A few weeks ago I ranted over the frustration of companies that are trying to be gluten-free, but end up dropping gluten-free product lines, or closing businesses altogether because of slow or withering sales. It felt almost exhausting to get your hopes up and be so pleased about new food opportunities for celiacs, only to be let down just months — or even weeks later. During my post I asked to hear about gluten-free success stories…I now have two to report.
I received a direct response from my post by an employee of Minnesota’s own CobornsDelivers.com. Michael Gabbert, who’s been in charge of bringing in the best gluten-free products for the company, told me in his email, “…without a doubt that [adding a gluten-free selection] was (and will continue to be) a great decision to be serving this community. While the sales are still a bit slow, it is the belief and the realization that this community is loyal, educated, and most importantly underserved which is constantly pushing me to make the assortment even better and the service even easier.”
Also recently Hain-Celestial credited it’s gluten-free products with keeping things on track for the business. Hain-Celestial owns Arrowhead Mills and DeBoles gluten-free products – just to name a few. But in a review of the company’s quarter ending June 30th, the gluten-free products did very well. A recently published transcript from a company meeting details President and CEO Irwin Simon’s gratitude to gluten free. “As a total company today, we have well over 330 Gluten-Free products. And Gluten-Free happens to be one of the fastest growing categor[ies].”
That’s not the only kind of product in a so-called growth spurt, the transcript listed off the areas that are doing well:
“Some of the hot categories that are out there today are omegas, and no fructose; fiber, Gluten-Free; protein, antibiotic free; anti-oxidant, reduced calorie; natural which everybody is looking at ingredients and what are the ingredients in there, no MSG and lactose free which are categories that Hain participates in.” – Irwin Simon President & CEO Hain-Celestial
I am glad to see two companies who are happy with the gluten-free market and appear to be going forward with it.
August 27th, 2009 at 7:57 am
I had a great delicious gluten free dinner last night at the downtown location of Pizza Luce. They offer GF pizza, pasta and bread on Tues/Wed nights. I’m not sure about how business has been for them, but the hostess even asked if I wanted the regular menu or the GF menu before seating us. I was impressed with their knowledge and was so happy to have pizza out in a restaurant.