Even Products Not Labeled “Gluten-Free” Benefit From The Phenomenon

The “most potent, generative force” in the food industry – gluten-free food and beverages -- is not going away. A visit to the recent Fancy Food Show bore that out: kombuchas, jerkies, prepackaged sauces, artisanal charcuterie, and small-batch jams were all labeled gluten-free. The U.S. market for gluten-free foods hit $11.6 billion in 2015, up 136 percent from 2013 (Mintel). But those figures only include products specifically labeled “gluten-free.” Other foods and beverages that just happen to be gluten-free are also benefiting. Examples include new dishes on San Francisco restaurant and café menus, in farmers markets and in pastry shops (e.g., almond flour cakes). The fact that gluten-free beer “tastes wretched” spurred the rise of wheat-free hard apple cider and honey-based mead.