GLUTEN FREE FOOD AND FOOD SERVICE?
BY JANE CLARKE
WHO ARE GFS?• UK Gluten Free R&D and/or Manufacture
• Industry Experts
• Find needs in the market and create solutions
• Own brand/contract manufacture or consultancy
• Winner Free From Food Awards 2013:
• Best Product in Food Service
WHAT IS COELIAC DISEASE?
• An autoimmune disorder: the body attacks its own healthy tissue when exposed to gluten
• Gluten = plant protein in wheat, barley, rye, oats
• It is possible to have a wheat intolerance (more common) but not be coeliac
• Coeliac Disease Cure: Gluten Free diet for life
WHEAT FREE UK STATISTICS
• 1% of UK population = Coeliac
• Per one coeliac = 5 more undiagnosed
• 20% people in UK suffer from IBS
• Of which 11% avoid wheat
• Total : 12% avoid wheat permanently because of food intolerance
• 26%-30% self diagnosed wheat avoiders
CUSTOMER OPPORTUNITY
FREE FROM STATISTICS
• 2011: £2 billion ($2.3 billion) industry globally
• 2011: UK Free From Sales hit £238,000,000
• Estimated 12,000,000 UK consumers
• Growth: 120% - last 5 years.
• 2016: Estimated UK sales £500,000.000
% PREVALENCE OF FOOD ALLERGIES 2010 *SOURCE TGI
WHY DO SO MANY BUY INTO THE FREE FROM OFFERING?
• Severe Allergy
• Food intolerance
• Life style choice eg. Victoria Beckham, Andy Murray, Jennifer Aniston, Oprah Winfrey
• Family member
FOOD SERVICE GROWTH OPPORTUNITY
• Wheat intolerant and coeliac sufferers’ needs are catered for on Free From shelves in UK supermarkets
• Generally over looked in food service
• Result: Huge Market Growth Opportunity
HOW DO COELIACS AFFECT F.S. PROFITS?
• It is well known that families with a coeliac member often ALL eat wheat free diets
• The whole family refrain from eating out together if one family member cannot be catered for
• One coeliac = up to 5 lost orders in food service
• More and more people are CHOOSING to eat wheat free as a lifestyle option
• In the UK, a food with less than 20 pp million which has been tested can be labelled gluten free
• Between 20 and 100 pp million it can be called low gluten
• For food made with no gluten containing ingredients but not certified, it may be labelled no gluten containing ingredients.
FREE FROM FOOD LABELLING
WHAT DID PIZZA HOUSES WANT?
• Base without contamination risks/hassle free
• Great crust and taste
• Supplied as a frozen raw base or a frozen par cooked base or ambient base/mix
• Base able to withstand fierce temperatures of commercial ovens without burning
• Dough which behaves, tastes and bakes the same as regular dough
• Good shelf life (ambient or frozen)
WHAT WE OFFERED
• Passionate about pizzas
• Best tasting GF Crust without compromises
• Work with accredited BRC 6 manufacturers
• R&D had already been done
• Base could be fine tuned to exact specification.
• Virtual no other ingredient allergens *not tested
• High in dietary fibre = good for overall digestion
• No xantham gum
WAYS TO AVOID CROSS CONTAMINATION
• Separate Storage
• Ensure all toppings are gluten free
• Change base shape to for clear identification
• Use colour coded pizza tins for GF
• Line with baking parchment
• Wash hands before handling bases
• Clean cutlery to apply toppings slice pizzas
• Staff education and training (* Coeliac UK)
WHERE TO ADVERTISE?
• Crossed Grain magazine
• Restaurant windows and doors
• Own Website
• Coeliac UK and Allergy/Foods Matter
• Gluten Free Solutions Website
• Health and fitness magazines
• Press Editorial & social media
• Existing Flyers and media
WHY IS FREE FROM SO EXPENSIVE?
• Gluten free food can cost 4-8 times or more than mainstream equivalents
• Ingredients are more obscure and expensive to source
• Ingredients not purchased in high volumes
• The factory they are made in has to be conform with current gluten free legislation and testing
COST TO FOOD SERVICE
• There doesn’t have to be any: Coeliacs & wheat avoiders are used to paying high prices to eat the right food
• Small supplement could cover additional costs plus set up and launch costs
• Bigger opportunities for wheat avoiders and families to eat out together which more than off sets associated expenses
RECESSION PROOF GROWTH
• Despite record supermarket sales in Free From food, no gluten free offering used to be available in national pizza chains and potential remains huge
• Q: Can Food Service afford to go gluten free?
• A: Can Food Service afford not to?