Free-From

Can frozen make mainstream? FREE-FROM

Free-from foods, once a niche market catering for those with allergies and intolerances, is now a culinary trend affecting both foodservice menus and supermarket shelves. As ever

growing numbers opt for alternatives to carbohydrates, dairy, meat and wheat, could frozen lead the way in making free-from the new normal? Emma Scott investigates.

The free-from market is expanding at an exponential rate, giving rise to a new, more health-conscious shopper. Of course, allergy sufferers remain an important focus for retailers, but ‘lifestylers’ are one of the biggest segments driving the growth of free-from new product development.

According to figures from Mintel, almost half of UK adults are choosing to avoid certain foods or ingredients and 39% regularly buy free-from foods and drinks. The majority of these consumers are making buying decisions based on health choices rather than health needs.

Now this market segment has expanded beyond those with specific dietary requirements, free-from manufacturers are under increasing pressure to create offerings that rival their conventional counterparts in quality and flavour.

After all, those who choose free-from for lifestyle reasons have the option to turn their back on it if they feel the choice or standard isn’t high enough.

Chris Hook, director for free-from products at Newburn Bakehouse, believes frozen food companies should do more to accommodate this evolving consumer lifestyle choice.

He says: “With the convenience of frozen food increasingly attracting a younger customer, it’s important for companies to cater for free-from consumers to avoid losing their share of this expanding market.”

The good news is that, thanks to its longer shelf life, frozen has an advantage over other sectors when it comes to creating new and exciting free-from products.

According to bakers Bells of Lazonby, frozen is a space where manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers are able to take risks with innovation because they have the perfect shelf-life extension tool.

“Freezing gives scope for manufacturers to be more adventurous with flavours and format because the shelf life can be shorter upon defrost compared with ambient products which often need to have a longer shelf life. The frozen aspect of the product also means that if new, more innovative flavours take a little while to catch on with end consumers they can remain frozen for longer until a healthy rate of sale is established,” says Emily Sudell, brand manager for We Love Cake, one of Bells' ranges.

Claire Williams, group marketing manager at Caterforce, agrees and says there is no reason to compromise on flavour for free-from options. “Retailers and foodservice outlets don’t need to compromise on taste when making free-from dishes. There are a lot of outlets offering some great free-from options - it’s all about being creative, exploring alternative products and looking at different flavours.”

Of course producing any free-from product is not as clear-cut as it once was. The very definition has evolved, creating a challenge across the entire food industry.

Where once free-from simply referred to gluten or dairy, it can now also mean allergen-free or even be referring to the entire supply chain or excess plastic packaging. Not forgetting, of course, meatfree.

The growing demand for plant-based meat alternatives from both allergy sufferers and free-from lifestylers is impacting the way Bells of Lazonby creates its free-from range.

“Products that are gluten free and also carry the vegan accreditation will be performing strongly. As a manufacturer and brand owner of free-from cakes into the food service, our fastest growth areas have been the lines which are vegan in addition to free-from,” explains Emily Sudell.

“One of our fastest growing lines for instance is our Apple & Elderflower Slice – this is gluten, wheat and milk free and also carries the vegan accreditation.”

However, the increasingly broad definition of free-from is creating confusion for both manufacturers and consumers.

Jon Shayler, chief operating officer at Erudus, says: “The words ‘free from’ are often used to help increase sales or for marketing, but it can be unclear what the product is actually free from. Better regulation is required to help caterers, retailers and consumers more easily understand the specifications for such products.”

The government plans to introduce new legislation which will mandate full ingredients labelling for foods that are prepacked for direct sale. The new laws will come into force in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by summer 2021.

The confusion around free-from labelling was highlighted by the tragic case of an 11-year-old boy who died after suffering an allergic reaction to a major supermarket’s own-brand chocolate bar.

Raffi Pownall’s father believed the product was free from milk and therefore safe for his son to consume. However, the free-from reference on the packaging actually related to gluten.

In light of such events it’s perhaps unsurprising that, according to an Ubamarket survey, 39% of the nation do not believe they are fully informed of all the ingredients in their food.

One way to mitigate this is the use of product information management software which can be used to collect detailed information from suppliers about their products, such as allergen and nutritional information, as well as other product specifications.

According to software supplier Trade Interchange, ‘without proper management of the supply chain companies will be unaware whether their product is in fact contaminated by allergens of which they are supposedly free, a mistake that can lead to the collapse of a company’s reputation.’

But as the popularity of free-from grows, and the quality of products becomes increasingly indistinguishable from conventional offerings, perhaps we are heading towards a future where freefrom is the norm. If everything on the menu is not only gluten and dairy free, but also looks and tastes amazing, everyone would have a great selection of food they can eat without risk. There are already examples of this in action.

The Pastry Room’s ‘stay-crisp’ gluten-free fish batter is currently favoured by some kitchens as an alternative to wheat. Stuart Wright, director of Pub24, exclusively uses the batter: “We’ve had many fantastic comments from our customers, not just the gluten free ones,” he says.

Working in partnership with The Pie Life, The Pastry Room’s gluten-free and vegan pies are also popular among pubs and restaurants. Julian Clarke, director of Surrey-based Red Mist Leisure group, says: “No longer are gluten-free customers limited to a lesser offering, but they are able to enjoy the same great tasting pub classics as everyone else.”

Developing free-from alternatives to our favourite foods is no easy feat, but freezing food gives our sector the flexibility to be experimental and innovative with new flavours, while also giving us the edge over other sectors that are constrained by limited shelf life.

If we’re heading to a new way of choosing, buying and eating our food, frozen is ideally positioned to lead the charge.

“Freezing gives scope for manufacturers to be more adventurous with flavours and format because the shelf life can be shorter upon defrost compared with ambient products which often need to have a longer shelf life.”

Emily Sudell – We Love Cake brand manager.

FREE-FROM