The two well-loved local F&B brands are confident more consumers here are preferring gluten-free alternatives to their favourite baked treats
Whether you’re choosing it for health reasons or because you’re hoping to manage your diet better, some of your favourite pastries are now more readily available gluten-free. Even more so now that local coffee and bakery chain Joe & Dough and ‘free-from’ food specialist Oh My Goodness have teamed up.
The pilot initiative was launched late last year with a small selection of just two cakes—the Signature Dark Chocolate Cake and the Vegan Lemon-Raspberry Cake—as footfall at cafés began to pick up following the Phase 2 re-opening of Singapore. The latest, which was added to the line-up just last week is a zucchini-banana bread.
(Related: Does A Gluten-Free Diet Make Sense For You? Read This First)
Says Damien Koh, co-founder and managing director of Joe & Dough: “We started with a small selection and will look to increase the range in time to come so that our customers can enjoy a variety of gluten-free pastries at all our outlets that are already conveniently located to be part of their everyday lives.”
In fact, in response to a growing need for conscious consumers to make a more informed choice, Oh My Goodness developed comprehensive training materials to help Joe & Dough staff at every outlet respond to customer queries efficiently, helping them understand the products—from the chosen ingredients and certifications to relevant health claims—and their importance in today’s market.
“Over the last one to two years, we saw a surge in inquiries and demand for gluten-free food options at our café outlets, regardless of their location,” Koh elaborates, explaining how the soaring demand had inspired them to make such items available on their regular menu without having re-organise their kitchens to avoid gluten cross-contamination.
