After a successful first year of business, gluten-free market Pam MacD’s is positioning itself to be the industry’s next big thing. The first of its kind in the Valley region, the Burbank market is dedicated to selling food products free of gluten, a protein naturally found in certain grains such as wheat, barley, and rye. Located on Magnolia Boulevard, the 3,000-square-foot shop offers more than 1,700 products and has generated some $500,000 in sales in its first eight months of business. Company officials say the store is on track to exceed last year’s sales. Owner and founder Pam MacDonald said plans to grow the business are underway. Store officials are considering moves such as opening additional stores and creating an in-house product line. And the company will launch its e-commerce website in the next month or so. “Pam MacD’s was created to expand,” MacDonald said. “This was never intended to be just one store.” MacDonald and her team, which includes Pam MacD’s executive director Justin Hall, are eyeing other locations in the region such as Santa Monica, San Diego, Orange County and South Bay, though no plans have been confirmed. Meanwhile, the company is preparing to launch a Pam MacD’s e-commerce site in the coming months, targeting the gluten-free consumer living outside of the Los Angeles area. “We’re targeting people in smaller towns and harder to reach areas who do not have a gluten-free option near them,” Hall said. The company enlisted website developer Ciplex New York to design the site. Hall and the Pam MacD’s team are working on product information and photos for the more than 1,500 products that will be available on the site. The company will use social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter as well as search engine optimization strategies and the Market’s weekly blog to spread the word on the new site. The gluten-free market is a $6.3 billion industry, according to Spins, a Schaumburg, Ill., market research and consulting firm for the natural products industry. Hall said the market is slated to hit $12 billion by 2015. The desire to maintain a gluten-free diet is most common among those living with celiac disease. Celiac disease is a condition that damages the lining of the small intestine and prevents it from absorbing parts of food that are important for staying healthy; the damage is due to a reaction to eating gluten. However, gluten-free diets are gaining popularity among a broad range of individuals looking to adopt healthier eating habits, MacDonald said. Abstaining from wheat, barley and rye products can seem a daunting and restrictive task, but innovations within the food industry are aiming to make the gluten-free transition easier for consumers. Brands such as Bob’s Red Mill, Glutino and Amy’s Kitchen are big contenders in the gluten-free market, commercial brands such as Kellogg and Anheuser-Busch also have jumped on the band wagon, launching products that aim to take a piece of the market share. “(Gluten-free lifestyle) is clearly a diet, and not a trend,” MacDonald said. “It’s a true niche market.” Selecting the right product mix is a priority for the team at Pam MacD’s. Gluten-free products tend to be more expensive and MacDonald says she wants to make sure customers are getting a quality product that is both nutritious and tasty. She also generally avoids commercial brands, choosing instead to partner with local and independent vendors. And she’s always searching for new items. The need for a diverse gluten-free product mix is what inspired MacDonald to open the market in the first place. After being diagnosed with celiac’s disease some 15 years ago, MacDonald committed to a gluten-free lifestyle and became an avid sampler of its products. MacDonald said she created Pam MacD’s after identifying a need in the market for a gluten-free one-stop shop, investing her own money in the venture. Like most start-ups, the first year of business has come with its share of challenges. The market’s management team says it has learned important lessons in staff selection and product selection, losing some money in the process. As the public interest in Pam MacD’s grows, Hall said the store receives its share of “spies.” But he’s not worried about copy cats popping up. “No one can do it at this size,” he said, noting the closest gluten-free market is Stella Lucy’s in San Clemente. Indeed, Pam MacD’s has developed a roster of regular clients, including some who have posted their experiences on websites such as Yelp. “Wonderful little store with a great, friendly, and knowledgeable staff,” said Diane S. from Studio City. “They could not have been nicer. Really appreciate having so many gluten-free options in one store.”
