The Gluten Free Insider

Kinnikinnick Soft Multigrain Voted Best Gluten Free Bread - Again!

2013-05-14T11:56:00.001-06:00

For the second time in as many years, SELF Magazine (circ. 1.5 million) has chosen Kinnikinnick Soft Multigrain Bread Best Gluten Free Bread in the Healthy Food Awards 2013.

The minimum criteria for the award was:

Gluten-Free Bread (per slice)
• At least 2 g fiber
• No partially hydrogenated oils/trans fats
• No more than 160 mg sodium

Breads were also judged on taste, texture & overall appeal in blind taste trials by 175 readers. (not necessarily gluten free eaters)

Our soft Multigrain

5 g of Fiber per serving (2 slices)
Zero Cholesterol
Zero Trans Fat
1 g sugar
Fortified with 5 essential nutrients
180mg sodium (90mg per slice)
No Artificial Colours, Flavours or Preservatives
20g carbs per serving

At a suggested retail price of $4.99 for a full size loaf our soft breads are great nutrition and great value.

Hundreds of retailers are now carrying this bread including Kroger, Canada Safeway, Loblaws and many more. Check out our store finder, join our BreadSpotter program (and win!) or follow BreadSpotter on Twitter to find stores carrying them.

And you can always order online at kinnikinnick.com or by calling 1-877-503-4466.

Kinnikinnick Launches New Boiled Soft & Chewy Bagels

2013-04-22T10:15:00.003-06:00

We are so pleased to be able to announce the launch of our new Soft Bagels.

A Bagel isn't just bread with a hole in it. A true bagel has a chewy crust with a soft interior. The traditional way to do this is to boil them so that's what we are doing. We believe these are the only widely available boiled gluten free bagels in the world!

Check out the awesome

Available in Plain, Cinnamon Raisin and Blueberry (made with REAL blueberries).

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free, OU Kosher

VEGAN

Fortified with 5 vitamins and minerals

Zero cholesterol

At least SEVEN grams fiber per bagel

The bagels are available for ordering right now on our website and are shipping to our distributors over the next couple of weeks. Suggested retail price for 4 bagels is $5.99.

They've been picked up by several major chains in the US & Canada and we'll be updating this post, Twitter & Facebook with information as stores begin to stock them.

For Kinnikinnick Fresh customers in Edmonton, These bagels will be available from the freezer starting April 27 and watch the bulk bins for special flavours only available in store.

Check out the complete press release here

These new bagels also have the Canadian Heart & Stroke Foundation's Health Check ® Program seal. To earn the Health Check symbol, every food or menu item in the program must meet nutrient criteria, established by Health Check, based on the recommendations in Canada’s Food Guide. The Health Check logo tells you the food or menu item has been reviewed by the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s registered dietitians and can contribute to an overall healthy diet.

✝ The Heart and Stroke Foundation’s registered dietitians have reviewed these items to ensure they meet the specific nutrient criteria developed by the Health Check™ program based on the recommendations in Canada’s Food Guide. A fee is paid by each participating company to help cover the cost of this voluntary, not-for-profit program. See www.HealthCheck.org.

Major upgrade to our store finder!

2013-02-14T11:13:00.002-07:00

Today we are launching a brand new store finder which combines information from our BreadSpotter program, information from some of our distributors and the power of Google Maps.

You can search by an address, a neigbourhood, a landmark or a postal code. (link here)

All the stores that we have reports of will be indicated by the Bread icon.

Click on an icon and you will be able to view the store name, address and products they are carrying (if that information is available)

You can also show only stores that are carrying our new soft breads & buns by clicking on the BreadSpotter Stores Button. This filters out any stores that do not carry the breads or that we do not have product information for. (Become a BreadSpotter for a chance to win great prizes and help others locate our products. Login if you've already joined. )

Disclaimer: While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of this store finder, store locations and product listings may change without notice. Please contact the store prior to making a trip.

EGG Allergy Alert: Incorrect labelling of Kinnikinnick Pie Crust Leads to recall.

2012-12-30T08:50:00.001-07:00

Update: January 17th, 2013

We have added additional Lots to this recall. Products with the following lot codes distributed in the US may be affected:

BB2013NO19

BB2013NO23

BB2013NO27

BB2013NO28

BB2013NO29

BB2013DE04

BB2013DE05

BB2013DE06

BB2013DE11

BB2013DE12

This is certainly not how we wanted to finish up 2012.

We are announcing a recall on a small number of Kinnikinnick Pie Crusts (frozen) that have been distributed in the US & Canada over the last month. The following is the text of the alert.

If you don't have a problem with eggs, is this product still safe?
Yes, the pie crusts have always had eggs. The issue with this recall is that the label applied to the old boxes does not correctly indicate the presence of eggs. If you are not allergic to eggs, the pie crusts are perfectly safe.

As a company that is focused on food safety we appreciate the importance of accurate labeling information. Internal controls have been changed to ensure that a labeling problem such as this cannot occur again.

Jerry Bigam
President & CEO
Kinnikinnick Foods

Loblaws/Superstore Now Carrying New Kinnikinnick Soft Breads & Buns

2012-11-12T09:15:00.000-07:00

Canada's largest grocery chain is now stocking new Kinnikinnick Soft Breads (& Buns?)

It's been a busy couple of weeks for announcements of major chains starting to carry our new Soft Breads & Buns. There was the announcement that Kroger family of companies were now carrying them in over 900 stores. Then the announcement that Sobeys Group stores as well as Metro Quebec were carrying them and now we're pleased to announce that the Loblaws group is now carrying the Soft Breads and possibly the buns.

We don't have any official word quite yet as to how many stores or which banners (Loblaws, Superstore, Supercentre) will be carrying the products but we do know that products are in the Loblaws warehouses and are starting to show up in stores. In fact, we've just had our first Spots of them in our BreadSpotter! program. We'll update this post when we know more.

Don't forget that you can join BreadSpotter and earn chances to win our monthly $100 prize package simply by reporting where you find our new breads & buns.

You can also search for Spots of the new Breads & Buns using our Spot Search utility on the homepage of our website. Follow @BreadSpotter on twitter to get tweets of the location of every new Spot.

Kinnikinnick Soft Gluten Free Breads and Buns Launch in Eastern and Atlantic Canada

2012-11-05T11:35:00.002-07:00

Products will be available at CO-OP, FoodLand, Price Chopper, Sobey's & Metro starting November 2012.

Following on the heels of our announcement last week about our launch in the Kroger Family of companies we are excited to be announcing that Kinnikinnick Soft White Bread, Soft Multigrain Bread, Soft Hamburger Buns and Soft Hot Dog Buns will be much wider distribution this November across Ontario, Quebec & Atlantic Canada.

You'll be able to find these products in:

CO-OP Atlantic

FOODLAND Atlantic

FOODLAND Ontario

PRICE CHOPPER Atlantic

SOBEY'S Urban

SOBEYS Independent stores

SOBEYS Maritimes

SOBEYS Newfoundland & Labrador

SOBEY'S Ontario

METRO Quebec

The products are already on the shelves of many of these stores. Price and availability will vary by region. Please check with your local store before making a trip.

Kinnikinnick Soft Gluten Free Breads and Buns Launch in Kroger Family of Companies

2012-10-31T15:05:00.001-06:00

Products will be available at over 900 Kroger, Ralphs, Dillons, Smith's, King Soopers, Fry's, QFC and Fred Meyer starting November 2012.

We're so excited to be announcing that Kinnikinnick Soft White Bread, Soft Multigrain Bread, Soft Hamburger Buns and Soft Hot Dog Buns will be available this November across the United States in stores of the Kroger family of companies.

You'll be able to find these products in most banners of Kroger which include Kroger, Ralphs, Dillons, Smith's, King Soopers, Fry's, QFC and Fred Meyer. Initially, the breads will be available in over 900 stores and the buns in over 450 stores.

The products are already on the shelves of many Kroger brand stores and will be full rolled out by the end of November. The products are priced nationally at $4.49 for the breads and $3.99 for the buns. Prices may vary by region.

Read the full Press Release

Don't forget that you can earn entries to our monthly $100 prize pack draw by reporting when you see these 4 new products at Kroger brand stores (or any where else!). Visit our BreadSpotter page for more details. And follow BreadSpotter! on Twitter to see all Spots as they happen.

