Gluten free looks poised for continued growth in 2014, according to new research conducted on behalf of FreeBird chicken. Four in 10 health-conscious respondents (41 percent) plan to buy more gluten-free products this year, with 57 percent intending to buy the same amount as they did in 2013. Notably, 70 percent of those surveyed said they regularly purchased products that were labeled gluten free.
“We found it particularly interesting that gluten intolerance or celiac disease was only a factor among about three in 10 of these gluten-free shoppers,” said Barb Quijano, VP of marketing for Hain Pure Protein Corp., which sells FreeBird chicken and Plainville Farms turkey. “About half of the shoppers said they viewed gluten free as ‘healthier.'”
More than half of the consumers also said they prefer that their gluten-free chicken also be antibiotic free and family farmed.
