Taking the Gluten-Free message to supermarkets
By Derek Thompson
The need for Gluten Free food has been with us for many years but recently it has become mainstream as more consumers are diagnosed as Coeliac and more suppliers recognise the growing demand for wider choice and better tasting products.
Despite all the talk and hype around the topic the majority of people know little or nothing about Coeliac Disease or why Gluten Free products play such an important part in many people’s lives!
Ian Elliott, manager at the very progressive McCool’s SuperValu in Ballymoney, spotted us in the Food NI Producers 2016 Guide, realised that his store staff were selling GF food but didn’t really know why so he contacted us for advice.
That led to us doing an in–store Supermarket Masterclass on Gluten Free food in which we explained to the McCool’s SuperValu staff the reason why GF food is essential for so many people. We finished our talks by giving the staff some practical ideas to help develop their GF range and improve relationships with their current and potential GF customers.
The talks were well received, feedback was very positive and when we returned a few days later for an in-store GF Food tasting event we were delighted to hear that some of our suggestions had already been implemented.
News of this training class has already spread and we have had enquiries from other supermarkets around Northern Ireland.
Contact details can be found here: https://www.nigoodfood.com/producers/gluten-free-ireland/ or by email: derek@glutenfreeireland.com