Live Streaming Gluten Free Cooking Class October 15

2012-10-05T10:04:00.000-06:00

It's Holiday Party Time! Do you know what to bring to your next potluck? How about something gluten free that everyone will enjoy (and only know it's gluten free if you tell them!)

On October 15, 6:00pm MT (8pm ET) at we'll be hosting another Great Food, Gluten Free Cooking Class for the lucky few who can be there in person (tickets are already sold out) but everyone else can watch as we live stream to the internet.

UPDATE: We've just decided that we'll be doing some giveaways to those joining us on Twitter and Facebook during the broadcast.

For those on Twitter, live tweet your questions or comments with the hashtag #GFInsiderLive You can also use #KinnikinnickLive if you can spare the characters :)

For those on Facebook, you'll be able to watch the class from our Fan page
so just post in the comments

We'll draw randomly throughout the broadcast.
Prize packs will be in the $50 range and will include some of our new soft products.

The theme for this class is

Perfect Potluck Party

Traditional Caesar Salad

Start your party off with a traditional tangy Caesar salad with homemade dressing, served alongside a crunchy baguette crisp.

Featuring: Baguette

Artichoke & Asiago Cheese Dip

Be the life of the party with a fun and cheesy dip! A punch of flavor from the artichoke & Asiago cheese dip, served alongside golden garlic bread crisps.

Featuring: Baguette

Turkey Dijon Ginger Sliders

Not your average bar food! Even bite-sized food can be fancy… enjoy the sweet and tangy Dijon ginger sauce smothered on a fresh and juicy turkey burger.

Featuring: Panko Style Bread Crumbs & Slider Buns

Seafood Mac & Cheese

Comfort food is taken to new levels with succulent crab meat and creamy cheese. Don’t forget to save room for dessert!

Featuring: Panko Style Bread Crumbs & Tinkyada Noodles

Double Duo of Chicken Wings

Whet your appetite with an offering of two different flavours of chicken wings, prepared two different ways. Enjoy the juxtaposition of sweet and sticky hot wings, next to wings that are lightly breaded and simply tossed with sea salt and pepper. Served with artichoke & Asiago cheese dip.

Featuring: All Purpose Flour Blend

Sampling of Dessert Creations

Enjoy the traditional holiday favourite of pumpkin, and indulge in the tangy and tart flavour of tropical key limes.

Featuring: Ginger Snaps & Graham Style Crumbs

The show will be available on our UStream channel

or directly on our Facebook Page

We'll be hosting an online chat during the broadcast on UStream so you can ask questions and we'll pass them on to the hosts.

Can’t watch the live show? Don’t worry… the show and all our previous classes are archived on UStream.

Pumpkin Spice Donuts are Back + Free Stuff!

2012-09-14T11:48:00.002-06:00

In what has become a much anticipated fall tradition we're pleased to announce that our Pumpkin Spice Donuts are available again right now!

"a wonderfully spiced circle of heaven,"

"delights my insides and fills me with joy"

" It is like fall wrapped up in a neat little package"

As always these are available exclusively on our website.

While you are ordering these, make sure you add some of our new Soft Breads & Buns

"When the box arrived I rushed in the house to open it. Through the cardboard box I could smell the bread - the smell of fresh bread filled the room. I actually found myself sniffing the box before I sliced it open. Inside was a loaf of white bread, multi-grain bread, hamburger buns and hot dog buns. All were soft and looked (and smelled) freshly made."

PLUS!

For the rest of September (or while supplies last), every web order will receive a free package of our new Soft Dinner Rolls. Perfect for the holidays.

"These are fantastic!... You'll want these for Thanksgiving for sure."

Texas Eagle Scout Raises Over $10,000 for Local Gluten Free Food Bank.

2012-08-13T07:31:00.000-06:00

We were so pleased to be able to support this great project. We asked Carey to be a guest blogger so he could tell his story and to perhaps inspire others to get involved in local efforts to making gluten free available to those in need. Fantastic job Carey!

Two years ago, at the age of 14, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Since then I have been placed on a very strict gluten free diet which has improved my health greatly. This new diet has taken a toll on my family. Our monthly family grocery bill more than doubled, and my mom had to get complete new sets of kitchen supplies and designate sections of drawers to hold them. Not to mention, gluten free food can be very expensive and is not found in many common stores.

After speaking with my dietitian, I realized that celiac’s from lower income families choose to live with the symptoms because they cannot afford gluten free food. This is when I made it my mission to start a gluten free food section at the Montgomery County Food Bank in Conroe, Texas - and I would use my Eagle Scout project to make this a reality! After talking with my Eagle Scout advisor and talking through various options for achieving Eagle badge, the most prestigious rank in Boy Scouts, I decided that I wanted to try to start a gluten free section at the local food bank in my town. I had set a goal of filling a truck full of food - hoping to get $3000 worth of GF food.

I started my project by sending letters to family and friends asking them for monetary donations to purchase GF food. I held two food drives at the local Kroger grocery stores. I was able to collect over $2500 in food and money donations at these food drives. Needless to say, I cleared shelves taking nearly all the gluten free food from our 2 Kroger and HEB grocery stores!! After the food drives were completed I reached out to businesses to achieve even more funds and food. With the generous donations of family, friends and even strangers, we raised over $3600 in additional cash. Gluten Free Houston also donated 13 cases of food.

Having been on a gluten free diet for the past 2 years, I have developed a strong preference for certain brands of GF foods. I decided to contact several of my favorite gluten free companies trying to get donations for the food bank. Surprisingly, Mr. Jay Bigam from Kinnikinnick was the only company to respond and graciously agreed to support my project. Mr. Bigam and the team at Kinnikinnick were nothing short of miracle workers. Kinnikinnick supports many food banks in Canada and the Edmonton area so I should not have been surprised to find them willing to support our efforts in Montgomery County, Texas!

After many emails and working the details between Mr. Bigam and the food bank, I received a generous donation of 120 cases of Gluten Free Food from Kinnikinnick this past week. Delivery day was so exciting! On Thursday, August 9 my family and I loaded my Boy Scout troop trailer with the food I had purchased and collected and went to the food bank. After unloading my trailer, the truck from Canada showed up with a pallet of gluten free food donated from Kinnikinnick. The impact of the project was evident when the food bank staff came outside to watch. A reporter from the Conroe Courier showed up to take my picture with all of the food and write a story. It was a very exciting time for me. After all the food was weighed, the food donations weighed over 1600 pounds with a value of over $10,000!!!

I am amazed at the response of the community during this project. With the use of Facebook (liking Kinnikinnick, Montgomery County Food Bank, Gluten Free Houston), family, friends and strangers alike have become more aware of the prevalence of Celiac Disease and gluten intolerances and I don’t feel so isolated as I confront this life challenge. In fact, with the experience of this project and having met many wonderful people, my life is enriched and we have helped to educate a community on how to take care of its own.

The food bank was overwhelmed with the amount of food they received from my Eagle Project and are excited about being able to help many families in the community suffering with celiac disease and gluten intolerances. Thank you Mr. Bigam and Kinnikinnick. Your generosity is overwhelming and I appreciate all the help you provided - helping me exceed my goal!!

If you would like additional information on my project or the Montgomery County Food Bank please email me at Ulrichcarey@yahoo.com.

Carey Ulrich

The Woodlands, TX

Introducing Bread Spotter! Report Sightings of Kinnikinnick Soft Breads & Buns & Win

2012-07-11T11:57:00.000-06:00

So many people want to try our new soft breads & buns, but can't find them in stores yet. We want to use the power of social media and "crowd sourcing" to help.

With that in mind, we've developed Bread Spotter!

It's simple to use. If you see one our our new breads or buns, you can report it using the Bread Spotter! app and once verified, we'll reward you with Spot Points.

How It works

You can sign up & login on Facebook or on our website. If you are on Facebook, go to our Fan Page and click the Bread Spotter! tab (Note: Facebook does not allow page tab apps in Facebook Mobile so you can only use the Desktop version of Facebook at this time. You can still use the website link to sign up and submit spots. It's not optimized for mobile but it does work. A fully optimized Mobile App is under development.)

