Gluten-Free Foods and Beverages in the U.S., 3rd Edition

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Market Insights: A Selection From The Report

2010 Finishes Off With $2.64 Billion in Retail Sales, Ahead of Projections

Packaged Facts previously projected that sales of gluten-free foods and beverages would reach $2.3 billion by 2011, but current estimates put the market at $2.64 billion in 2010, for a
compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30% over the 2006-2010 period. [Table 1-1]

Mainstreaming: The Next Generation

Once considered part of the dietary fringe, GF foods have been embraced by a wide variety of consumers, accepted as healthy food items by those whose diets are not restricted, and
generally considered of higher quality than their conventional versions, much as kosher foods are. Mainstream marketers taking the GF plunge, chain stores have become the preferred
retail channel, and there has been surge in the sales and number of dedicated GF products carried by the supermarkets and mass merchandisers tracked by SymphonyIRI. As one
marketer interviewed by Packaged Facts put it, gluten-free is becoming “just a regular grocery item.”

Indeed, with large supermarkets and mass retailers recognizing the viability and evident longevity of the GF market, the share of the market held by health and natural food stores has
been halved in just two years, from 30% to 16%.

Half of Gluten-free Consumers Shop at Walmart

Packaged Facts conducted a national online poll in Fall 2010 to examine consumers’attitudes, behaviors, and preferences regarding gluten-free food products. The sample
consisted of 1,881 U.S. adults (age 18+) balanced to census data on measures of age, gender,geographic, region, ethnicity and income, of whom 15% reported buying or consuming food
products flagged “gluten-free” within the past 30 days.

These findings provide further evidence of a shift toward mass channels. Just under half of GF shoppers said they buy their products at Walmart, followed closely by supermarket
chains, cited by 44%. [Figure 6-3]

Gluten-Free Foods and Beverages Become Mainstream Sensations as Part of a Healthy Lifestyle Choice

New York, February 2, 2011 —Once regarded as a niche product that was only of interest to people who couldn’t tolerate wheat, gluten-free foods and beverages have quickly transformed into a mainstream sensation, embraced by consumers both out of necessity and as a personal choice toward achieving a healthier way to live, according to Gluten-Free Foods and Beverages in the U.S., 3rd Edition by market research publisher Packaged Facts.

"People with celiac disease have been the natural drivers of the gluten free market," says Don Montuori, publisher of Packaged Facts. "However, there is evidence suggested that eliminating gluten from the diet may relieve autism in children and adult rheumatoid arthritis. Add to that the healthy ‘aura’ some consumers have attached to gluten-free products, and you create a demand for these foods and beverages that mainstream food manufacturers and retailers are increasingly happy to satisfy."

According to the report, in 2010, the U.S. gluten-free foods and beverages market reached an estimated $2.6 billion in retail sales. The market enjoyed a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30% over the 2006-2010 period. Packaged Facts predicts that growth will continue over the next five years, as the market approaches $6 billion in 2015.

General Mills’ transformation of its popular Rice Chex cereal into a gluten-free product without changing the taste-molasses was substituted for barely-based sweetener-stands as a milestone indicator of the breadth of impact gluten-free products are having on mainstream consciousness. As of November 2010, General Mills— which has acquired the Larabar brand of gluten free nutrition bars—claims to offer 250 gluten-free products, including five varieties of Chex and numerous products under the venerable Betty Crocker and Bisquick brands.

Another striking indication of the mainstreaming trend is the notable shift in the retail distribution of gluten-free products from specialty stores to chains. The surge in the sales and number of dedicated gluten-free products carried by the supermarkets and mass merchandisers demonstrates that gluten-free is becoming, as one marketer interviewed by Packaged Facts in the report states, "just a regular grocery item."

Gluten-Free Foods and Beverages in the U.S., 3rd Edition analyzes the U.S. market in detail, and provides valuable insights and recommendations regarding emerging consumer trends, the products gluten- and allergy-sensitive consumers seek, and how companies can participate in this market on a global scale. No other market research report provides both the comprehensive analysis and extensive data offered in this industry study. Easy-to-read and practical charts, tables, graphs, and illustrations make this report exceptionally user-friendly.

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