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9/15/05
Gluten-Free Boom Presents
Opportunities for Retailers
Gluten Intolerance is 10 Times
Higher Than Expected
DENVER,
CO: New research shows
that the need for a gluten-free
diet is 10 times higher than
experts originally predicted.
Retailers should prepare to meet
the needs of this growing niche,
say two experts on the
gluten-free diet.
This is the message that Shelley
Case, RD and Carol Fenster,
Ph.D. will bring to retailers at
the Natural Products Expo East
trade show on September 15 at
the Washington,
DC Convention Center. Case
is a dietitian who counsels
gluten-free patients and the
author of Gluten-Free Diet,
www.glutenfreediet.ca.
Fenster is a chef who develops
gluten-free products for
manufacturers and is the author
of Gluten-Free 101,
www.glutenfree101.com and
the newly released Cooking
Free, a gluten-free cookbook
for those who also avoid dairy
and eggs.
”These two experts hosted a
similar event at this year’s
Expo West,” says Susan Fecko,
Expo Education Manager. “We
received such wonderful feedback
from attendees that we decided
to have them back at Expo East.”
At Expo East, Case and Fenster
will go into greater depth as
they explain that this diet is
not a fad but a medically
prescribed avoidance of gluten
which is a protein in wheat that
is toxic for some people. The
two experts will help retailers
understand the medical necessity
of the gluten-free diet and how
stores can stock their shelves
and market effectively to
gluten-free consumers.
“Food manufacturers are
responding to the need for
gluten-free products. According
to the Natural Foods
Merchandiser, the number of
gluten-free products jumped 88%
between 2002 and 2003,” says
Fenster, who has been
gluten-free for 17 years. Total
food dollars spent on allergies
and intolerances––gluten-free
products are a part of
this––will rise to nearly $4
billion by 2008, she adds.
People who need gluten-free
diets are those with allergies
or intolerances to wheat or
related grains such as barley,
rye, spelt, and possibly oats.
Nearly 3 million Americans have
celiac disease, an autoimmune
form of gluten intolerance in
which gluten damages the ability
to absorb nutrients. The
condition can be fatal if not
treated with a gluten-free diet.
“There is no magic pill or
surgery for gluten intolerance,”
says Case. “The only treatment
is total avoidance of gluten for
the rest of one’s life. This
makes the gluten-free consumer a
repeat buyer––and very
attractive to retailers.”
Fenster will sign copies of her
new gluten-free cookbook,
Cooking Free, on Friday,
September 16 at 11:30 AM at the
Nutri-Books Booth, #2014.
For more information about
Natural Products Expo East go to
www.expoeast.com. For more
information about the
gluten-free lifestyle, go to
www.gluten.net,
www.glutenfreediet.ca, or
www.glutenfree101.com where
there is also a Media Room. To
schedule an interview, call
800.741.5418.
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