Once you've logged in, you'll see a map centered on the Postal/Zip code you entered when you signed up. If there are spots nearby, they'll show up as an Icon you can click. This will show the store's address, what was spotted & a price if it was reported. To see areas outside your immediate location, you can pan around the map by clicking and dragging or use the zoom buttons in the upper left hand of the map. You can also enter other locations using Postal/Zip Codes, Address or Area (neighborhood, landmark, airport code, etc.) to see what's available in those areas. Want to see what stores close to Disneyland are carrying one of the soft products? Just enter Disneyland in the search box and click Find Spots.

In the Store
When you're out shopping and you spot one of our new bread products, make note of the store name & as much address information as you can and the regular price. Take a picture of the product on the shelf with your phone if you can because we award 10 Bonus Spots Points for images.

Submitting a Spot

Register if you haven't already and Login
Click the Report a sighting button from your home screen.
Select the product you sighted from the I Spotted list
Enter the Price of the item.
Enter store & address information.
If you don't know the specific address of the store you are shopping in, add as much detail to the address field as you can. ie: 5th street & 6th avenue, Edmonton, AB
Press submit and your Spot will be saved.
10 Spot Points are awarded for a Spot.
50 Bonus Spot Points are awarded for being the first to spot a product at a store. "First Spots" are subject to verification..
10 Bonus Spot Points are awarded for uploading a picture of the item on the shelf.
Spots need to be verified so we don't have multiple entries in the system. You will be credited for every spot you make even if it's been made before. However you can only get a credit for a spot for one item at one location. If you return to that location at a later date, you won't be able to submit a spot for the same product again.
Spot points are converted into contest entries at a rate of 1 entry per 10 pts.
Once you've submitted your spot you can submit another product at the same location. (max 4 total per location)
Important Note: Spots at the Kinnikinnick Fresh Retail store in Edmonton are not eligible for participation.

What's in it for me?

Bread Spotter! is a tool to help people find our products and this is very helpful to our customers and to Kinnikinnick. As a Bread Spotter! you will earn points which are converted into entries in our monthly draw for $100 worth of Kinnikinnick products.

There's only one store near me and I've already Spotted everything!
You can report spots from anywhere so if you are on holidays you can earn points from those Spots as well. Even if you only have a few Spots, you'll still be entered in the monthly draws (you just won't have as many entries/chances to win). Your name remains in the drawing until the end of the promotion (but you can only win once every 90 days).

Don't want to be a Spotter?
You'll miss out on some great prizes but you can still use the Spots collected by others by going to our website Homepage and use the interactive search tool. Whether you are home or planning a vacation, you can check to see if there's a store carrying one of our soft products near you.

Let's Get Spotting!

Health Canada Releases New Guidelines for Gluten Free

2012-06-20T13:10:00.000-06:00

As readers of this blog may know, we write a lot about gluten testing, dedicated facilities, and cross contamination. Readers may also know that, unlike the US, Canada has had regulations for the labelling and sale of gluten free foods for at least 20 years. This has been a huge benefit to Celiacs buying gluten free products made in Canada as there is rarely a question that a product labeled gluten free is safe (ie: contains less than 20ppm gluten).

The regulation was short and sweet consisting of one line.

"A food is not permitted to be labelled, packaged, sold or advertised in a manner likely to create an impression that it is "gluten-free" unless it does not contain wheat, including spelt and kamut, or oats, barley, rye, triticale or any part thereof."

Over the past couple of years or so, Health Canada has been consulting with the medical community, researchers, industry and consumers. It has come up with new guidelines to replace the old one line entry and modernize the regulations.

As of August 4, 2012, section B.24.018 of the Food and Drug Regulations will state that:

It is prohibited to label, package, sell or advertise a food in a manner likely to create an impression that it is a gluten-free food if the food contains any gluten protein or modified gluten protein, including any gluten protein fraction, referred to in the definition "gluten" in subsection B.01.010.1(1).
Subsection B.01.010.1(1) reads:
"gluten"
(a) any gluten protein from the grain of any of the following cereals or the grain of a hybridized strain created from at least one of the following cereals:
(i) barley,
(ii) oats,
(iii) rye,
(iv) triticale, or
(v) wheat, kamut or spelt; or
(b) any modified gluten protein, including any gluten protein fraction, that is derived from the grain of any of the cereals referred to in subparagraphs (a)(i) to (v) or the grain of a hybridized strain referred to in paragraph (a). (gluten)

Along with the regulations, they have published guidelines which offer interpretations of what this actually means.

The Mostly Good

One of the problems with the old one line regulation was that there have been some instances where the regulations were not entirely clear or conflicted with other regulations.

For example, it was not clear if seasonings that had some gluten containing carrier would have to list that carrier as an ingredient since one part of the food and drug regulations exempted companies for having to list components of seasoning, natural flavours and other similar ingredients. This has resulted in most Celiacs considering anything with these types of ingredients as off limits.

The new guidelines state: "Based on the enhanced labelling regulations for allergens and gluten sources, any intentionally added gluten sources, even at low levels (e.g. wheat flour as a component in a seasoning mixture which makes up a small proportion of the final food), must be declared either in the list of ingredients or in a "Contains" statement. In these cases, a gluten-free claim would be considered false and misleading."

Yay!

Health Canada has done a fairly extensive review of the literature and based on this, they have determined that the maximum safe level of gluten in a product is 20ppm. This has been the accepted standard in Canada for years, but this is a reaffirmation of that level.

Based on the available scientific evidence, Health Canada considers that gluten-free foods, prepared under good manufacturing practices, which contain levels of gluten not exceeding 20 ppm as a result of cross-contamination, meet the health and safety intent of B.24.018 when a gluten-free claim is made.

Now I know a lot of people will say that 20ppm is too much and that the number should be much smaller. I believe Health Canada is taking a view to risk vs. benefit; that for most Celiacs, the broader availability of products with the higher threshold outweighs the risk to the portion of the population that react at a lower level. For those who do react at lower levels or those who feel that level is too high, the only option is to look for companies like Kinnikinnick who test to < 5ppm.

One thing, that as a Celiac, I have some reservations about is "With respect to gluten-free foods, only those foods that have been specially processed or formulated to meet the needs of individuals, including individuals with Celiac disease, who need to follow a gluten-free diet in order to protect their health, are considered foods for special dietary purposes and are allowed to carry a gluten-free claim."

On one hand this is a good thing as it eliminates plainly silly claims such as water labeled gluten free, which I have seen. However, taken strictly, this might prevent a mass market company from labeling a product gluten free even if it is.

The guidelines do go on to say "If a food is determined to be protective of the health of people with Celiac disease, and meets the other requirements of Division 24 (specially processed and formulated), it follows that such a food should be able to use the claim "Gluten-free", as long as it is being done in a manner that is truthful and not misleading."

This seems to give companies who are not specifically targeting people with Celiac the ability to label a product gluten free, provided they meet the standards. If that is the intent then I think that's a good thing for Celiacs.

The Not So Good (possibly, actually quite bad)

The one thing in the regulations that raises some red flags is: "If, however, a manufacturer using a cereal-derived ingredient includes additional processing steps which are demonstrated to be effective in removing gluten, then the food may be represented as gluten-free."

My interpretation of this is that companies could be using ingredients based on gluten containing grains such as wheat starch, provided they test below the threshold of 20ppm. If this is the case, this is concerning from 2 perspectives.

Firstly, do we really need to add more confusion to what is gluten free by saying "completely avoid wheat, barley, rye and oats, (except if they are specially treated and contain less than 20ppm gluten)". What are newly diagnosed Celiacs to make of that? How is it regulated, tested and enforced?

Secondly, do we know that intentionally adding gluten based grains to gluten free foods isn't going to be harmful to more sensitive individuals? As with our position with oats (more on that in a minute), we think that intentionally allowing gluten containing grains to be added to gluten free foods is a very bad idea. Our position is that if it isn't safe for all celiacs, it shouldn't be allowed.

