Specialty Food Magazine

APR 2013

Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.

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Snacks are top sellers in gluten-free shops. Clockwise from top: Food Should Taste Good Sweet Potato Chips, Mrs. May's Roasted Seaweed Almond Rice Stix, El's Kitchen Snaps in Simple Sea Salt, Enjoy Life Plentils in Light Sea Salt. this claim, reporting that snack and granola bars are leading the gluten-free category at 15 percent of mass-market sales. Gluten-free fresh bread and pasta are in demand at G-Free NYC. The Manhattan store offers daily rotations of fresh-baked goods from New York locals such as Tu-Lu's Bakery and Our Daily Bread as well as from Main Line Baking Co. in Wynnewood, Pa. Customer favorites include DePuma's Ravioli and Tate's Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies. Another popular item, Maninis Fresh Pasta, has a comparatively high ring at $16.95, but that doesn't deter sales at all, says assistant manager Pam Jung. In Ft. Myers, Fla., Terry Foster, owner of the Skinny Pantry, agrees that companies who market their gluten-free status effectively are selling well. "Gluten-free labeling—whether it is certified or a manufacturer's claim—is becoming clearer and more pronounced," she says. "Customers like that." Strong gluten-free movers at the Skinny Pantry include Bob's Red Mill quinoa, Nature's Path Cereal, Elisabeth Hasselbeck's Nogii protein bars and QuestBars. Foster dedicates half of her store to gluten-free items, helping all customers find what they need and want. 30 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE ❘ specialtyfood.com Oregon's Market of Choice has a multitude of gluten-free items mixed in with its regular grocery including products from Amy's, Food For Life Baking Co. and Follow Your Heart. "Over the past three to four years, the variety has gone up exponentially—especially in categories like breads, tortillas and pasta," says Ethan Garn, grocery apprentice at the Eugene store, noting the popularity of such products as Amy's rice pasta macaroni and cheese and Canyon Bakehouse breads. Yvonne Galliani, general manager at Harvest Market, Fort Bragg, Calif., says she has noticed a tremendous number of companies coming into the gluten-free baking category, with not only variety but also better pricing. "Suppliers are realizing that they have to try and keep their prices down so the items move," says Galliani. She notes Wow Baking cookies and cake mixes sell well, as do those from Wholesome Chow, a company that makes gluten-free cake mixes in lavender, chai and chocolate as well as gluten-free Vanilla Frosting. Wholesome Chow's products are produced in a dedicated facility free from gluten, wheat, casein, dairy, eggs, peanuts, soy and tree nuts. Janea Boyles, owner of The Mercantile, Atlanta, Ga., receives more requests for gluten-free bread alternatives in the prepared foods area of her store. "I noticed a consistent demand over the past year of customers who want gluten-free bread for their sandwiches," Boyles says. The Mercantile carries gluten-free hoagies from Pure Knead, a local gluten-free bakery, specializing in allergen-friendly baked goods and natural ingredients. Growing Retail Markets Specialty food stores are certainly on board with the gluten-free trend, but this wouldn't be a 21st century movement without online retailers getting on board as well. David Fishman co-founded Taste Guru, a gluten-free box-ofthe-month subscription club based in Denver, after he was diagnosed with celiac disease. Just over two months after its launch, Fishman says the club has grown to a few hundred members and "is seeing 100 percent growth month-to-month." "We have huge expectations for future growth," Fishman adds. Subscriptions are available for increments of one month to one year, and they're popular as a gift to friends who follow a gluten-free lifestyle. Taste Guru's boxes contain a well-rounded mix of eight to 12 products with a total value of $40 to $50. Items have included In May 2012, online retailer Fresh Direct launched a gluten-free section with more than 500 offerings. The most traffcked categories are Snacks and Bread & Baking.

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