With Miley Cyrus and Kim Kardashian switching over to gluten free diets, Domino’s was the first business to think there might be some revenue potential. Domino’s is the first national delivery chain to offer gluten free pizza.
This Monday, Domino’s announced it will introduce gluten free pizza crust for its consumers. The new product will be available in all of the about 5,000 stores Domino’s has in the U.S. market. As the press release reads, “Domino’s new Gluten Free Crust provides a great-tasting option for consumers who previously could not enjoy pizza…because of sensitivity to gluten”.
J. Patrick Doyle, president and CEO of Domino’s Pizza, said that the company’s decision to introduce gluten free products is an attempt raise awareness regarding the matter of sensitivity to gluten. “The prevalence of gluten sensitivity has become a real issue with significant impact on consumer choice and we want to be a part of the solution” said Doyle.
The company also got into a partnership with the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) and was accredited through the organization’s program called GREAT Kitchens. Alice Bast, founder and president at NFCA, said: “The NFCA is thrilled that Domino’s Pizza has developed a product that will improve the quality of life for many of the estimated 18 million Americans who are gluten sensitive”.
So the break through new gluten free product will be available in Domino’s restaurants in small size only, at 10 inch. However, since the gluten free pizza is made in a common kitchen, the NFCA does not recommend the product to people suffering from celiac disease.
“Domino’s and the NFCA found that while the crust is certified as gluten free, current store operations at Domino’s cannot guarantee that each handcrafted pizza will be completely free from gluten” read the press release.
Celiac disease is the immune system’s reaction to gluten that causes damage in small intestines. On top of that, common symptoms are nausea, constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, bloating, vomiting and abdominal pain.
With celebrities such as Miley Cyrus and Kim Kardashian raising awareness regarding the gluten free diet, it’s likely that more and more consumers will start to put under scrutiny products based on gluten. The next step would be a gluten free beer brand.