The Really Good

As readers will know, Kinnikinnick has been opposed to allowing the use of oats in gluten free foods (even when specially raised and harvested) due to confusion, unknown risks and a clinically proven number of Celiacs who can not tolerate oats in any amount. The link above, along with the comments to the post formed the basis of our submission to Health Canada opposing any change allowing oats in gluten free foods.

We are very pleased the new regulations continue the status quo and do NOT allow oats to be included in products labelled gluten free in Canada. As a Celiac, you will still have the ability to buy and consume oats if you choose to, but they won't be labeled gluten free. As we outline in our previous post, we believe it is a very good thing that Health Canada has kept oats off the gluten free table.

Not Perfect but Not Bad.

Overall, I think Health Canada has done a pretty good job of balancing all the various factors in coming up with the new regulations. For us as a company, it's business as usual. We'll keep producing products in our dedicated gluten free facilities, testing incoming ingredients and outgoing products to <5ppm and providing consumers the safest and best tasting products we can make. As a Celiac, I look forward to being even more confident in products acceptable for sale in Canada that are labelled gluten free.

Now, FDA, about those regulations due in 2008......

Kinnikinnick Soft Multigrain Bread Wins SELF Magazine's 2012 Healthy Foods Award - Best Gluten Free Bread

2012-05-17T07:46:00.001-06:00

18 months ago, when we first started the development of our new soft breads and buns, we outlined three objectives.

To make a gluten free bread that was soft and tasty even out of the freezer.
To make a full size loaf gluten free bread with a price that was below $5.00
To make a gluten free bread that was at least as nutritionally sound as standard whole wheat bread

Your amazing comments on Facebook, Twitter and in blog reviews have shown us that we were pretty successful with #1.

Our suggested retail price for the new Soft Multigrain and Soft White is $4.99 so we nailed #2.

The new soft breads and buns became the first Gluten Free Bakery Products to qualify for the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada ^TM Health Check ^TM Program and we are very proud of that fact.

And now, we're pleased to announce that the new Kinnikinnick Gluten Free Soft Multigrain Bread has been voted by SELF Magazine (circ. 1.5 million) as Best Gluten Free Bread in the Healthy Food Awards 2012.

According to SELF Magazine:

SELF experts Willow Jarosh, R.D., and Stephanie Clarke, R.D., of New York City created the criteria to help select food awards contestants, ensuring that winners are low in calories, saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar, and are free of artificial sweeteners. Take this list along with you when you shop (or to audit what's already in your kitchen) and feel good about digging into any product that meets the guidelines!

And the award details

Kinnikinnick Soft Multigrain (150 calories, 6 g fat per 2 slices)
Made with brown rice and quinoa flours versus wheat flour, these slices are great for gluten shunners. Carb lovers were pleased with the fluffy factor. And unlike many no-gluten foods, this loaf is high in fiber: A serving supplies 5 g.

We are so pleased that we are being recognized for being the first company to disprove the notion that gluten free has poor taste and texture, is expensive and is not healthy.

We love the fact that the taste and texture of the new breads and buns are what people have been looking for and that we've been able to keep the price down.

Most of all though, we are pleased that we've been able to produce a product that you and your family can feel good about eating. I think we knocked #3 out of the park.

How to get your local store to carry the New Soft Gluten Free Breads & Buns from Kinnikinnick

2012-05-01T10:46:00.004-06:00

It's been just about 2 months since we launched our new Soft Breads & Buns and almost all of our distributors now have them in their warehouses. There are quite a few stores now stocking these products but our next big task is to make all retailers aware of them and this is something that you can help with.

We've developed a handout you can give to your local store. There's room on this letter for your comments, so you can let the store know you'd like to see them stock the New Soft Breads & Buns and why.

If you belong to a support group, photocopy this letter, distribute to your group and hand them to the store manager. A stack of letters can really make an impact on retailers deciding whether or not to stock a product..

Download Now

Right now, the most frequent question we are being asked on Facebook, Twitter & in emails is "where can I get these products?" It's always a challenge to answer that as most of the time, we don't know who carries what. However, we'll be launching a tool to help with that in the coming days. We'll make an announcement here when it's available.

In the meantime, if nobody close has the new products you can always order directly from us.

If our best in the industry, $10 flat rate shipping fee to most areas still is a barrier to ordering directly, don't forget that as long as the order is less than $200, is shipped to one address and is paid for with a single credit card you can combine your order with friends or family!

Please Stop Dismissing the Gluten Free Diet

2012-03-21T10:46:00.001-06:00

An Open Letter to Main Stream Media

Let me get this out of the way first. A gluten free diet for weight loss is probably no better than any other diet for weight loss. There are short term, quickly reversible results if it works at all. Let me repeat this part. No better than any other diet. More on this later.

We've been a gluten free manufacturer for over 20 years and as a family of celiacs, we are very familiar with the blank stare received when talking about gluten, gluten free, celiac disease & gluten intolerance. Hands up how many have said "I have a wheat allergy" because it's easier than explaining what being gluten free means. In the last couple of years, we've seen exploding diagnosis rates for celiac disease from 0.9/100,000 in 1950 to 20 per 100,000 in 2003 *, a 400% increase in the actual rate of celiac disease since the 1950's.* , evidence that non-celiac gluten intolerance may affect as much as 6% of the population * and evidence that as many as 15% of people are gluten sensitive. It's hardly any surprise that awareness of a gluten free diet is growing.

As a manufacturer of gluten free products, this has been a good thing. Our products are not only in health food and specialty stores where they were typically found for 15 of our 20 years, but in mainstream grocery chains. We've grown from selling products at a farmer's market in 1991 to 2 facilities with over 150,000 ft2. in production space.

Since our business -is- gluten free, we monitor trends in consumer awareness, retail and non-traditional and mainstream media. In the last year or so, I'm noticing a trend in mainstream media. Headlines like "Is a gluten-free diet a good idea?", "Is a gluten-free diet safe?, "Is a gluten-free diet bad for you?" and "Gluten-free diets may be overused". Now, on one hand celiacs have been clamouring for raised awareness for years and almost every article finally has the talking points around celiac correct and that's a very good thing. What I find disturbing is that every one of these headlines and in large part the articles that accompany them, are either dismissive of, or show outright hostility towards the diet for those who are not diagnosed with celiac. What's going on here?

Major Themes

"A gluten-free diet isn’t necessarily a healthy one if you don’t need to be on it"

OK. Hard to argue with this. Oh, but wait, a gluten free diet isn't necessarily NOT a healthy diet either. It's not as if the gluten containing diet of the majority of North Americans is a paragon of health. All one has to do is walk down the frozen foods, bakery section or cookie aisle of a major supermarket to see what I'm talking about. In fact,the gluten consumer has a 50 fold chance of picking an unhealthy choice because there are 50 times the amount unhealthy choices. Donuts everyday for breakfast are not a healthy choice whether or not they contain gluten. (and let's not even mention the gluten & sugar filled cereal aisle)

"People are going gluten free without a doctors diagnosis because it makes them feel better"

I want to be very clear here. If you think you have a problem with gluten you need talk to your doctor about it. Undiagnosed celiac disease can be life threatening. For a celiac, a gluten free diet is not a choice, it's a life long requirement. Let's however, speak to those who have been tested and are told that they do not show antibodies and do not have intestinal damage; those that do not have celiac. Should these people simply go back to consuming gluten in all it's sundry forms? Should they go back to bloating, headaches and some of the over 100 symptoms linked to gluten sensitivity? Should they stop eating gluten because it makes them feel better? Do we really even need to comment on this? Yet dozens of articles seem to imply this is inappropriate.

Medicine only knows what it knows.

50 years ago doctors told us that celiac disease was a children's issue to be grown out of, 20 years we were told it was rare, today it's classified as a growing public health issue *. When mainstream medicine says there's no evidence for what you're feeling. it may simply be that they haven't found the evidence yet. That's how science works. It doesn't mean that what you are feeling is in your head.

"Gluten free food lacks essential nutrients and often contains refined ingredients"

Again this tars all gluten free products with the same brush and ignores that the exact thing can be said for gluten contain products. Pick up 20 gluten filled & gluten free products in any grocery store and compare the labels. You'll find a range of good, bad, and awful in terms of processed ingredients and nutritional value. I'd bet you'll find the gluten free products at least comparable. This idea that all gluten free foods are lacking in nutrients is plainly wrong. We've been adding vitamin and minerals, fibre & protein to our products for over 10 years. Our newest soft breads & buns were designed specifically to be the most nutritionally sound gluten free products on the market and they are at least as good or better for you than many of the mass produced "whole wheat" breads out there.

