Seventeen years ago, when Enjoy Life Foods was established, their snacks and sweets—free from the top eight allergens in the United States—were considered niche products. Today, Enjoy Life has become a mainstream brand, with its cookies and bars readily available in most conventional stores. It is not alone in this market, as numerous new and established consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands are embracing the trend of allergy-friendly foods. “Today, everyone thinks we were brilliant. We weren’t,” said Joel Warady, Enjoy Life’s Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, in an interview with Food Dive. “We recognized the statistics and continued to push the category… We welcome the competition because for many years, we were the sole player in a category that hardly existed.”
The surge in competition can be attributed to the alarming rise in food allergies. A study published a year ago in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology revealed that 4% of Americans experience some form of food allergy. FAIR Health subsequently conducted a study using insurance data, which indicated a staggering 377% increase in the number of individuals requiring emergency treatment for food allergies over the past decade. Importantly, allergy-friendly foods cater not just to those with allergies. Jen Jobrack, Senior Director of Advocacy for Food Allergy Research & Education, highlighted that various dietary needs extend beyond just allergy sufferers. “Given the prevalence of food allergies and other medical dietary conditions, it’s not only families making grocery purchases; schools, summer camps, daycare centers, and other establishments also need to provide meals for people with food allergies,” she explained in her conversation with Food Dive.
The 2004 enactment of the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act mandates that all U.S. food manufacturers clearly label products containing the eight most common allergens: dairy, soy, eggs, gluten, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. These allergens are often highlighted in straightforward language beneath the product’s ingredient list. For example, if soy lecithin is an ingredient, the label will also state “CONTAINS SOY.” While this practice aids those seeking allergen-free foods, it necessitates that consumers scrutinize labels and ingredient lists to determine what is safe to consume. Enjoy Life pioneered the approach of displaying this information prominently on the front of their packaging as a label claim.
Warady noted that when the company began, many retailers were only familiar with the gluten-free claim. Enjoy Life, which has invested significant time and resources into advocating for food allergy awareness, sought to persuade retailers to stock their products alongside gluten-free items. From that initial groundwork, the allergen-free and allergy-friendly category began to flourish. However, the increase in food allergies is only part of the narrative explaining the rise of allergy-friendly products on store shelves. The other aspect relates to broader food trends, including specialized diets, clean eating, and a preference for non-GMO foods.
Katherine Allmandinger, manager of strategic insights for Nielsen’s health and wellness practice, noted that recent growth has plateaued for foods free of all eight major allergens. The overarching health and wellness trend, which encompasses allergy-friendly foods, has been a driving force behind the expansion of these products. “Forty-six percent of people report that claims influence their purchasing decisions,” Allmandinger shared, referring to Nielsen’s research. “Consumers tend to inspect products closely, wanting to know more about them, especially regarding allergens or dietary considerations.”
According to Warady, average consumers are not specifically seeking out allergy-friendly products; rather, they are looking for items that align with their dietary needs—be it eliminating dairy or reducing gluten intake for health reasons. Enjoy Life’s unique label claims allocate substantial space to indicate what their products do not contain while also highlighting beneficial ingredients and nutrients. Warady categorized their consumers into two groups: “worriers” and “wonderers.” The “worriers” are those who must adhere to allergen-free diets, closely monitoring ingredient lists for potential cross-contamination. Meanwhile, “wonderers” are curious about the health impacts of eliminating certain allergens without having to avoid them entirely.
Many of these consumers experiment with allergy-friendly foods, contributing to the financial success of allergy-free brands. Allmandinger pointed out that while allergy-friendly oils, butters, and spreads constitute about one-third of the market, those that are allergen-free are growing at a rate of 1%, contrasting with the overall category, which is declining by 2%. Similarly, though allergy-friendly cookies and crackers represent only 0.5% of their category, they are expanding at a remarkable rate of 9%.
Enjoy Life is committed to ensuring that every product it produces is allergy-friendly. All of its factories are dedicated exclusively to manufacturing allergy-friendly foods, eliminating any risk of cross-contamination. Consumers can trust the brand to deliver consistent quality. Interestingly, more products are becoming allergen-free due to their production processes rather than aggressive marketing. “A lot of this trend is linked to the rise of non-GMO products,” Allmandinger noted. With 94% of soybeans used in food being genetically modified, manufacturers seeking non-GMO options often turn to canola oil or sunflower-derived emulsifiers.
Quinn, a snack company, did not originally target the gluten-free market when designing its pretzels, as explained by Chris Murphy, the company’s vice president of marketing. After the founder, Kristy Lewis, began the company to create healthier snacks following her son’s birth, she explored various grains and ultimately chose sorghum. “We tested several ancient grains and found that sorghum provided the crunch and flavor we desired in a pretzel,” Murphy said. Recognizing the potential of the gluten-free market, Quinn pretzels received gluten-free certification, although the company does not heavily market this aspect. Murphy recounted that they often receive testimonials from loyal customers who cannot consume wheat, expressing gratitude for providing an appealing option for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities.
As food allergies become more prevalent, the trend of allergy-friendly foods is expected to persist. Jobrack, who has been searching for allergen-free options for her children since 2006, noted that the current market offers better and more flavorful products. At food industry events, she has observed an increasing number of booths dedicated to allergen-free choices and is particularly pleased with the availability of genuinely allergen-free frozen desserts. “The quality and flavors have definitely improved,” she said. “Manufacturers are not just substituting one ingredient for another; they are thoughtfully considering flavor and texture, resulting in a wider variety of options.”
Warady believes this movement will continue to grow, as more individuals develop food allergies and new ingredients potentially emerge as allergens. Clear labeling that highlights product contents will further propel this trend. “We celebrate our ability to find delicious ingredients that allow consumers to eat freely without concern,” he stated. Additionally, many of these allergy-friendly products, like those containing petite calcium with vitamin D, are becoming increasingly popular as consumers seek healthier options that also cater to their dietary restrictions.