I recently conducted an online survey, asking gluten-free consumers whether breads, rolls, sweet goods and other baked products on the market today meet their expectations for taste, texture and nutritional quality.
This year, with nearly one in five U.S. adult consumers purchasing or consuming products tagged as gluten-free, sales of gluten-free foods and beverages are expected to reach $4.2 billion, reports Packaged Facts. The report indicates that the gluten-free category is seeing saw a compound annual growth rate of 28% over the past four-year period. While Packaged Facts expects growth to moderate, it views the segment reaching $6.6 billion in sales by 2017.
The organic, natural and whole-grain market segments continue to thrive, as new product launches emphasize healthful ingredient profiles, taste and quality.
PepsiCo's Frito-Lay North America division launches a gluten-free recipe section on its corporate website to help make snacking easy and more enjoyable for consumers with Celiac disease or gluten sensitivities.
Retailers and food companies know that it makes business sense to meet the needs of millions of people who cannot tolerate gluten. That’s why gluten-free versions of many foods are cropping up, usually at a higher price. But sales are soaring.
Crackers and crisps are benefitting from new production techniques, better-for-you ingredients, cleaner labels and innovative flavors as manufacturers deal with consumers having less discretionary income.
Crunch and flavor have always been gold and silver medalists in the cracker and crisp game, but because consumers are looking for more healthful snacks, there have been interesting developments with these products.