The Gluten Free Bar’s Power Breakfast range puts convenience spin on traditional oatmeal

25 Oct 2017 --- Snack brand The Gluten Free Bar (GFB) is aiming to push the envelope of inventive snack food creation with the introduction of its new oatmeal line, GFB Power Breakfast, available in five varieties: Coconut Cashew; Fruits, Nuts, and Seeds; PB+J; Apple Cinnamon; and Maple Raisin. Each Power Breakfast variety features high-protein oatmeal with no added sugar and a healthy mix of add-ins including sun-ripened fruit, nuts and seeds. 

The range is set to be available at natural health food stores in the US with a suggested retail price of US$2.49 per 2-ounce (57g) package.

Power Breakfast is also ready in 90 seconds by simply removing the top of the package and filling with hot water. The unique package folds flat for easy portability, but pops open to create a bowl that can be microwaved and then recycled when finished.

“Consumers have a stigma about gluten-free foods: they think they taste bad. That is the ceiling that we continue to battle against, but perceptions are changing, and we want to play a part in that by developing fun and flavorful, better-for-you gluten-free snacks that people will look forward to eating,” Elliott Rader, Co-Founder/Partner at The GFB: Gluten Free Bar, tells NutritionInsight on the appeal of gluten-free products.  

“We hear from consumers all the time that, while they don't need to eat gluten-free, they love our products because they taste great and are good for them. We feel that segment will continue to grow as people try our products (and other great tasting gluten-free products from other manufacturers) and begin to realize that gluten-free doesn't mean bad taste,” Rader adds.

“We are stepping outside of the box with this packaging and we think this brings some sorely needed innovation to the oatmeal category,” says Rader. “We wanted to provide our consumers with a healthy breakfast option without compromising on taste or convenience. Power Breakfast is easy to make at the office, at home or out in the wilderness while camping.”

“We like to say Power Breakfast is like oatmeal, but better ... better ingredients, better taste, all in a portable and convenient package,” adds Rader.

Each Power Breakfast is non-GMO Project Certified, Certified Vegan, soy free, dairy free and Certified Gluten Free.

The GFB points out that it specializes in better-for-you, gluten-free snacks, and has recently launched its Gluten-Free Bites, which feature all the benefits of their traditional bar counterparts, but in bite-size form.

The GFB, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, US, is a Certified B Corporation “dedicated to a triple bottom line of people, planet and profits.” Along with its new line of Bites, the company continues to produce its original product The Gluten Free Bar.

Oatmeal has been in the news this year for its health benefits, with scientists at the Science Foundation Ireland–funded APC Microbiome Institute in Cork revealing that eating porridge regularly could benefit overall heart health by lowering cholesterol and benefiting gut microbiota. However, gluten-free NPD may not be affecting the public consciousness as much as expected, given that awareness of celiac disease is still low in Canada despite the gluten-free boom. 

Speaking about the potential of the gluten-free market, Rader says, “There is a certainly a fad component to the gluten-free market, but there is a much bigger section of the market that either needs to eat gluten-free or realizes they feel much better when eating gluten-free.” 

“We expect to see that segment of the market continue to grow, and for those consumers, gluten-free is definitely not a fad. We've seen a rapid rise in interest for our products over the past few years as people have become educated about gluten-free and are on the look-out for great-tasting products that fit their lifestyle,” Rader concludes.

By Paul Creasy