The dietitian and the diet

The strange thing about these articles is that many of them are written by dietitians. Unfortunately, the viewpoints the seem to be expressed in the articles often come across as the Gluten Free Diet Versus The Ideal Diet. Don't get me wrong, dietitians are hugely important to the gluten free community. They are often the first people that a newly diagnosed celiac will see and can be a huge help to in those first traumatic days of "what do I eat now". Everyone's favourite gluten free dietitian, Shelley Case has been a major reason why we started enriching our breads over 10 years ago and is a major reason why we've created our new breads with such great nutritional values. She wasn't a consultant. She simply bugged us every time we saw her at trade shows, conferences and other events over the past 15 years. "Why aren't you enriching? Why aren't you adding fibre? Why aren't you using whole grains? There's no reason a gluten free product needs to be any less nutritious." And she was right.

That being said, not all dietitians appear to give gluten free the same consideration. Most of the time what these articles say is true; a gluten free diet can be unhealthy if you eat too many carbs, too much sugar, too much sodium, not enough fibre and on and on. But frankly that can be said about every manufactured food on the market today. At least the gluten free consumer reads every label every time and has a much better chance of knowing what they are eating. Whether they care is what the dietitians should be focusing on.

A gluten free diet for weight loss, celebrities on gluten free and the athlete connection

Here's where things get a bit murky. Does a gluten free diet work for weight loss? In and of itself, probably not. But there are plenty of anecdotal claims that it does. For some. Why? It's impossible to know. Certainly, switching out gluten free 1 for 1 in a diet that's unhealthy to start with isn't likely to make any difference. Perhaps it's because the drive through window and most fast foods are now off limits. Maybe there is a metabolic reason for some people (see note on what science knows above). My personal theory? Perhaps it's merely a case of reading every label and being aware of what they are eating.

Celebrities going gluten free may signal the pinnacle of the "gluten free fad". Or perhaps they are simply some of the most visible examples of people with gluten sensitivity. Just because they are famous doesn't mean they don't have health issues like the rest of us.

The latest trend seems to be athletes going gluten free. An article by 5 time Canadian Rowing champ Matt Jensen on our blog outlines some of his reasons for going gluten free. Since that article, there are now 5 rowers on the Canadian team that are on gluten reduced diets. Novak Djokovic's credits some of his recent tennis success to a gluten free diet. Other athletes are eliminating or reducing the amount of gluten they are consuming because they see tangible results. Do they have gluten sensitivity? Hard to say, but the traditional gluten filled carb loading of pasta before an event may start to become a thing of the past. Remember that pasta is made from "hard wheat" which has higher than "normal" gluten content. Perhaps a finely tuned body doesn't deal with that as well. Perhaps it makes no difference. Science doesn't know yet. The diet is not easy to follow especially when you travel like athletes do but I imagine the athletes know pretty well what makes them perform better.

Today's gluten isn't the same as your grandmothers. (well it is, but there's a lot more of it)

According to some estimates, wheat has been bred to have an increased gluten content of up to 50% compared to wheat from 100 years ago. Gluten is seen as "a good thing" by the conventional baking industry. It makes "better" bread. Not only that, but as anyone on a gluten free diet knows, it's in -everything-. But do we really have a good idea what all that hyper gluten consumption is doing to us. Could that be the reason the incidence of true celiac disease is up 400%? We're often told that humanity evolved eating wheat and are asked how could it be a problem for us. Yet no one mentions that humanity did not grow up eating -this wheat-. Have we reached a tipping point in terms of how much gluten a person can tolerate? Is it a real problem? Science can't say right now. All they can say is based on best evidence, today, wheat is ok for the majority of people; the majority being somewhere around 80-85%.

Let's focus on Healthy Eating, gluten filled or gluten free

The Gluten free diet is a fad for some, a necessity for celiacs, and a benefit for others. Don't belittle us by making broad generalizations on topics that can be just as easily applied to gluten containing products. Talk about proper, life long nutrition without a qualifier. Eat more fruits and vegetables.

So please. Can we stop with these articles. The other 15-20% of us will appreciate it.

Sincerely,

Jay Bigam

Executive Vice President

Research, Development & Innovation

Kinnikinnick Foods Inc.

Kinnikinnick Soft Breads & Buns are now available!

2012-02-06T14:28:00.000-07:00

After over a year of research and development, we are pleased to announce the launch of Kinnikinnick Soft Breads & Buns. These products were developed not only to provide great taste & texture but the best nutritional values possible. With this post we're going to highlight why we think these new products set a new standard in gluten free bread products. These products have been available in our Toss Your Toaster Exclusive Preview for about a month so we've added some comments from people who have tried them.

Unbeatable Taste and Texture

The new Kinnikinnick Soft breads & buns are specially formulated so they don't require toasting and they remain soft after freezing. This means you can now make and take a sandwich, a hamburger or hot dog anywhere, anytime. You are no longer tied to the toaster. School or work lunches are no longer something to tolerate, but to enjoy.

I have been eating incredibly delicious sandwiches for the last few days ... No toaster involved - Chere via Facebook

We have had sandwiches using this bread, and it was fabulous! I had stopped eating sandwiches much because the bread would dry out so badly. I made these in the morning and ate about noon. The bread did not dry out. It tasted great and had a fabulous texture. My GF-by-choice boyfriend loves it and said, "Please get this out in as wide of a distribution as possible" via the Web.

Love the breads! Especially the fact that they don't need toasting first, although I tried a slice toasted for breakfast yesterday. It was good toasted, too. via the Web.

Yesterday morning I packed a salmon salad sandwich on the new soft multigrain bread and it travelled stupendously. Great sandwich later in the day. And the loaf was a few days old! Amazing. - Susan via Facebook

Our Full Size Loaf compared to another brand.

Great Value
We've done something is rare in today's world. We increased the size of our loaf of bread and we reduced the price! Breads are a full size loaf with regular thickness slice. It looks like "real bread" and tastes and smells like it too. While they're about the same size, we've reduced the price of our buns too, by over a dollar per package.

With an industry leading price of less than $5.00 suggested retail for the line, the new Kinnikinnick Soft Products are as affordable as they are tasty.

I was so excited to see full loaves of bread! The bread feels soft like regular bread and smells heavenly!

Good For You
Good Nutrition and Gluten Free used to be mutually exclusive. We recognize our responsibility to not only create a product line that tasted great, but that is good for you. No more empty carbs & starches. Kinnikinnick Soft Bread & Buns have great nutritional values to go along with their outstanding taste and texture.

Soft Multigrain Bread With Brown Rice, Sunflower Seeds, Flax Seeds Quinoa & Teff

All of the new products (even the white ones!) :

Have at least 5 g of Fiber per serving
Have Zero Cholesterol
Have Zero Trans Fat
Have 1 g or less sugar per serving
Are Fortified with 5 essential nutrients
Are lower in sodium than our existing bread products and many other bread products on the market (even non-gluten free breads)
Have no Artificial Colours, Flavours or Preservatives

To highlight each product's nutritional benefits, we've provided an easy to read and understand Nutritional Summary on the front of each package.

We are very proud that these are the first Gluten Free Bakery Products to qualify for the Canadian Heart & Stroke Foundation's Health Check ® Program. "To earn the Health Check symbol, every food or menu item in the program must meet nutrient criteria, established by Health Check, based on the recommendations in Canada’s Food Guide. The Health Check logo tells you the food or menu item has been reviewed by the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s registered dietitians and can contribute to an overall healthy diet."


Bright New Packaging And Suggested Retail Prices.

New Look Packaging for a New Taste and Texture.
Like all other nationally distributed gluten free bakery products, our new products are sold out of the freezer. (yes, even the products that are sold "fresh" on the shelf have been previously frozen in most cases). To help you find our new products in the freezer, we've completely redesigned our packaging with bright colours and a bold new design. The distinctive bright yellow body has a window at the bottom so you can see the great looking breads and buns and has, as we mentioned above, the easy to read nutritional summary panel.

