New Food and Beverage Rollout: June 2013

Editor’s Note: Numerous gluten-free products hit store shelves this May, which was Celiac Awareness Month. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder triggered by the consumption of gluten that leads to extensive damage in the small intestine of genetically susceptible people. There is no medication to treat the disease; it is imperative that affected individuals follow a strict gluten-free diet. Interestingly, among the non-celiac population, gluten-free food products have come to be recognized as being more healthful than conventional products. Thus, the increasing number of celiac sufferers, gluten intolerants and health-conscious people has brought double-digit growth to the gluten-free market.