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Jul 6, 2006 10:06 ET

Gluten-Free Foods and Beverages - the $1.7 Billion Natural Foods

'Niche' Market

NEW YORK, July 6 /PRNewswire/ -- A decade ago, few had heard of

gluten- free foods and celiac disease was barely on the radar. Now,

with proposed FDA regulations for gluten-free labeling just around the

corner and estimates of 3 million Americans battling celiac disease,

this " niche " market is growing by leaps and bounds, with sales of

gluten-free products expected to top $696 million in 2006, according

to Gluten-Free Foods and Beverages, a new report from market research

publisher Packaged Facts.

With anticipated growth of 25% annually over the next four years,

Packaged Facts projects that the gluten-free market will reach $1.7

billion by the end of 2010 after beginning the decade at a mere $210

million in 2001.

Heavy internal and internet promotion among celiac support groups and

the availability of gluten-free products at specialty and online

stores have helped bring gluten-free into the limelight. Sales growth

in health/natural foods stores -- which at 40% of overall sales

account for the lion's of the market -- as well as supermarkets and

mass merchandisers is well noted, as many retailers have set aside

entire store sections for gluten-free products.

" Gluten-free is not going away. Once a person is diagnosed with celiac

disease the only way to prevent it is to stay on a gluten-free diet, "

notes Don Montuori, the publisher of Packaged Facts. " With as many as

97% of celiacs remaining undiagnosed, this remains a largely untapped

market that will continue to evolve as more people are diagnosed and

more innovative gluten- free products are made available. "

Source: Packaged Facts

Web site: http://www.packagedfacts.com/

http://www.packagedfacts.com/pub/1299596.html

http://www.marketresearch.com/