Availability
We've already started shipping orders to our distributors and the word is spreading in the retail stores but the official launch date is in March. It will take some time for the new breads to hit the stores. You will be able to buy them directly from our website and a limited number of retail stores starting today.

The situation is a bit different with our new Soft Hamburger & Soft Hot Dog Buns. Starting, immediately, these new items will be replacing our existing hot dog & hamburger buns. If your store is currently carrying either bun, you'll know the new ones are in stock when you see the bright yellow package.

Soft Hot Dog Bun


Soft Hamburger Bun

The new Bread and Hot Dog Rolls are AMAZING!!!!! - Monika, VA via Facebook

Without doubt the best GF hamburger bun I have ever tasted. Texture was perfectly 'bready' made for a fantastic burger. via the Web

This range of buns is sure to be a huge success. It is hard to believe they are gluten free. via the Web

Watch for these in your local restaurant, stadium, or on your next cruise.

To coincide with the launch of these new products, we are greatly expanding our food service program. All of these new items (and many others) are now available to restaurants, sports facilities, theme parks, cruise lines, healthcare institutions and schools, colleges and universities.Any food service customer interested in these new products can contact us at info@kinnikinnick.com for more information.

The new #gfree soft buns from Kinnikinnick are a hit at the pub! via Twitter

You Can Help

You can help get these products into your local store sooner by asking your local store manager for them. If you'd like you can print out our product information sheets for the Soft Breads & Soft Buns

Absolutely LOVE LOVE the bread! I'm sold after having just 2 slices. Keep on makin magic! via Twitter

In closing, I'd like to say that we are very, very excited about these new products and we hope that you are too. I'll leave the final comment to a Toss Your Toaster Survey respondent:

"I've never had anything in my whole life that tastes so good!!!!!"

Shop Now

Gluten Testing & our New Lab Tested Gluten Free Logo

2012-01-03T15:00:00.000-07:00

This post is part of our ongoing commitment to transparency and consumer education.

A Bit of History

The landscape of the Gluten Free world has changed substantially since 1991 when Kinnikinnick sold its first GF product. Back then, few people (including most doctors) knew what Celiac was, what a GF diet was and GF products were in very short supply.

Ted in 1993 at our first store

When researching his new business, founder Ted Wolff von Selzam made a key decision; the only way to produce gluten free foods is to have a completely dedicated gluten free facility. He knew this would be a challenge, as the market was so (apparently) small, that it would make more sense to just make a few GF items in a regular bakery setting. He believed, and we still do, that while it might have made more economic sense, it wasn't the safe or ethical thing to do.There was also another reason for being so cautious. In Canada, there has been strong GF labelling laws since at least the early 90's and possibly earlier. I couldn't find the date the law was enacted but what it says is this:

A food is not permitted to be labelled, packaged, sold or advertised in a manner likely to create an impression that it is "gluten-free" unless it does not contain wheat, including spelt and kamut, or oats, barley, rye, triticale or any part thereof. *

This labelling law is enforced by requiring that any product labelled gluten free have a maximum of 20ppm of gluten. The CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency). The CFIA randomly tests products labelled GF and will recall products that exceed this threshold.

The New Wild West
For 20 years, we developed and produced our line of products while watching something of a wild west in the gluten free market in the U.S. We saw products labelled GF in the U.S. that weren't in Canada (due to inability to meet the Canadian rules?) We've seen bakeries selling products labelled GF that were plainly not (and in several cases tested very high). More recently we've seen an explosion of GF products, many of which are not produced in dedicated GF facilities. Now, let's be clear; there are a number of manufacturers in the U.S. and Canada that have dedicated facilities but many of the products we have seen recently are either co-packed (made on contract by a potentially non-gf manufacturer) or simply made in a non-GF facility. How does a consumer know how great the risk is of cross contamination in these facilities?

Gluten Free Standards and Enforcement
In 2004, the U.S. government passed the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) which called for a gluten free labelling standard to be in place by 2008. There have been several rounds of "public & industry" consultation but by late 2011, there is still no standard for GF labelling. In summer 2011, the FDA put the legislation out for an additional 60 day comment period but means that standards are still some months away. What happens in a rapidly growing market with no proper regulation? Well, in this case, several entities have stepped in to fill this vacuum and provide consumers some degree of confidence that what they are eating is "safe".

A Whole New Focus for Celiac Support Groups
For years, celiac support groups have been a lifeline to many consumers. In the past, consumers were faced with medical professionals who knew little about the diagnosis, let alone how to advise patients what to do after being diagnosed. In Canada, the Canadian Celiac Association has been pretty much the single point of support, information & advocacy, whereas in the USA a number of national and regional support groups grew up to serve the Celiac community. Over the years, this has led to some confusion due to differing opinions on how to follow a GF diet but it's fair to say that every support group in both the U.S. & Canada has been a tremendous (and often sole) advocate and provider of information & emotional support for those with Celiac disease.

These organizations recognized that Gluten Free consumers needed some assurance that the food that they were eating would meet the strict standards necessary to maintain a healthy GF diet. In response, a number of the organizations developed programs to provide better information to consumers on foods that were labeled as “gluten free”.

A Solution But Not "The" Solution
Starting a few years ago, we started to see support groups creating their own gluten free certification programs. In order to obtain a gluten free certification for a product a company applies to be part of the program, pays a yearly fee and then is subjected to various certification processes. Generally these processes are:

Ingredient review
Site inspection
Product testing

The intent was to make manufacturers aware of the strict standards that are necessary to produce uncontaminated gluten free food. Once this process was complete then the company was free to use the organization’s “gluten free” 3rd party symbol. These programs have been a step forward in producing safer gluten free products. However there is no requirement that food products bearing these certified symbols are produced in a dedicated facility. That is the “gold standard” for ensuring that no cross contamination occurs during the production and packaging processes.

As a point of interest, many of you may have seen a video that we produced several years ago dealing with the difficulty of co packing regular foods and gluten free foods in the same facility.

If this equipment had been used to produce gluten free in a shared facility, would you be comfortable eating it? Now, it's interesting that when we first released this video we saw some fairly vigorous backlash on some GF message boards saying we were fear mongering and trying to scare people away from non-dedicated facilities and trying to limit the gluten free consumers choice. Well, I guess in a way that's true. We -are- trying to get people to buy products from dedicated GF manufacturers. We (not just Kinnikinnick but all dedicated GF producers) take the time and expense to provide the safest food possible. It does not cease to be of central importance for us. We don't believe GF certification of non-dedicated facilities is the answer to safety. The GF market is large enough these days that if you want to be in it you, as a manufacturer, should provide a dedicated facility to ensure customers safety.

Keeping Our Products Safe
Ok, so you probably have guessed by now why we have not applied for 3rd party certification. So how do you, the gluten free consumer, know that Kinnikinnick products are safe? Well to start with, there is our stand on dedicated facilities. If there isn't gluten in the building, it's not going to get in your food while it's being produced. We also don't outsource any manufacturing to other manufacturers. We produce every one of our products in our own facilities.

But what about raw ingredients? Here, I believe, we have been an industry leader in both the kind of testing we do and the openness that we discuss it. As far back as the first year of this blog in 2008, we have been posting about our policies and letting people know how we test. Over the last 20 years we've also written about it numerous times in our newsletter and spoken to hundreds of support groups and trade contacts on the topic. We've openly posted about it on social media like Twitter & Facebook and their predecessor, the Celiac ListServ email list.

A Bit of Testing History
For the first 10 years of our operations, we were limited to identifying and sourcing ingredients from "safer" suppliers. There weren't any tests for gluten that could be done without an extremely expensive lab setup of the kind found in universities and governments. Even then, testing was pretty hit and miss. Enrique Mendez of the University of Madrid developed the R5 monoclonal antibody ELISA (Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay) test in the late 1990's and this was adopted by the Codex Committee of Methods on Analysis and Sampling in 2006. While the test was available, there wasn't even any agreement on how to prepare a standard gliadin sample. In order to have a valid test you need to be able to test it against a known sample prepared using an accepted method. In 2000, a gliadin standard was proposed and formalized in 2006. (For more information see http://www.wgpat.com.ar/aims-history.htm).

