As consumers purchase or consume gluten-free products, sales of such gluten-free foods and beverages is expected to reach $4.2 billion in 2012, according to a new report from Packaged Facts. The report indicates that the category has enjoyed a compound annual growth rate of 28% in the past four-year period, and expects growth to be moderate over the next five years. However, Packaged Facts adds that the market research firm has pegged the segment to reach $6.6 billion in sales by 2017.

The report links the rise of gluten-free foods and beverages to growing research that associates grain-based diets to a variety of health ailments including Celiac disease and food allergies. And as consumers increasingly shift toward healthier lifestyles and become more aware of gluten-free offerings, “the conviction that gluten-free products are generally healthier is the top motivation for purchase of these products,” says David Sprinkle, a research director at Packaged Facts.

Source: www.bevnet.com