Comments on: The Rant — Needed: Gluten-Free Business Success Stories!

By: Rant Response: Two Companies’ Gluten-Free Success | The Savvy Celiac

Rant Response: Two Companies’ Gluten-Free Success | The Savvy Celiac — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:13:28 +0000

[...] Response: Two Companies’ Gluten-Free Success A few weeks ago I ranted over the frustration of companies that are trying to be gluten-free, but end up dropping [...]

By: theceliacmaniac

theceliacmaniac — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:26:20 +0000

Great post! I am also curious to see how many businesses are finding success in the GF market. Of course, all of us live in that market everyday, so it is very easy to see how big the potential is – I think that because Celiac/gluten intolerance is still relatively misunderstood/unknown, companies (especially large ones) don’t see the value yet in pandering to us. While I was happy to see that Starbuck’s was offering a treat (though I never tried it, can’t do eggs), I wonder how many they actually sold. My guess is they weren’t selling many. I think it’s a crock that they claimed it wasn’t nutritious enough (“Hi, can I have a nutritious cake? Oh yes, I’d also like an 800 calorie “coffee” to wash it down!”)

I am becoming increasingly annoyed at products that claim to be GF and come to find out they aren’t, or going to a restaurant and having such a difficult time explaining what I can’t have that I just don’t feel comfortable ordering anything (currently I’m not eating out at all). The unfortunate fact is that until more and more companies offer GF products, costs will continue to be incredibly high and I just don’t see any glimmers of hope anytime soon. I still wonder why there isn’t a GF restuarant chain…do you think there is the market to support something like that? I think there is. All it’s going to take is one. Hhhmmm…a gluten-free “fast food” place that also offers other food allergy items…that would be great…

By: AmyJ

AmyJ — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:34:39 +0000

The Starbucks cake was yummy, more like a sugar bar than a cake, very small and it was also high in fat and very sticky–hard to eat on the go, but it had very good flavor. I am not too sad to see it go, but the Kind bars won’t help anyone allergic to nuts and gluten.

I think a lot of restaurants are realizing that GF dining is just “fuss free”. We don’t expect to have all the sauces and fancy gels swirled on our plates (though those are nice).

I have called a few restaurants after my dining experience and commended them on their options and suggested a sweet potato as a side. All of them have panicked and said, “can’t you have a baked potato?” To which I get to explain that, yes I can have a baked pot., but how boring is it to have a baked pot. at every meal when i’m on the road traveling. One restaurant had an awesome baked chicken, paired with a baked potatoe and when I explained that while it was good, it was not eye appealing the owner understood.

I’d like to know to what extent do people raise the GF awareness with the waitress? We went out the other night, I had the GF menu, a regular menu that was highlighted and marked up with the GF changes/additions/deletions. The waitress pointed somethings out on the menu, I requested my meal “___ gf” and then I got it with a sauce, not gluten free. I’ve gone other places and spoken with the manager and wait person and it seems to be overkill [though we tip well!]