Rudi's Organic Bakery thrives with new Gluten Free line
There are an estimated three million people in the U.S. suffering from celiac. Rudi's Organic Bakery of Boulder, Colorado recognized this niche, and set upon a two-year journey to develop a line of gluten-free breads with exceptional taste. Today, these breads are available nationally at natural foods stores and select mainstream supermarkets.
The bakery sat down with National Honey Board and talked about their gluten-free journey, the challenges of producing great-tasting gluten-free breads, and how honey helps gluten-free breads taste great and maintain their moisture.
When did Rudi's Organic Bakery start noticing a demand for gluten-free breads?
For years, people have been asking us to bake gluten-free breads that are as delicious and wholesome as our organic breads. In fact, it was the one request we seemed to be getting over any other. So, two years ago, we started on our gluten-free journey.
After trying nearly every gluten-free bread on the market, and talking to over a hundred gluten-free consumers, we discovered it was nearly impossible to find gluten-free bread that tasted good straight from the package and that was easy to make sandwiches with. It became our mission to make gluten-free bread with the taste, look and feel of regular bread.
For nearly two years we worked with gluten-free experts and consumers to perfect our formulas. After a lot of trial and error—we tested more than 100 formulas—we finally landed on a recipe that we believe tastes, looks and feels like regular bread. Plus, sticking to our heritage, all of our gluten-free breads are made with only the highest quality, all-natural ingredients.
Our first line of gluten-free breads launched last summer and includes three varieties, Gluten-Free Original, Gluten-Free Multigrain and Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin.
What are the biggest challenges in producing gluten-free breads, and how does Rudi's Gluten Free bakery overcome these challenges and produce great-tasting breads?
The biggest challenge to overcome in the gluten-free market segment is taste. After trying nearly every gluten-free bread on the market, we quickly discovered it was nearly impossible to find gluten-free bread that tasted good straight from the package. Similarly, it was challenging to find gluten-free bread with a texture that kept the bread from crumbling when used to make a sandwich, and that provided nutritional content close to that of regular bread.
We worked hard with gluten-free experts to create gluten-free breads using only natural ingredients that taste terrific straight out of the package and that have a texture similar to regular bread. Our gluten-free breads have a strong nutrition profile, taste wonderful, and work well for everything from making a sandwich to creating gourmet recipes, like gluten-free stuffing or bread pudding.
What role does honey play in Rudi's Original and Multigrain varieties?
The use of honey in Rudi's Gluten-Free breads serves two key purposes. First, as bakers who care about using high quality, simple, wholesome ingredients, honey is a great way to add sweetness to our product while staying true to our all-natural heritage. Secondly, honey helps with product moisture, giving our bread that soft, moist delicious texture that makes it more like real bread.
How do you think the gluten free category will grow/evolve, and how will Rudi's Organic Bakery be a leader in this category?
Consumer interest in gluten-free foods is increasing because the incidence of diagnosis and awareness of celiac disease and gluten intolerances is growing. The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness estimates that 1 in 133 Americans has celiac disease, not to mention the many others who suffer from gluten intolerances.
With increased diagnosis, we've also seen an increase in consumer education, understanding and demand for more gluten-free-friendly food options that taste great and provide comparable nutritional value to regular foods. This trend will no doubt continue in 2011. In fact, the gluten-free market is one of the fastest growing food trends. With the only existing treatment for celiac today being a 100 percent gluten-free diet, it is not surprising the gluten-free food industry was predicted to reach $2.8 billion by the end of 2010.
Does Rudi's Gluten Free Bakery have any plans to launch more bread products, and will the line be expanding into new bakery food categories?
As a pioneer in the baking industry with a long tradition of innovation, we're excited to create delicious gluten-free bread and baked goods that allow those who suffer from celiac disease and gluten intolerances a healthy, brighter outlook by letting them truly enjoy bread again. We want to help our customers feel like they don't have to give anything up to go gluten-free.
Our goal with Rudi's Gluten-Free Bakery is to create a complete line of breads and baked goods that mirrors our organic offerings, from breads and buns, to tortillas and English muffins. We're excited that our next gluten-free product launch will be brought to market late this spring.
Learn more about Rudi's Gluten-Free Bakery at www.rudisglutenfree.com
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