We began using ELISA Quick tests as soon as they became available in the market. circa 2001-2002. These tests had a detection limit of between 100 & 200 ppm, so while they were better than nothing, they weren't anywhere near to 20 ppm standard we had to meet under Canadian law. In 2005-2006, we started to see much more accurate testing kits available with detections levels well below 20ppm and we began using these.

State of the Art (or rather Science)

Currently we use 2 testing kits, a qualitative test and a quantitative test. For those of you who don't remember your lab work from school, qualitative tests provide a yes/no answer (is gluten detected) and a quantitative test that can tell you how much. The qualitative test we use is very much like a home pregnancy test in its operation. A sample is prepared in a solvent, a test strip is dipped into the sample and after a few minutes, a coloured indicator appears. If it appears at one spot, there is no gluten detected, at another there is a detection. The quantitative test also has a sample preparation step but the procedure for reading results is much different. Samples are added to a "microwell plate" along with a control sample of gliadin. This plate is place in a special spectrographic reader which analyzes the colours produced by the test and prints out a value of how much gliadin is in the sample. The test that we use the Mendez R5 ELISA test is the only test currently recognized by the Association of Analytical Communities (AOAC). The AOAC is the group that labs worldwide use to provide guidance on standardized testing methods. It's important to note that lack of AOAC approval does not mean that a test is invalid, it simply means that the test has not been accepted as a test method, usually because it is new (and sometimes because it doesn't provide consistently accurate results based on current knowledge)

Some Testing Gotchas
There are some interesting things we've learned over the years in our ongoing quest to be the supplier of the safest gluten free food out there. Things like:

Some tests kits are not suitable for heat treated products, so are not useful for baked products
Some ingredient samples require special preparation as they don't react like other samples (chocolate, spices are but two)
Some test kits are only sensitive to gliadin (the protein in wheat) but miss the protein in barley (horedin), rye (secalin) and oats (avenin - oats are controversial. read about our position here).
Oats are generally not detected by these test kits. We are currently evaluating a new test kit which claims to have better detection of oat proteins.

It's important to note here that as far as we know, "quick test" R5 kits (and possibly other styles of test kits) on the market today are not suitable for heat treated products (ie: all bakery items) or require special extraction methods to provide a valid result. One hopes that all manufacturers and certification organizations are aware of these test kit limitations.

PPM's, LOD's & LOQ's

So what exactly are we testing for and what do the test results mean. In general, all the tests on the market today are looking for gliadin, which is a protein in wheat. This protein is most commonly referred to as gluten, although as inferred above, it encompasses rye & barley and sometimes oats. We've recently seen a product out there claiming "Zero Gluten" (accompanied by lots of !!!!!) The interesting part about that claim is that given the current state of the art, a claim of 0 is impossible if you base it on actual testing. It's also important to realize that for testing, gliadin & gluten are not the same thing. A gliadin result of 5ppm means it contains 10ppm gluten.

To understand what the test results mean, you need to look at Level of Detection (LOD) and Level of Quantification (LOQ). The stated LOD of a test is the lowest possible amount that a test can detect. The LOQ of a test is the amount that the test can actually quantify, or the lowest number that the test can actually say "there is this much of that in this sample". It may be a bit confusing but it makes sense when you look at some numbers.

For the R5 ELISA Quantitative test, the LOD is 1.5ppm gliadin/ 3ppm gluten. This means that the test can not detect gliadin with any certainty below levels of 1.5 ppm. The LOQ for this same test is 2.5 ppm gliadin/gluten. This means that any amount of gliadin above 2.5 ppm can be assigned a value ie: 3.6 ppm. Anything between the LOD and the LOQ will be detected but the test won't be able to give you a value ie: 1.9 ppm.

Another thing to note here is that for the quick tests, there is no LOQ because these tests are only based on detection and not quantification (yes or no vs how much). For the R5 quicktests we use, the LOD is 2.5ppm gliadin or 5ppm gluten.

Supplier Assurance
One of the key parts of our gluten risk management starts with our suppliers. Every manufacturer is required to submit allergen & gluten statements. All of our major suppliers (rice, tapioca, corn, potato, pulses, etc) run dedicated gluten free facilities. However, we do have some suppliers of smaller volume ingredients which do process gluten containing products. This is a fact of doing business in a world where gluten is everywhere. Obviously,when we can use a similar ingredient from a dedicated GF supplier vs. a non-dedicated supplier, we choose the dedicated supplier - even if the ingredient is more expensive. In some cases, there are no alternatives. The only way to manage the risk is with a rigorous testing protocol for all incoming ingredients.

Daily Gluten Testing at Kinnikinnick

Ingredients
When an ingredient arrives at our facility, it is immediately put on hold. One of our lab team is notified and they take samples based on a schedule based on risk and volume. The tests used and the testing method are determined by the type of ingredient. Once a lot number has been tested, it is released or rejected based on the results.

Products
As we've noted previously, we've been testing incoming ingredients in our lab for several year now. Combined with our dedicated gluten free facilities (we don't even let staff bring in sandwiches, cookies etc for lunch!), we are completely confident in our products, however, late last fall we decided to go one step further.

Kinnikinnick's New Lab Tested Program and Certification Symbol
In response, to the questions we have had regarding a Certification label we are implementing our own unique Gluten Free symbol which will now appear on all of our products. We believe that it will represent the safest possible food in the gluten free market.

Our gluten free logo reflects the following procedures:

1. All products are made in our own dedicated gluten free, dairy free, peanut free and tree nut free facilities

2. All suppliers must provide gluten free statements

3. All incoming ingredients are tested as noted above

4. All finished products are tested on a rotating schedule

5. Finished products are sent to a recognized outside lab quarterly to verify our internal test results

Trusting A Manufacturers Logo
So what does this all mean. Is our logo better or worse than a 3rd party certification? Does it mean less than a 3rd party logo? How do you trust something a manufacturer puts on a package?

We have always been willing to provide details on how we do what we do (and this post is just another example).

From a legal standpoint, because we have our production facilities in Canada, we have had to maintain a maximum level of 20 ppm of gluten in our products for the past 20 years to meet government standards. Over the past few years we have improved our supply chain protocols and our testing procedures so that we now are prepared to stand behind a level of less than 5ppm on any of our gluten free products. For 20 years, we have built our company and our reputation on our word. Our new logo is our word that we have done everything in our power to produce the safest gluten free products possible.

Toss Your Toaster Exclusive Preview

2011-12-14T10:02:00.001-07:00

January 13 UPDATE: More Ways to Enter!

Get Bonus Entries by letting your Facebook friends know about the Exclusive Preview!

You can either send them a message and/or post on your wall. Every time you click and Send or Share using the buttons on the contest page, you'll be presented with a box to submit your email for a bonus entry.

What's the Prize?

4 of our new products shipped to your door.

No Really What's the Prize

You'll have to win to find out. (but you won't need your toaster :)

February 29, 2012

Contest is now closed.

Thanks for participating.

Official Rules

Draw Period Closes February 29, 2012 at 12:01pm MST
First Draw Date: December 19, 2011
20 winners a week will be chosen at random from all entries.
Entries will also be accepted by sending an email to info@kinnikinnick.com with "Toaster Contest Entry" as the subject. By submitting an entry via email you agree to be bound by these official rules.
Winners will be contacted by email or Twitter direct message (if entry is Twitter based)
Winners must respond within 72 hours of winning notification
Odds of winning this contest are determined by number of entries
Prize includes cost of shipping to a single physical address in the US or Canada. PO boxes can not be used
Winners are not eligible for subsequent draws during this draw period
Email entrants will be placed on our emailing list to receive updates and news. Email addesses are never sold or shared with 3rd parties. Entrants may opt out of these mailings at any time.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING
ALL FEDERAL, PROVINCIAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY
Prizes are non-transferable and non-exchangeable
No substitution or cash equivalent will be made
Void Where Prohibited by law

By entering this draw you agree to be bound by these rules.

