‘It’s this word, it seems to have bugged people out in this town’: business owner

AN ALLERGY free foods stockist is being forced to temporarily shut down his business because of the stigma surrounding the healthy alternative.

Gluten Free 4U NT is temporarily shutting down due to the lack of awareness on allergy free products. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

THE stigma around gluten free foods is forcing Darwin stockists out of business.

Gluten Free 4U NT owner Daniel Wicks decided to temporarily shut down his business to restructure, despite opening only four months ago.

The company wholesales allergy free baked goods.

It’s this word (gluten free), it seems to have bugged people out in this town. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford.

He opened the business to give coeliacs like himself and others with food allergies more options when dining out, but said many Darwin eateries hadn’t taken allergy free foods seriously.

“All I’m trying to do is get more choices in the food industry for people like myself,” he said.

“It’s this word (gluten free), it seems to have bugged people out in this town.

“You can’t catch this. It’s taking out certain products that harm the body, that’s all its doing.”

AWESOME offer: NT News subscription for $1 a week for the first 12 weeks

Mr Wicks said eateries were losing out on business by not catering to more people with dietary needs.

“If I have a big dinner, we’re only going to places that cater for me, because why I would I take 15 of my mates?” he said.

He said Darwin needed to get out of the mindset gluten free foods were gross.

“When gluten free started about 20 years ago, a lot of the products weren’t fantastic but now,” he said.

“I’d like to get some awareness out there, get people understanding it’s good quality food.”