GF Retail Weekly Intelligence presents a round-up of hot concepts, product launches and the latest innovations that caught our eye during the past week. The Weekly Intelligence is intended to not only keep readers in the know, but perhaps more importantly, offer strategic insights and implications behind the stories as part of our GF Retail HQ Take.
Innovative Gluten-Free Concepts
TetherBox Introduces Nut Free and Gluten Free College Care Packages
PRWeb 08-29-2016
TetherBox is a subscription gift service that sends care packages with a curated assortment of all natural snacks, personal care items, fun gadgets and other surprises to college students. The company recently added nut-free and gluten-free options to meet increasing demand for food allergy customers. “Parents and students alike have been asking us if we could provide nut free and gluten free products in our care packages. Fortunately our momentous growth and streamlined operation affords us the ability to react quickly…” says co-founder Lynn Holdsworth.
GF Retail HQ Take: It’s hard enough being away at college. Try it on a medically required gluten-free diet. Albeit university dining programs are getting better in recent years, still few go the extra mile to accommodate students with Celiac Disease in any meaningful way. A gluten-free care package from TetherBox could be just what the doctor ordered. Well done.
Gluten-Free Additions on the Store Shelf
Ballymena gluten-free bakery secures Asda listing
The Irish News 08-30-2016
Moditions Bakery has secured a contract to supply its range of gluten-free products to Asda stores in Northern Ireland. The line includes jam and coconut cake, sticky tealoaf fruitcake, gingerbread cake, coffee cake and an Irish soda bread mix. Founder and Director Christine Shaw states: “The business we have secured with Asda has been invaluable ─ helping to propel Moditions from a home-based operation, to a recognized commercially viable enterprise supplying major supermarkets.”
Purely Elizabeth Probiotics Now Available at Publix
Food & Beverage Magazine 08-26-2016
Boulder, Colo.-based natural foods brand Purely Elizabeth is expanding its reach. The maker of what’s touted as the world’s first Probiotic Granola has recently attained distribution in select Publix locations in the Southeastern U.S. “We are thrilled to continue widening our distribution, and furthering our mission to redefine the standards of packaged foods,” said founder and CEO Elizabeth Stein. A selection of Purely Elizabeth products can be found nationwide in natural grocery stores, including Whole Foods, independent grocers, and leading retailers such as Kroger and Target.
Schär expects double digit growth after UK gluten-free bakery launch
BakeryandSnacks.com 08-24-2016
Leading European gluten-free brand Schar continues to penetrate the U.K. market. The manufacturer recently introduced six new products in major grocers, including Morrisons and Tesco. The new products include: Pain au Chocolat; Salti; Seeded Ciabatta; White Baguette; Veggie Pizza; and Panini. UK managing director Bradley Grimshaw told BakeryandSnacks: “…the growing demand for these [gluten free] products really does present a significant opportunity for our retail partners.”
SPAR Switzerland introduces new healthy snacks
Company report 08-22-2016
SPAR Switzerland, a division of The Netherlands-based global retailer, has added two new snacks to its 100% natural Natur pur private label range: organic spelt cookies and organic mini corn cakes, the latter of which is suitable for people intolerant to gluten.
GF Retail HQ Take: We’re convinced this column will be a well-populated one going forward. It’s hard to turn around these days without seeing an announcement about another new gluten free or other “free from” product introduction. We say the more the merrier. Consumers want and need choice, especially gluten-free consumers who’ve lived with limited options for long enough. Interestingly, three of the four stories we call out originate in Europe where the gluten-free products market is much more established than it is in the U.S. The increasing globalization of the gluten-free products market is something we plan to monitor.
Mergers, Acquisitions, Other Deals
Ingredion promises gluten free and non-GMO rice flour through Sun Flour deal in Thailand
BakeryandSnacks.com 08-30-2016
Illinois-based ingredient company Ingredion is acquiring Thailand-based Sun Flour as part of the company’s strategic plan to expand its portfolio and geographic scope. The deal is expected to close by year’s end. “Rice is an on-trend ingredient. It’s gluten-free, non-GMO and hypo allergenic… Using rice flour allows the application of consumer friendly, non-GMO and gluten-free labels on many bakery and snack products,” said Jorgen Kokke, president of Ingredion’s Asia Pacific and EMEA branch.
GF Retail HQ Take: Wise move. On-trend ingredients – in this case rice, but increasingly other ingredients such as ancient grains, seaweed, teff, Himalayan pink salt – are hot. And they’ll continue to become hotter commodities going forward. Watch as CPG manufacturers experiment with new product formulations that feature on-trend, non-GMO and other ingredients known for their health benefits. This isn’t just a gluten free or Celiac Disease issue, it’s a much larger social/wellness issue.
Executives on the Move
Boulder’s Free2b Foods hires new CEO
Daily Camera Boulder County Business 08-26-2016
White Wave executive and General Mills veteran Mike Murray has landed the top post of CEO at Boulder, Colo.-based Free2b Foods, maker of Sun Cups. In July, former CEO John Becker left the firm to head up Ancient Grains.