What a great idea for bakeries in retail grocery chains, I thought.
After reading the story of how Whole Foods started their first gluten free bakery, Gluten Free Bakehouse , I couldn’t help but wonder. Why don’t more grocery chains follow this idea? Where is the responsiveness to take advantage of this proven business model? Maybe corporate grocery execs lack the vision to go after the growing gluten free market share. Maybe bakers are unfamiliar with gluten free recipes. certification procedures, and production. Maybe the GF industry hasn’t had enough sales steam until recently. Whatever the reasons for hesitation, the time seems perfect for decision-makers to consider this current, well-proven business idea and act.
This business model is a no-brainer with great upside. Central production is already old news, having been proven successful for years in the restaurant industry with many large chains like Olive Garden. The advantages are numerous:
- Grocery chains already have many duplicate bakeries operating within close distribution proximity.
- The cost to certify one store bakery is minimal.
- Using a fully certified GF blend like Flour Farm Organic Gluten Free Flour Blend can help make the switch easier by already being fully certified, and offering experienced GF recipe consultation which will save R & D costs and provide amazingly delicious results.
- By omitting wheat, flour blends like Flour Farm have remarkable high-quality freeze/reheat capabilities that allow for less wastage and cheaper distribution costs.
- Dedicating just one bakery as GF can provide all stores with across-the-chain consistency for quality flavor and freshness.
- The margins for house-made baked items dwarf ready-to-eat costly packaged GF products.
- Catering to the grateful social-media-rabid gluten free buyers will increase market share.
- Offering organic gluten free products helps to provide the positive image that you care about customers current needs and desires for healthy food.
- Gluten free and chemically clean currently plays well on social media and generates ad buzz and store brand draw
So, get on it stores. The upward GF curve is here. Go get your share of this market before another competitor does. The time is now.
For more information on gluten free production and recipe consultation contact Flour Farm – hello@flour.farm