UK gluten-free specialist Genius Foods has signed a supply deal for the Dutch market with online retailer Diepvriesmarkt.nl.
The deal, announced today (24 April), is the latest launch for Genius into a European market. In 2011, the firm broke into the US and Canada, and last year partnered with retail giant Carrefour to sell its products in 350 stores across Spain.
Genius will sell three of its products through Diepvriesmarkt – white sliced bread, sliced seeded bread and seeded rolls. The group’s brown sliced bread is expected to join the Dutch line-up soon, it said.
“Bringing our products to international markets is a major focus for us as we continue to increase our overseas presence,” said chief executive Roz Cuschieri.
“The free-from category in the UK has seen amazing growth, and is now worth over GBP288m (US$440m). The demand for quality gluten-free produce is continuing to grow throughout Europe, and Genius is leading the way at home and abroad. We have ambitious plans for additional international expansion in 2013 and beyond.”
The company last month acquired two bakeries from Finsbury Food Group in a GBP21m deal. The acquisition, Genius said, will accelerate new product development, give it a market-leading position in the own-brand category and enable the company to react faster to customer demand.
Genius said it expects to turn over around GBP50m in 2013.
