Gluten-free living

Demand is growing fast for gluten-free products and consumers can choose from a bigger selection of products than before.

Balázs Mészáros
sales and marketing manager
Cerbona

Balázs Mészáros, sales and marketing manager of Cerbona Élelmiszergyártó Kft. thinks that gluten-free products will require more shelf space than they have now. Gluten-free Cerbona products are performing well, for instance like-for-like sales of gluten-free bars increased by more than 40 percent.

Imre Forgács
sales director
Abonett

Imre Forgács, sales director of Abonett Kft. told our magazine: when they started selling their Abonett gluten-free breads, they were among the company’s lowest-selling products in the first few years. However, something happened in the middle of the 2000s, and annual sales started growing faster than those of classic Abonett products. Today the 100g Abonett Quinoa Extruded Bread is the best-seller and 85 percent of product sales are realised by gluten-free products.

István Mikos
corporate director
Ceres

István Mikos, corporate director of Ceres Zrt. told Trade magazin that their gluten-free products can now be found on the shelves of nearly all major retailers. They make toast bread, hamburger buns, muffins and breadcrumbs.

Szentirmai András
marketing expert
Első Pesti Malom
és Sütőipar

András Szentirmai, marketing expert of Első Pesti Malom- és Sütőipari Zrt. informed that approximately 7 percent of the country’s population say they are sensitive to gluten. Sales are growing fast and the company expects plus 10-11 percent in sales in the next few years. From the company’s assortment, gluten-free products are responsible for 8 percent of value sales.

Mr Mikos explained that gluten-free products belong to the high added value category, therefore consumers accept that fact their prices are higher. Since these products satisfy special dietary needs, smaller sizes are popular as usually, it isn’t the whole family that eats them. Shoppers tend to buy gluten-free products in large stores and specialist shops. Mr Szentirmai added that one of the driving forces behind the category’s growth is that free-from eating is trendy. The products they make are free from additives and they are really high quality. Shoppers are loyal to those gluten-free brands that they have already tried and like.

The main target group of Abonett products is health-conscious consumers some of whom buy gluten- and sugar-free products not because of medical reasons; and of course, there are those shoppers who are sensitive to gluten or flour. Mr Forgács revealed that the consumers who purchase gluten-free Abonett products are less price-sensitive than those who are buying the classic ones. The brand has been the market leader for decades. Mr Mészáros told that one of Cerbona’s priorities is to provide consumers with gluten-free products at affordable prices. Shopper decisions are influenced by the reliability of products, which is certified by the official gluten-free symbol, which is managed by the National Association for Gluten-sensitive People (LÉOE).

Consumers accept that the prices of gluten-free products are high

In the last few years, the new Abonett gluten-free extruded breads made with quinoa, millet, linseed or vegetables became very popular. Since organic foods are trendy too, the company developed a buckwheat containing gluten-free extruded bread as well. As a reaction to consumer need, they also came out with extruded breads enriched with nuts that are considered to be ‘superfoods’. Sales of the gluten-free sandwiches that were introduced last year are on the rise. In the summer of 2020 Abonett will launch a gluten-free product that contains plant-based protein. From Cerbona products gluten-free muesli bars are the most popular. Last year the company rolled out a gluten-free breakfast cereal and two gluten-free oat bars. Soon two gluten-free porridges (in chocolate-strawberry and vanilla-sour cherry flavours) will make their debut.

Ceres is the Hungarian market leader in the toast bread category and this is also true for the gluten-free segment (Ceres Glutafree Toast Bread). Other products of the company include Ceres Glutafree Hamburger Bun and Ceres Glutafree Muffin. Rice flour and corn flour are selling very well from the portfolio of Első Pesti Malom- és Sütőipari Zrt. The company also makes these in corn meal and rice meal version – the latter is a new product and shoppers are getting to like it more and more. Currently one of the main innovation directions is developing gluten-free oat products. //