Bakery that aims to make a gluten-free diet a pleasure

The Gluten Free Kitchen, based in Leyburn, has made waves throughout the food industry with its cakes, breads, muffins and puddings.

The company, run by husband-and-wife team Dave Fleming and Sue Powell, has stunned experts with a range of offerings previously thought almost impossible for people suffering from gluten intolerance.

After winning a host of prestigious awards, the business has clinched deals to supply cakes and tarts to the National Trust and to customers of Harrods.

"The aim is simple," says Sue. "Our cakes, scones and puddings have to taste as good as, or even better than, foods made with ingredients containing gluten."

The experts certainly agree. The company's new seeded bread rolls recently won the innovation award at the Foods Matter annual FreeFrom awards, held in London. Sue's Victoria Sponge scooped top spot in the cakes, puddings and cake / muffin mixes category.

No wonder the bakery's gluten-free goodies are in demand around the world.

It's good news for the millions of people who suffer from an intolerance to wheat. Dannii Minogue, Cat Deeley, Madonna, Rachel Weisz and Jessica Simpson are among those who have been forced to cut wheat and gluten out of their diets after suffering side effects such as bloating and lethargy.

A recent study concluded that up to half-a-million people in this country could be intolerant to wheat or gluten. In some cases, gluten intolerance can have life-changing consequences. One in 100 people suffer from coeliac disease, an auto-immune disorder in which the body's own immune system turns on itself for which there is no known cure.

When a sufferer eats food containing gluten it damages the lining of their small intestine and stops the body absorbing nutrients. This can lead to diarrhoea, weight loss and even, in some cases, malnutrition.

Gluten is found in wheat and several other cereals including rye and barley. Coeliacs need to avoid most types of bread, pasta, pizza, pastries, biscuits and cakes.

Wheat ingredients are commonly used in sausages, burgers and sauces. Anything in batter or breadcrumbs is unsuitable for sufferers, as are alcoholic drinks made from barley, such as beer and lager.

Since last September, the bakery has been based at the Leyburn Business Park in North Yorkshire where it produces hundreds of

cakes, puds and bread rolls every day.

It's still very much a family business, though. Dave looks after the orders while Sue does most of the baking.

She laughs about the company's new packaging which features her face: "Big companies do it to make their products seem personal and home-made. In our case it's all true!"

Sue is particularly proud of her Oven Crust bread – now available pre-sliced – because the recipe took months to perfect.

The secret ingredient is a flour that has to be imported.

The Gluten Free Kitchen retail shop is part of the bakery and opens from 10am-4pm Monday to Friday and Saturdays 10am-3pm. It is closed on Bank Holidays.