Gluten Free Fortnight Is Back from 14 to 29 October
Our campaign, Gluten Free Fortnight, returns for its fourth year from 14 to 29 October 2023 bringing an extra portion of joy to our customers living with coeliac disease and gluten sensitivities and demonstrating the benefits of safe gluten free catering to other hospitality venues.
Regular customers will know that we already have a gluten free menu but during Gluten Free Fortnight we're taking it up a notch and our GF menu expands well beyond our fantastic gluten free fish & chips.
Gluten Free Fortnight at The Real Food Cafe - What's on the Menu?
Customers can look forward to a range of breakfast options, salads, meaty, vegetarian & vegan dishes as well as our home baked gluten free cakes & desserts. We also stock gluten free beer and our vinegar and oat milk are both gluten free.
Why Gluten Free Fortnight?
The Real Food Cafe has been an A-grade Coeliac UK Accredited Caterer for 7 years now and we understand the challenges faced by individuals who have to follow a gluten free diet especially when it comes to eating out.
Coeliac disease affects an estimated 1 in 100 individuals worldwide, with many others actively avoiding gluten due to sensitivities or personal dietary preferences. In our rural location, it isn't uncommon to come across menus that lack in variety of gluten free dishes on offer and we've worked very hard on earning our gluten free customers' trust.
We started serving gluten-free menu options in 2005 and over the years we’ve seen that people will travel considerable distances to enjoy quality, safe and delicious gluten free meals. We want everyone to enjoy eating out, regardless of dietary requirements.
Gluten Free Fortnight in Stirling & Forth Valley
In 2022, we partnered with Forth Valley Food & Drink and Coeliac UK to expand the campaign across the region and raise awareness of the coeliac disease and provide specialised training to participating businesses to ensure the safety and quality of their gluten-free offerings. It is our aim to put the region on the map as a leading destination for gluten-free dining experiences.
Since then, the campaign has gained momentum and has been recognised for its success, being shortlisted for the Best Marketing Campaign award at the 2023 Cateys Awards, the ‘Oscars’ of the hospitality industry.
In 2023, we're picking up right where we left off with more hospitality businesses participating, getting trained and putting gluten-free on the menu.
Sarah Heward, owner of The Real Food Café and one of Scotland Food & Drink's Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors said: “We are hugely excited about the return of Gluten Free Fortnight; the second annual celebration dedicated to empowering businesses in the Forth Valley region to cater for gluten intolerances, with businesses introducing a range of quality, delicious options for those following a gluten-free diet.
This year’s Gluten Free Fortnight is set to be another success, with several businesses in the region taking part; this in itself is reflective of the growing consumer demand for more diverse, specialist and inclusive menus. We plan to run two Gluten Free Fortnight events in 2024 to give more businesses the opportunity to get involved.
The mission of this campaign is very much to give hospitality businesses the tools and resources they need to provide GF options for customers and to put Stirling and Forth Valley on the culinary map as a must visit destination for foodies, at all times of the year.
Our partnership with Forth Valley Food and Drink C.I.C. has been the foundation of the success of the Gluten Free Fortnight campaign. Together, we are upskilling hospitality staff, promoting caterers that deliver safe and tasty gluten free food across the region, raising awareness of coeliac disease and hopefully inspiring more hospitality businesses across all areas of Scotland to introduce or extend their gluten free menu options."
Gluten Free Fortnight runs from 14 – 19 October 2023.
To learn more about Gluten Free Fortnight and how to get involved, visit the official website at www.glutenfreefortnight.com.
