Arnott’s opens the doors of its gluten free bakery in Adelaide

I took a look behind the curtain of one of Australia’s biggest food companies, seeing exactly how your favourite biscuits are made.

“Put this on,” someone told me while I stood in a changing room.

I had the chance to peek behind the curtain of one of Australia’s biggest food companies — Arnott’s. It was an experience so few people get.

There were rules to get in. I had to ditch all the technology I had on me, change my shoes and put on a stunning coat and hair net. I scrubbed my hands repeatedly to make sure they were clean. The level of detail and diligence almost felt militant. But, it was all for good reason. No one wants a stray hair or hang nail in their bikkies, right?

Arnott’s Gluten Free range launched in 2021. Initially, the gluten free range had Scotch Finger, Choc Ripple and Tiny Teddy. Before that, the facility in Marleston, South Australia, had been solely used for gluten products. But, very quickly, new equipment was secured and a wall was built to divide the two sections so there was no chance of cross-contamination.

Arnott's Marleston bakery. Picture: news.com.au

In Australia, to be considered gluten free products need to have no detectable gluten present. This means being made in completely separate spaces.

Even employees at the bakery told me they were impressed with how quickly and seamlessly the two branches of the business started working together. I was told how many people in decision making spots at Arnott’s have been impacted by gluten intolerance or coeliac disease due to people around them being diagnosed. That is what helped spark a huge and continued push in this space.

In just three short years, the range has grown to include Gluten Free Jatz, Gluten Free Mint Slice, Gluten Free Shortbread Cream, Gluten Free TeeVee Snacks and Gluten Free Barbecue Shapes.

But there aren’t just gluten free versions of beloved snacks. It’s Snack Right range includes Cracker Puffs and Cookies, which are gluten free. The Arnott’s Gold Range also has Seeded Crackers that have two gluten free flavours — sea salt and rustic herbs.

“Over three million Australians follow a gluten free lifestyle, and with this continuing to grow, we have seen demand for delicious tasting products increase. Arnott’s ongoing research, development and expansion of our Gluten Free range is focused on offering a wider variety of bickies the whole family can enjoy,” Ranita Cowled, business director of treating at The Arnott’s Group, told news.com.au.

Claudia Poposki heading into the bakery. Picture: news.com.au

The crackers being cut. Picture: news.com.au

“Having recently launched our first gluten free savoury products, gluten free Jatz and gluten free Barbecue Shapes, we continue to receive more excitement and anticipation for what iconic bikkie or cracker we will be releasing next in the gluten free range.

“We are convinced we have the best tasting gluten free bikkies and snacks on the market, so keep an eye out for what might be coming next.”

I was diagnosed with coeliac disease in 2021 — meaning I have an auto-immune condition where my body attacks itself if I eat wheat, rye or barley. One in 70 Australians have the illness but only 20 per cent are diagnosed. If undiagnosed, people can develop conditions such as bowel cancer. The diagnosis was a huge shock, but knowing my life wasn’t altering too much because brands were making gluten free versions did make it easier.

Jatz coming out of the oven. Picture: news.com.au

So, when the good people at Arnott’s invited me to Adelaide to check out the bakery, who was I to say no? I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but the tour exceeded expectations. I was talked through how cross contamination was avoided — even when employees come back from lunch break — and the impressive details that 800,000 cases of gluten free products are made annually by Arnott’s.

Gluten free Jatz were on the rotation during my visit — 2200 of the biscuits are made every minute. I got to see how the dough was mixed before being dumped on the production line. The dough started out thick before being thinned out two times. Then, the iconic biscuit shape — slightly elongate — is cut into the dough. Any excess is then put through the process again to avoid wastage. The crackers are then salted before heading into a 40-metre long oven. I highly recommend warming up your Jatz (or Savoy, if you’re a Victorian) after getting to taste a Jatz during this process.

Gluten Free Shapes and Jatz were introduced earlier this year. Picture: Instagram

Then, the crackers are oiled, inspected for breakage and packaged. The boxes of the crackers are put into cases by hand as, while this aspect of the business is growing, there are still some parts that are very retro. I am a savory girly through and through, but it would have also been fun to see the gluten free Tim Tam line in production, where 13 million biscuits are produced every year. But either way, it was an experience that I know so few would get to have — and a chance to reassure other coeliacs about what goes on in the factory. Also, I did try to convince them to bring out a new Shapes flavour.

Obviously, gluten free food has a long way to go in the grand scheme of things. For one, price to portion size is definitely an aspect that needs to improve. But, there is hope.

I was invited to the bakery as part of Arnott’s announcement it had teamed up with Weber. Until February 1, shoppers can buy a packet of Jatz, Savoy and Clix and go in the drawer to win a barbecue every day — as well as other prizes.

This journalist travelled as a guest of Arnott’s