The question is whether it is worth investing in a gluten-free business or whether it is just a passing fad. Is it worth setting up a specialised business or adapting an existing one? Is it a good opportunity to transform yourself in order to sell more and expand your customer base?
An opportunity that requires a significant effort
Businesses related to people's health care require the utmost commitment from everyone in the company. You cannot fail when it comes to a food business that offers gluten-free products, because the consequences of a gluten-intolerant person consuming it can be very serious. This is why gluten-free businesses require a high level of commitment to complying with special processes in the treatment and handling of food, not accepting half measures.
For example, in a restaurant, special utensils and freight forwarders brokers email lists equipment are required for cooking gluten-free products, since cross-contamination with other gluten-containing foods must be avoided. This means that more will need to be spent on equipment (e.g. more fryers), more raw materials (e.g. more oil), packaging and labelling (including “gluten-free” logos and nutritional information) and also on employee training .
Staff training is one of the key points in gluten-free businesses, since it is essential that they understand the problems of people affected by intolerance, and the protocols for action in case a problem arises. In the service sector, in shops and restaurants, this is not an easy task to solve, especially in the case of businesses with high staff turnover and a very marked temporary employment profile. Even so, it is not something that cannot be solved and, why not, it can be a plus when hiring a candidate, if they already come with training for celiac clients.
It is also important for employees to understand the scope of gluten intolerance, in order to foster a connection with customers who, when their problem is resolved, are more likely to buy again and be loyal to the business. If a good product and service is provided to a customer of this type, their profile makes them ideal for loyalty and for establishing a long-term business relationship. If their requests for products they cannot find or that they need for their diet are listened to and some of their problems are resolved, it is a plus for connecting with the customer.