Disclaimer:

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook or Twitter. Entrance information is provided solely to Kinnikinnick Foods Inc. and not to Facebook or Twitter. Entrant agrees to completely release Facebook and Twitter from any and all liability in the running of this promotion.
Sponsor: Kinnikinnick Foods Inc, 10940-120 St. Edmonton, AB, CA T5H3P7

3 New Mixes Available for the Holidays

2011-12-09T14:39:00.001-07:00

Gingerbread Cookie Mix Suggested Serving

We're pleased to announce the addition of 3 new mixes to our lineup of great Gluten Free products.

As of today, gluten free Gingerbread Cookie Mix, Sugar Cookie Mix & Crepe Mix are available online and in our Edmonton Retail store. These mixes are also dairy free & nut free. This is a trial launch and as such, these products will be available only directly from us. Next year, we hope to have these items in distribution as seasonal items.if demand warrants. These mixes are $4.99 for 454g/16oz package. Visit our website for full details including ingredients and nutritional information.

Sugar Cookie Mix Suggested Serving

Crepe Mix Suggested Serving

Toss Your Toaster

2011-12-06T13:36:00.001-07:00

Kinnikinnick Foods Receives Kosher Certification

2011-12-01T10:22:00.001-07:00

Leading Provider of Allergy-Friendly Baked Goods and Snacks Now Verified OU Kosher Pareve

Edmonton, Canada - December 1, 2011

Kinnikinnick Foods, North America’s leading manufacturer of gluten-free baked goods and snacks, today announces that its company facilities, and an extensive list of products, are certified OU kosher pareve by the Orthodox Union.

Kinnikinnick runs the largest, dedicated gluten free, dairy free and nut free facilities in North America. Both plants have been through the rigorous certification program under the supervision of the Kashruth Division of the Orthodox Union. By making all of its products in house, Kinnikinnick can ensure all of its baked goods and snacks are safe from cross contamination. The OU certification means that those people with special dietary concerns that follow a Kosher diet now have access to a far greater variety of high quality items.

The OU symbol will begin rolling out on Kinnikinnick’s packaging beginning this December.

Products that are certified Kosher include Kinnikinnick’s All Purpose Flour Blend, Angel Food Cake Mix, Blueberry Muffins, Chocolate Dipped Donuts, White Sandwich Bread, Pizza Crusts, S’moreables Graham Style Crackers, and KinniKritters Animal Cookies, to name a few. For a complete list of Kinnikinnick’s certified kosher products, click here

Kosher foods have sustained a growth rate of 15% annually and are the fastest growing ethnic cuisine over the past five years, according to Canadian Agri-Food Trade Service. In total, more than 13% of Americans have reported specifically purchasing kosher-certified foods.

“Making our products certified kosher was a natural choice for us,” shared Kinnikinnick Foods’ President and CEO Jerry Bigam. “Since our products were already free of dairy, we received many calls asking if our lineup was kosher as well. The demand was there, our products met the requirements; we just needed to make it official.”

Kinnikinnick’s products are available for purchase online at www.kinnikinnick.comand at select natural and mainstream grocery stores throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Kinnikinnick Launches Gluten Free Personal Size Thin Pizza Crusts

2011-11-21T12:32:00.001-07:00

EDMONTON, CANADA – Kinnikinnick Foods, North America’s leading manufacturer of gluten-free baked goods and snacks, today introduces new Personal Size Thin Pizza Crusts, which are ideal for those with special dietary needs.

Makers of the #1 gluten-free pizza crust in the retail market, Kinnikinnick’s new thin pizza crusts are easy to prepare, contain no preservatives, and are free of gluten, dairy, and nuts.

Simply pre-heat your oven to 375°, place a crust on a cookie sheet, cover it with your favorite pizza toppings, and bake for 8-12 minutes.

Light and crispy, Kinnikinnick’s new Personal Size Thin Pizza Crust is the perfect complement to the slightly thicker market favorite currently offered by the company. With this new addition, there is a pizza crust for everyone!

Jerry Bigam, President and CEO of Kinnikinnick Foods shared, “With dietary restrictions in our family, we know all too well that sometimes the hardest part of maintaining a gluten-free lifestyle is being left out of the most simple fun, like enjoying a slice of pizza. It’s a staple of social gatherings, a convenient dinner for after school, a meal many can agree on, and the perfect dish for watching a sports game. With our lineup of pizza crusts, we hope that those with food allergies will never miss out on enjoying a perfect slice of pizza again.”

Kinnikinnick’s new Personal Size Thin Pizza Crusts are available online at www.kinnikinnick.com and are just now becoming available at select natural and mainstream grocery stores throughout the U.S. and Canada for an SRP of $3.99 per 5.3oz package.

Some changes to how you find us online

2011-11-10T11:21:00.001-07:00

We've made some changes which should make it a lot easier to find us online. Instead of long, impossible to remember addresses like our new

Google+ Page
plus.google.com/b/103476890982177473792/

We've taken all of our various online sections and added them to kinnikinnick.com.

Want to find us on that new Google+ page? Just go to googleplus.kinnikinnick.com.
Want to watch our live streaming event on November 15 (at 6pm mst)? just go to ustream.kinnikinnick.com.

Now you do still have to remember how to spell Kinnikinnick, :) but once you've got that down, the rest is easy.

Kinnikinnick Online
Website: http://www.kinnikinnick.com
Blog: http://blog.kinnikinnick.com
Facebook: http://facebook.kinnikinnick.com
Twitter: http://twitter.kinnikinnick.com
Google+: http://googleplus.kinnikinnick.com
iTunes Podcasts: http://itunes.kinnikinnick.com
Videos: http://youtube.kinnikinnick.com
Live Streaming: http://ustream.kinnikinnick.com

Live Streaming Gluten Free Holiday Cooking Class

2011-11-07T12:33:00.000-07:00

Stress-Free Holiday Appetizers & Desserts

Watch it LIVE!!

Tuesday, Nov 15th 2011 @ 6:00pm MST

Demystify the art of whipping up fancy and elegant appetizers and desserts for the holiday season. Stress-free recipes that make it look like you fussed!

The show will be available on our UStream channel

or directly on our Facebook Page

We'll be hosting an online chat during the broadcast on UStream so you can ask questions and we'll pass them on to the hosts.

Can’t watch the live show? Don’t worry… the show will be archived on UStream.

Great Food, Gluten Free Live Streaming Cooking Class

2011-10-03T08:22:00.000-06:00

Tickets for the live audience sold out in minutes but you can join us for a free live streaming cooking class on Tuesday Oct. 4. We'll be broadcasting on UStream starting at 6:30 pm Mountain (8:30 Eastern).

Great Food, Gluten Free

Quick & Easy Meal Ideas with a Southwestern Flair

Tapas (Appetizers)

Multicultural Antojito’s

This appetizer got a little confused when crossing the border. A delicate and savory French crêpe is covered with the Southwestern mix of cream cheese, olives, green onions and spicy jalapeños before being fried to perfection. Served with a duo of sour cream and pesto dipping sauces.

South West Baked Onion Soup

The classic dish of caramelized onions simmered in our homemade broth is kicked up a notch with the subtle bite of chipotle pepper and the creamy goodness of smoked Gouda. Served with slices of golden toast.

Featuring: Italian White Tapioca Rice Bread

Plato Principal (Entrée)

Pepper Jack Chicken Cordon Bleu with Mango Cilantro Salsa

Juicy chicken breasts have been tenderized and coated in crispy Cajun spiced Panko Style Bread Crumbs. Pan fried until golden brown, they are topped with old fashioned ham, pepper jack cheese, fresh cilantro and a tangy sweet mango salsa.

Featuring: Panko Style Bread Crumbs

Santa Fe Quinoa

A simple, tasty side dish that’s high in protein and most importantly, taste. The super grain is infused with sundried tomatoes, sweet corn, and the kick of southern spices.

Savory Cheddar Bacon Buns

Everything tastes better with bacon. With gooey sharp cheddar and crispy bacon, these will be the quickest (and yummiest) buns you’ll ever whip up.

Featuring: KinniKwik Bread & Bun Mix

Postre (Dessert)

Apple Empanada’s

A hot sugar-crusted golden pastry filled with warm apples straight from the tree and smothered in a creamy caramel sauce. Paired with the cool chill of Vanilla bean ice cream.

Featuring: Pie Crust