Dive Brief:
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Goodman Gluten Free introduced its gluten-free baked goods to Ahold USA this month, expanding its store reach to over 2,000 supermarkets since its 2015 launch, according to Project NOSH.
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This partnership should boost Goodman's earnings to $2 million this year, compared to earnings of $700,000 and a store footprint of 600 groceries in 2016.
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The company is cooking up a new product line innovations, including hamburger buns, muffins and full cakes, which are expected to be in-store by early May. Goodman is also working on crouton, bread crumb and bagel recipes that are expected to launch later this year, company founder Bob Goodman told Project NOSH.
Dive Insight:
The gluten-free market, initially targeting people with celiac disease and other gluten intolerances, has been showing up on Google trends reports for more than a decade. Since then, the trend has become a popular lifestyle choice for people without dietary restrictions as well, and gluten-free products are perceived as healthier — and even more premium — than traditional applications by many consumers.
The category's broad, still-growing consumer base makes it a lucrative space for food manufacturers to expand into. Bob Goodman, who's been associated with the bakery industry for 40 years, seems to have created a gluten-free line at just the right time.
Goodman Gluten Free's addition of three new gluten-free product lines also suggests confidence in the staying power of this food trend, giving manufacturers who haven't yet dabbled in the space an opportunity to get on board. According to Packaged Facts, U.S. sales of gluten-free products, estimated at $973 million in 2014, are expected to top $2 billion by 2019.
Gluten-free grab-and-go baked goods like muffins, cinnamon rolls and bagels also seem to be of particular interest to consumers as more people embrace the morning foods segment. Future Market Insights reported that worldwide demand for convenient breakfast products topped $1 billion in 2015, and desire for convenient, nutritious breakfast foods continues to grow.