Cookie maker should court celiac market
Girl Scouts of Nassau County teams up with shipper DHL in April to send thousands of the treats to military troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Credit: Jim Staubitser
Thank you for your article about the lack of gluten-free options in Girl Scout cookies ["Crummy!: Girl Scout with disorder can't eat cookies she sells so well," News, May 31]. It placed a spotlight on a common, but uninformed attitude that is prevalent in many businesses regarding the need to attract and retain customers who, for health reasons, cannot consume gluten.
As a person who is gluten intolerant and a marketing professional, sadly, I can say that the response that was given regarding gluten-free options in Girl Scout cookies is more or less standard, though shortsighted. A producer of regular cookies stating that there has been no demand for gluten-free options is as believable as the assertion by a motorcycle dealer that there is no demand for cars, just because no one has come into their dealership looking to buy one.
Mintel, an international market research group, estimates that nearly 10 percent of shoppers seek gluten-free foods. It forecasts a 15 percent to 25 percent growth in sales of gluten-free products in coming years.
Mary Redler, Wantagh
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