

What role has General Mills played in Carbe Diem’s growth?

Katey: General Mills has been an incredible partner. From day one, we’ve had access to experts in consumer insights, R&D and retail distribution, making sure our pasta shows up in more kitchens across the country. That allowed us to move faster and smarter, while staying true to the core of the brand while we scaled.

What's next for Carbe Diem?

Katey: Our vision has always been to build a brand that's much more than just a pasta company. Currently we're focused on building our retail footprint, making it easier for people everywhere to find Carbe Diem where they shop...but we're beginning to explore new innovation as well to bring even more variety to the table.