Gluten-Free Beverage Market

Gluten-Free Beverages Market Analysis

The Gluten Free Beverages Market is expected to register a CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period.

• This market is mainly driven by the increasing number of people with gluten intolerances/allergies and celiac disease. Other groups of consumers are suffering from a wheat allergy, autism, ADHD, multiple sclerosis, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) who are engaged in the consumption of gluten-free products. This increase in demand for gluten-free beverages resulted in the radical change of gluten-free beverages from being only in nutritional stores and pharmacies to find their place in grocery outlets.
• Among the alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, the non-alcoholic segment is dominating the market owing to increasing health awareness among the consumers.
• Geographically, North America contributes a significant share in the gluten-free beverage market, and the European region is the fastest-growing market owing to the high-rise health-concerning people in the region. The Asia- Pacific & South America regions still have small markets due to low awareness among consumers. Middle East region is emerging as one to look over for the gluten-free sector with the United Arab Emirates is seen as the key destination.
• However, one of the significant challenges for the growth of the global gluten-free beverages market is the high price of gluten-free beverages compared to regular beverages, which is attributed to the high production cost and the cost of high-quality raw materials used.

Gluten-Free Beverages Market Trends

Increased consumption of gluten-free products

Celiac disease that is an autoimmune disorder affecting the small intestine, caused by a reaction to gluten, proteins found in wheat, and other grains have been found to increase in recent years. According to the survey in 2015 by NSF International, consumers are following the gluten-free diet for different reasons in the United States, such as gluten gastrointestinal allergy, gluten skin allergy, celiac disease, health-conscious diet or others. Among these, consumers suffering from gluten gastrointestinal allergies were found to be the largest group, followed by celiac disease and gluten skin allergic people. According to Mayo Clinic, 3.1 million Americans now follow a gluten-free diet, and 72 percent of them are classified as people without celiac disease, avoiding gluten (PWAG). There is also a group of people ditching gluten without a celiac diagnosis owing to join the trend of gluten-free consumption.

Europe is the fastest growing region

Countries in Europe are the fastest-growing region in the global market owing to the rising risk of celiac disease (CD). The prevalence of CD varies from 4.5% among first-degree relatives of CD-affected patients to 0.5%–1.0% in the general population and is increasing over time. A strict gluten-free diet is the only available treatment for CD; it relieves symptoms, achieves mucosal healing, and prevents disease complications. This is majorly driving the gluten-free sector of the market. Also, improved disposable income and rising health consciousness among the consumers’ in the emerging markets of Germany, France, Italy, and Spain, have resulted in shifting tendencies among the consumers without celiac disease avoiding gluten, thus boosting the market sales in the region.

Gluten-Free Beverages Industry Overview

The global gluten-free beverage market is highly competitive in nature having a large number of domestic and multinational players competing for market share and with innovation in products being a major strategic approach adopted by leading players. Additionally, merger, expansion, acquisition, and partnership with other companies are the common strategies to enhance the company presence and boost the market. For instance, in September 2017, Carlsberg U.K announced the expansion of its San Miguel range in the U.K with a new gluten-free appearance and promote the sale of clean-label beverages in the market.

Gluten-Free Beverages Market Leaders