Interest in “free-from” foods continues to rise globally, led by the growing availability of gluten-free lines. In a review of 2014 product launches, new items positioned on a gluten-free platform accounted for 9% of total global food and drink introductions recorded by Innova Market Insights. Interestingly enough, the US saw a double-digit increase, a 17% rise, in new gluten-free introductions last year.
These increases are partly due to improved labeling regulations, but also due to rising awareness of dietary gluten intolerance and development of more mainstream and better tasting gluten-free products across food and drink sectors.