A common problem between brothers is what helped launch the start of The Gluten Free Bar. Gluten intolerance and the disappointment of the available food options made it easy for two Grand Rapids, Michigan-based brothers to start making their own gluten-free food options. Founded in 2010, The Gluten Free Bar (GFB) has been on a mission to make gluten-free foods taste better, and its export sales help consumers worldwide experience their success.
Since 2014, the Michigan supplier has participated in Food Export-Midwest programs and services to help expand their export sales. Last year, they used Food Export’s Branded Program to grow brand awareness for their products in Canada. The Michigan supplier used their allocated funding to make label/package modifications, advertise in the market, produce/distribute promotional materials, and create promotional retail product displays.
In 2023, GFB reported earning $1,250,000 in sales to Canada through the assistance of the Branded Program. They also project to complete over $2 million more in sales over the next twelve months with their newly acquired 30 foreign buyer contacts and 1 new agent relationship.
The GFB aims to produce good-for-you gluten-free food in good-for-you ways. The company uses simple, honest, quality ingredients to create ridiculously tasty, protein-packed food that is non-GMO verified, certified vegan, certified gluten-free, certified kosher and mostly organic. All bars, bites, and oatmeal produced are crafted in their facility utilizing a local workforce with a focus on creating a sustainable business that benefits our team members, community, and customers.
The Gluten Free Bar has utilized the Branded Program since 2014 and participated in Food Export Buyers Missions, the Online Product Catalog, and the U.S. FoodLink “Featured Product” section.
Food Export uses funding from the Market Access Program (MAP) to help America’s small businesses increase their exports of food and agricultural products. As these exports increase, these small businesses are creating jobs and improving the strength and stability of our agricultural economy. Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast are non-profit organizations that work in collaboration with their member state departments of agriculture and the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. They offer a wide range of programs and services that help boost America’s agricultural exports.
