WESTERN FOODSERVICE SHOW
Amy was a speaker last month at the Western Food Show in Downtown Los Angeles. She presented on two topics:
The Power of Accommodating Diners with Dietary Restrictions and “Launching Your New #Gluten-Free Product.”
Amy is one of the leading public relations professionals in the marketing industry, boasting an unsurpassed track record of delivering strategic, results-oriented campaigns for her clients.
Since 2002, Amy Levy Public Relations, Inc. has worked with clients ranging from leading restaurants and specialty food companies to gluten-free products and private-label manufacturers. Amy Levy PRhas built nationwide connections bringing creative ideas to life for a variety of companies seeking growth and expansion opportunities.
As you may know, most people can tolerate eating gluten. However, those with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity (sometimes referred to as “gluten sensitivity” or “gluten intolerance”) suffer a variety of symptoms after consuming gluten.
Celiac disease (also referred to as celiac sprue, non-tropical sprue, and gluten-sensitive enteropathy) is a serious, genetic autoimmune disorder triggered by consuming gluten.
When a person with celiac disease eats gluten, the protein interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food by damaging a part of the small intestine called villi. Damaged villi make it nearly impossible for the body to absorb nutrients into the bloodstream, leading to malnourishment and a host of other problems including some cancers, thyroid disease, osteoporosis, infertility and the onset of other autoimmune diseases.
Non-Celiac gluten sensitivity has been coined to describe those individuals who cannot tolerate gluten and experience symptoms similar to those with #celiac disease yet lack the same antibodies and intestinal damage as seen in celiac disease.
What Restaurants Need to Know When Creating a Gluten-Free Menu
- Review your menu.
- Don’t be afraid to start small.
- Review your ingredients
- Dedicate kitchen space. Avoid cross contact at all costs.
- Spread the word!
Marketing Strategies for the Gluten-Free Sector
- Tools to Promote Gluten-Free Products
- Reach out to several demographic groups and highlight your product’s ingredients.
- Outreach to both consumers and the trade
- Build your online presence
- Reach out to influential natural food bloggers nationally.
- Create a social media campaign to engage followers.
- Advertise in gluten-free magazines
- Exhibit at Trade Shows
- Develop Relationships with New Stores