Gluten-free meatballs ‘opportunity’ for Irish butchers
Butchers, food producers and retailers should capitalise on the lack of gluten-free meatballs sold across Ireland after research found one in five Irish consumers regularly shop for gluten-free food.
As the research came out on 19 April, GlobalMeatNews asked Bord Bía how the meat industry could capitalise on what appears to be rising demand in the market, with celebrities such as tennis pro Novak Djokovic advocating a gluten-free lifestyle.
“Our new research demonstrates a need for increased gluten-free offerings in the prepared meats category – products such as meatballs and other (bread crumbed) coated meat and fish, for example,” Paula Donoghue, Bord Bía’s consumer insight manager told this site in an email.
Demand for gluten-free meat
“Although gluten-free consumers appreciate the effort that Irish butchers and retailers are making around gluten-free, there is a great opportunity to increase the range of gluten-free meat products available in the market.
“Along with alcoholic drinks, meat and fish are the least-considered categories when it comes to gluten-free. Currently only one in four of those surveyed would consider the meat and fish category for gluten-free products.”
The global market for gluten-free food is worth $3.5bn and it is growing at a rate of 5% annually, Bord Bía claimed. In some parts of Europe, the value of the market is rising by 20%.
Just in Ireland, the market is currently worth €66m, a year-on-year turnover increase of 36%, according to Kantar Worldpanel data referenced by Bord Bía’s report.
Bord Bía’s research into gluten-free was based on interviews with what it called “key influencers”, a demographically representative online survey, interviews with 15 consumers of gluten-free products and an analysis of existing reports
