Gluten-Free Stores - Wisconsin Grocers Association

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Wanted: Gluten-free Stores Within Grocery Stores The demand for gluten-free food products is growing as more people are diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Frito Lay’s goal is to be the world’s favorite salty snack and convenient Fun Foods Company. Consumers with celiac disease and those who cannot eat products with gluten are getting serious attention from food distributors and grocers. To put celiac disease, an inherited autoimmune disorder, in perspective, consider these numbers. Parkinson’s disease affects about one million Americans. About 2.1 million Americans are living with rheumatoid arthritis. Around 3 million people have celiac disease, and about 97 percent of them are undiagnosed. Written Exclusively for the WGA By Sharyn Alden The number of people in the U.S. with celiac disease is about the same as the number of people living in Nevada. The number of people in the U.S. with celiec disease is about the same as the number of people living in Nevada. These are people who suffer from an intolerance to gluten, a type of protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Some have been diagnosed with celiac disease in which gluten damages the small intestine and impairs the body's ability to absorb nutrients from food. Celiac disease has one the highest rates of new health diagnoses today. Because people don’t outgrow the disease there is a growing demand for gluten-free products. U.S. sales of gluten-free food are rapidly reflecting that. One of the most important things to know about celiac disease is that people do not have a choice as to what they eat. It is not a trend, it is a medical necessity. They have to eliminate gluten from their diet in order to maintain their health. When they omit gluten from their diet, they can usually notice positive results in a very short time. Other people have chosen to eliminate gluten from their Walk the Walk diet because they feel better without it. These dietary changes are good reasons why grocers should make it easy for these customers to shop at their respective stores. Mike Quillin, president of Quillins Inc. (www.quillinsfoods.com), LaCrosse, understands celiac needs from a personal perspective. Quillin has celiac disease; he explains what it’s like to live with dietary restrictions. “We have to plan out all of our meals in advance. We cannot 22 WISCONSIN GROCER www.wisconsingrocers.com
simply grab just anything on the run as most shoppers can. Trips to restaurants or lunch meetings become issues. We must carry food for these meals or go without. That’s why grocery products that allow people to have fast, convenient gluten-free meals are of great importance. And that includes foods from all departments, from meat to deli to frozen foods and dairy.” For many years gluten-free shoppers have been neglected by grocers but that is changing as more gluten-free products are becoming available. In fact, the quality and variety of gluten-free food items on the market is increasing almost daily. Quillin notes, “Today, there are many high quality national manufacturers like General Mills, Frito-Lay, and Betty Crocker who embrace gluten-free products and help customers make healthy lifestyle choices.” If you want to create a following of customers who share these needs and who will likely become regular customers, Quillin says, “Create a store with glutenfree products within your store. It is also helpful to have someone on staff that lives that lifestyle and can offer first-hand ideas about building your department.” If you don’t have someone who understands the needs of someone with celiac disease Quillin says, “Get advice from people who can help you. There are support groups in every community. They can help with product selection because it makes their life easier.” Quillin knows these are aggressive approaches, but he says, “In our experience, the results were immediately realized.” How do grocers increase loyalty among people shopping for gluten-free products? Quillin points out there are two main areas of concern for gluten-free customers. “Price and convenience. Since gluten-free products fall under the Specialty Foods category in most grocers’ distributions, the grosses are typically much higher in most cases than they need to be. Gluten-free shoppers are used to this, but when specials are offered, they tend to stock up much more than the traditional shopper.” At Quillin’s they occasionally feature “glutenfree days” and offer 10 percent off the category of products. “That has resulted in 300- to 400 percent sales spikes on the days we feature this sale,” he says. How easy is it to find gluten-free products in your store? “If you aren’t identifying a gluten-free area so the items can easily be identified it is frustrating for the shopper,” says Quillin. “Take time to identify the area so people with celiac disease or those looking for gluten-free products have an easy and enjoyable shopping experience.” If you want to create a following of customers who share these needs and who will likely become regular customers, create a store with gluten-free products within your store. More gluten-free labeled products Imagine being newly diagnosed with celiac disease and you are standing in the aisle of the supermarket trying to figure out what you can and cannot eat. Kehe is the largest employee-owned specialty food distributor in the U.S. We carry 35,000+ items including grocery, dairy, deli and frozen foods. We at KeHE are dedicated to the success of our customers and suppliers by providing exceptional marketing, merchandising and distribution services. 900 N. Schmidt Road • Romeoville IL 60446 800-995-5343 Contact Greg Hoard, Divisional Sales Manager, at Ext. 1652 >>> Celiac Disease Celiac disease is digestive diseased caused by a reaction to eating gluten. Areas of villi in the lining of the small intestine are harmed, which affects the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food properly. As a result, one will become malnourished, regardless of how much food he or she eats. Gluten is a protein found mostly in wheat, barley, rye, and possibly oats, but it can also be found in everyday products such as medicines, vitamins, and lip balms. About 2 million people in the United States have the disease, yet the exact cause of celiac disease is unknown. This condition can develop at any stage in life, from infancy to adulthood. People who have a family member with the disorder are at an increased risk for contracting the disease. In addition, women are affected more frequently than men. Because the symptoms of celiac disease vary greatly from person to person, it is difficult to diagnose; however, it is unlikely that long-term damage to the intestines will occur prior to diagnosis is made. Although celiac disease cannot be cured, a strict gluten-free diet can curb the symptoms significantly. 2011 Summer WISCONSIN GROCER 23
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Page 5 and 6: WGA Officers Chairman Brad Brooks A
Page 7 and 8: From the PRESIDENT Another One Day
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Gluten-Free Stores - Wisconsin Grocers Association

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