Slade Gorton, a provider of seafood through foodservice and retail channels, and Elevation Brands, supplier of natural allergy-friendly/gluten-free foods, have inked a deal to put these food choices on menus everywhere.
This Slade Gorton/Elevation Brands partnership will give foodservice distributors and operators a consistent, reliable source of allergy-friendly/gluten-free seafood and non-seafood items sold under the ICYBAY and Ian’s brands. ICYBAY is Slade Gorton’s seafood brand, and Ian’s is Elevation Brand’s line of natural, allergy-friendly/gluten-free frozen foods.
Millions of allergy and gluten-intolerant (Celiac disease) sufferers, as well as anyone focused on better nutrition, now can order allergy-friendly, gluten-free versions of foods, including seafood, at schools and institutions, in restaurants and workplace cafeterias.
According to the Celiac Disease Center, 18 million Americans suffer from Celiac disease, an intolerance to gluten found in wheat, barley, and other grains. Allergies to other common food ingredients including dairy and soy are also on the rise in children and adults. As a result, public institutions including schools and government organizations are under increasing pressure to offer allergy-friendly/gluten-free items in cafeterias and eateries.
The US gluten-free market reached $4.2 billion in 2012 and is poised to reach $6.6 billion by 2017, according to a report by Packaged Facts, a market research publisher.
Now broadline distributors, GPOs, foodservice management companies, independent universities, school systems, national and regional restaurant chains, and the military can confidently offer two lines of allergy-friendly/gluten-free versions of favorites including breaded fish sticks and filets, chicken patties, French bread pizza, and chicken nuggets.
Slade Gorton is a member of WBENC (Women Business Enterprise National Council).
Visit www.sladegorton.com, www.elevationbrands.com, orwww.iansnaturalfoods.com for more information.
