Dive Brief:
- The global gluten-free foods and beverages market will reach $4.64 billion this year, according to a recent report from Visiongain. The company expects the market will show steady growth during the next 10 years, backed by increases in the number of people with gluten intolerance and celiac disease, and the embrace of the "free from" trend by consumers.
- The gluten-free sector must overcome issues such as price conscious consumers, the possibility of cross contamination with other ingredients during processing, as well as naturally gluten-free products.
- The report provides forecasts for 2016-2026 in terms of value sales, and provides profiles of five leaders in the gluten-free foods and beverages market.
Dive Insight:
Concerns about cross contamination are paramount when delivering gluten-free ingredients, particularly when research shows one in 10 global food and drink launches for a 12-month period leading up to April 2015 were gluten free.
Last fall, General Mills recalled 1.8 million boxes of cereal when gluten-free oat flour was contaminated at one its plants in California. Manufacturers of gluten-free foods and beverages are addressing challenges with innovations such as a cleaning system developed by Quaker Oats to remove stray grains to ensure its oats meet federal standards.
Manufacturers are also improving the taste of gluten-free products across a range of food and drink sectors, according to research by Innova Market Insights.