Food retailers expand free-from ranges and store space

Demand for inclusive food products in Brazil is coming from consumers with diagnosed allergies and intolerances as well as from shoppers associating free-from products with health, well-being and lifestyle choices. Bruna Vilar, chief executive of Empório Quatro Estrelas, said that roughly half of the retailer’s customers buying gluten-free or lactose-free goods have no clinical diagnosis. She described the category as having moved beyond a specialised niche into a broader consumption pattern.

At Empório Quatro Estrelas, sales in the category have risen by an average of 35% a year, according to Ms Vilar. The retailer’s leading restriction-related segment is vegan food, followed by gluten-free products, with lactose-free and low-carbohydrate goods also among the main categories. Snacks account for almost 40% of free-from sales, including gluten-free bread, biscuits, cookies and cakes.

Other important product groups include speciality flours and cooking mixes, such as almond flour and gluten-free oat flour. Ms Vilar said customers with coeliac disease or allergy to cow’s-milk protein often prepare food at home. Supplements and clean-label proteins, including lactose-free whey and additive-free vegan proteins, were the fastest-growing category at Empório Quatro Estrelas in the previous year, combining demand from fitness consumers with that of shoppers observing dietary restrictions.

The retailer has increased its exclusive free-from stock-keeping units from 80 to more than 1,000 and opened a second physical location on Caraíbas Street to display the products. Its website includes dedicated filters and collections for gluten-free, cow’s-milk-protein-allergy and vegan products. Those collections account for more than half of the site’s traffic, Ms Vilar said. The company now places free-from products across the store rather than treating them as a separate secondary section.

Supermercados Freski has also expanded its physical allocation. Manager Fabiana de Fátima Freski Dutra said the retailer initially devoted less than 15% of a shelf to these goods. It now has adjoining aisles dedicated to them and sells about 72 bulk products. The network reports increased interest in natural foods, fruit, vegetables, wholemeal products and goods without lactose or gluten, with demand extending across age groups and attracting younger shoppers.

Retailers cited price, supply and product information as operational issues. Ms Vilar said free-from goods can involve more expensive production chains, certifications, smaller batches and specialised ingredients. The retailer negotiates directly with manufacturers and seeks to price products below the brands’ official websites. Perishable gluten-free and lactose-free bread and fresh products may require refrigerated logistics and close monitoring of waste.

For shoppers with allergies, Ms Vilar identified labelling and protection against cross-contamination as central considerations. She said Empório Quatro Estrelas reviews labels and studies manufacturers before listing products. Ms Dutra said Freski works with lower margins on the line because the products are more expensive, while continuing to expand its selection. Ms Vilar also identified children’s healthy snacks, clean-label supplements for women and mothers, and the availability of the same product in stores, one-hour delivery and e-commerce as areas of commercial focus.