[babysteps]

Here's the link to the article, although it may require a subscription to see the whole thing:

http://online.wsj.co...8279583139.html

Basically, General Mills figured out that people who eat gluten-free are very loyal customers. So their marketing costs for gluten-free can be low - some booths at gluten-free events, a little targeted advertising on gluten-free websites, and away they go. Article says General Mills tests their production facility to "assure a gluten free environment" and that they expect to charge about $2 more per box of gluten-free Betty Crocker mix vs. non-gluten-free.

While the headline says "wheat free", the entire article is about gluten-free (including a sentence about increasing diagnosis of celiac disease).

There's also a graph that cites "Mintel Global New Products Database" as source that shows almost 6,000 new products in 2008 claimed to be gluten-free, but that less than a quarter of those were US-based.

I have a subscription and it lets me email an accessible link of the article, if you are interested in reading the whole thing and the link doesn't work for you, send me a pm (I am about to head out for a long weekend, so if you don't hear from me before Monday Jul 6th don't get worried).

[kenlove]

Thanks for posting the link. Been hearing about this all day. COUld nto see the whole story but the comments were interesting!

ken

babysteps, on Jul 2 2009, 08:32 AM, said:

Here's the link to the article, although it may require a subscription to see the whole thing:

http://online.wsj.co...8279583139.html

Basically, General Mills figured out that people who eat gluten-free are very loyal customers. So their marketing costs for gluten-free can be low - some booths at gluten-free events, a little targeted advertising on gluten-free websites, and away they go. Article says General Mills tests their production facility to "assure a gluten free environment" and that they expect to charge about $2 more per box of gluten-free Betty Crocker mix vs. non-gluten-free.

While the headline says "wheat free", the entire article is about gluten-free (including a sentence about increasing diagnosis of celiac disease).

There's also a graph that cites "Mintel Global New Products Database" as source that shows almost 6,000 new products in 2008 claimed to be gluten-free, but that less than a quarter of those were US-based.

I have a subscription and it lets me email an accessible link of the article, if you are interested in reading the whole thing and the link doesn't work for you, send me a pm (I am about to head out for a long weekend, so if you don't hear from me before Monday Jul 6th don't get worried).

[daphniela]

babysteps, on Jul 2 2009, 09:32 AM, said:

Here's the link to the article, although it may require a subscription to see the whole thing:

http://online.wsj.co...8279583139.html

Basically, General Mills figured out that people who eat gluten-free are very loyal customers. So their marketing costs for gluten-free can be low - some booths at gluten-free events, a little targeted advertising on gluten-free websites, and away they go. Article says General Mills tests their production facility to "assure a gluten free environment" and that they expect to charge about $2 more per box of gluten-free Betty Crocker mix vs. non-gluten-free.

While the headline says "wheat free", the entire article is about gluten-free (including a sentence about increasing diagnosis of celiac disease).

There's also a graph that cites "Mintel Global New Products Database" as source that shows almost 6,000 new products in 2008 claimed to be gluten-free, but that less than a quarter of those were US-based.

I have a subscription and it lets me email an accessible link of the article, if you are interested in reading the whole thing and the link doesn't work for you, send me a pm (I am about to head out for a long weekend, so if you don't hear from me before Monday Jul 6th don't get worried).

I haven't found the Betty Crocker gluten free mixes yet. I just live without desserts unless, I make it from scratch. If its $2 more, I will never buy it. A lot of times the stores around here have 5 for $5 sales on Betty Crocker mixes. If that's not going to include the gluten free mixes, I will live without.

[Mskedi]

Here the Betty Crocker mixes were $1 more than the other mixes, so I bought them for a reasonable price. Not bad. I haven't tried them yet... I don't actually often make desserts, but I was so excited to see them that I couldn't resist.

That article was interesting. I didn't think about how much they could save on marketing costs since they can depend on a pretty loyal market for their gluten-free products.

[Maddy1]

Mskedi, on Jul 7 2009, 02:03 PM, said:

Here the Betty Crocker mixes were $1 more than the other mixes, so I bought them for a reasonable price. Not bad. I haven't tried them yet... I don't actually often make desserts, but I was so excited to see them that I couldn't resist.

That article was interesting. I didn't think about how much they could save on marketing costs since they can depend on a pretty loyal market for their gluten-free products.

A friend just found them for me in her local Roche Bros. They were on special for 2/$7. It's a little steep when they're not on sale though.
But let me tell you.........DELICIOUS and very easy! I've had the brownies and the chocolate cake, which I made cupcakes with and froze the extra for later. Nobody, not even my very picky husband knew they were gluten-free. Making the cupcakes made sense for freezing and portion control.