TORONTO’S HOTTEST GLUTEN-FREE MARKETPLACE BRINGS TOGETHER THE CITY’S TASTIEST GLUTEN-FREE FARE
Gluten Free Garage: The Sequel offers up even more gluten-free finds with food trucks and guest speakers
TORONTO, March 19, 2013 – Gluten Free Garage: The Sequel returns to Toronto’s Artscape Wychwood Barns on Sunday April 28th to kick off Celiac Awareness Month. This pop-up marketplace brings together more than 50 vendors to serve up the city’s best gluten-free fare—from sweets to savoury to skincare—along with food trucks (including Toronto’s own gluten-free meals on wheels, The Gourmet B1tches) and guest speakers. A 21st-century take on the farmers’ market with a gluten-free twist, the Gluten Free Garage (GFG) offers one-stop shopping and an opportunity to discover more about happy, healthy gluten-free living.
“Our goal is to bring healthy, delicious and local gluten-free options to the community—and the growing gluten-free community is hungry for it,” says GFG founder RonniLyn Pustil, a local mom whose 7-year-old daughter has celiac disease. “Gluten-free food can be costly and doesn’t always taste good. We’ve handpicked the city’s best gluten-free fare to provide the chance for people to sample and purchase products in a worry-free space. Most importantly, the GFG offers a unique opportunity to connect with others in the gluten-free community.”
With an estimated 1 in 133* Canadians living with celiac disease (an autoimmune disorder for which the only treatment is a strict gluten-free diet) and growing numbers of those with gluten intolerance and sensitivity, the demand for gluten free has never been greater. Also, more and more people are now eliminating gluten from their diets by choice. A recent survey from consumer research firm NPD Group revealed that nearly 30% of adults are interested in avoiding or cutting down on gluten.
“Within the last 15 to 20 years, the incidence of celiac disease has increased four- to five-fold, while the newly classified non-celiac gluten sensitivity is estimated to affect nearly 6% of the population,” says Alexandra Anca, a registered dietitian who specializes in gastrointestinal conditions, with a special focus on celiac disease and food allergies. “One of the first questions I’m asked from newly diagnosed clients is ‘What can I eat now?’ The Gluten Free Garage is a community hub that creates a sense of belonging for those affected with gluten-related disorders—the feeling that we are all in this together, working toward the same goal: to help create a healthy, delicious and convenient gluten-free lifestyle.”
Alexandra Anca is one of five guest speakers at the Gluten Free Garage. The other guest speakers are: Chef, nutritionist and leading gluten-free expert Kathy Smart, bloggers Ricki Heller and Maggie Savage and naturopathic doctor Jodi Larry. They will be speaking on a variety of topics related to healthy gluten-free living.
INSIDE THE GLUTEN FREE GARAGE ATTENDEES WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO:
- Discover local merchants, bakeries and restaurants that cater to their gluten-free needs
- Sample and buy gluten-free food and lifestyle products from a variety of vendors
- Enjoy fresh, tasty gluten-free food prepared onsite
- Get information, support and resources from the Canadian Celiac Association and local health experts
- Grab a free shopping bag for gluten-free goodies and coupons
- Learn from a handful of guest speakers on a variety of topics related to healthy gluten-free living.
ABOUT GLUTEN FREE GARAGE: The wildly successful Gluten Free Garage launched last year as Toronto’s first pop-up gluten-free marketplace. On November 11, 2012, 1,500 people flocked to the Artscape Wychwood Barns to discover, sample and buy gluten-free food and lifestyle products from 50 mostly local vendors. The GFG provides a venue to share gluten-free finds and better access to gluten-free products in order to help people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance live a happy and healthy gluten-free lifestyle. Sponsors of the Gluten Free Garage include: Fiesta Farms, Glutino, JK Gourmet, Hero Certified Burgers, Neal Brothers, Enerjive, GaGa for Gluten-Free, Late July, Lotus Fine Foods, Udi’s and Tonic. For photos, testimonials and more information visit Gluten Free Garage.
EVENT DETAILS
DATE: Sunday, April 28, 2013
TIME: 10 am to 4 pm
LOCATION: Artscape Wychwood Barns / 601 Christie St. (south of St. Clair)
ADMISSION: $10 for adults; free for kids 12 and under
A portion of the proceeds will go to the Canadian Celiac Association.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact:
Rachel Haar
416.918.4002
rhaar@rogers.com
Meagan Madill
905.995.4343
meagan@glutenfreegarage.ca
* Canadian Celiac Association
