First Gluten-Free Craft Beer Debuts At Six Texas Whole Foods Stores

Last updated on June 2nd, 2016 at 02:11 pm

Good Life Imports Inc. has partnered with Austin-based Whole Foods Market to bring the world’s first 100 percent barley malt gluten-free beer to Texans. Independent brewer Laitilan Wirvoitusjuomatehdas Oy’s (LWT) innovative Kukko Pils beer will be available in six Austin, Dallas and San Antonio stores. Additional rollout is expected in craft beer establishments and retail locations throughout Texas in the coming weeks.

“Kukko Pils is unique because it is made with traditional ingredients for great taste, but uses a completely proprietary, natural method to remove the gluten,” said Rami Aarikka, CEO of LWT.

In 2001, LWT set out to make an award-winning pilsner. During the process, the company discovered a natural way to brew beer with only barley, hops, water and yeast that consistently tests below 20 parts per million of gluten, which is the European standard as safe for gluten-free diets. Unlike other barley-based beers marketed as gluten reduced, this one-of-a-kind process does not rely on enzymes to remove the gluten. The process is natural and has been relied upon by celiacs in Finland for over a decade. In fact, multiple styles of Kukko beers have been certified by the Finnish Coeliac Society as safe for gluten-free diets.

“I stumbled on Kukko while on a business trip and founded Good Life Imports to bring this great product to the U.S. for celiacs like me,” said Jason Dyer, co-founder of GLI. “I trust Kukko to be a safe choice for my dietary restrictions that actually tastes like beer.”

Kukko Pils will be the first Kukko-branded beer available in these Texas Whole Foods Market stores:

• 2510 McKinney Avenue, Dallas Texas
• 4801 Colleyville Boulevard, Colleyville, Texas
• 4100 lomo Alto, Dallas, Texas (available beginning June 4)
• 525 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin, Texas
• Whole Foods, 4301 W. William Cannon Drive, Austin, Texas
• Whole Foods, 18403 Blanco Road, San Antonio, Texas

“We’re thrilled to bring this great Finnish product to beer fans in Texas,” said Mikko Makinen, GLI co-founder. “With 20 percent of U.S. households now shopping for low gluten products, we see a significant opportunity to give consumers a better tasting alternative.”

Those interested in following the rollout and availability of Kukko should follow #kukkobeer on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit kukkobeers.com.