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TC wrote:
> Kellogg's gave up on us with their Kenmi Rice Bran Cereal because we
> were so rude.

Actually, Kellogg gave up on this product because it was not a
commercial success. Let's face it: there just aren't enough of us buying
a product like that to justify it for the big manufacturers. Even if CD
is as common as 1:500, that's still less than 600,000 of us in the US.
This is a SMALL target for cereal manufacturers. A reasonable target
market for a new cereal might be 25 million people. A big cereal like
Frosted Flakes or Cheerios easily have a presence in 50 million
*households*. We are strictly a niche market.

> The manufacturers need to feed us all.

Actually, they don't. Most big manufacturers are not in the least
interested in feeding us all. They're (understandably) interested in
making money and for many this means mass markets and economies of
scale. Niche markets can be expensive to serve.

I too get frustrated with companies that refuse to declare products
gluten-free or that are blase' about cross-contamination issues. Perhaps
we should pick our battles. It seems unreasonable to expect mainstream
manufacturers in taste-driven segments that are traditionally
gluten-based (like cereal or baked goods) to cater to us. I imagine
they're more than happy to leave us to the little guys. But...we have a
more credible argument for accommodating us with food in which
gluten-based ingredients may be present but add no consumer benefit:
fruit snacks, candy, processed meats jump to mind. We can educate
companies that gluten-free flours can be used to dust conveyor belts or
that gluten-free fillers are available.

Enough reasonable suggestions to consumer-response lines and food
scientists (when they let us talk to them) will add up. Just remember,
we have to give them a *business* reason to cooperate with us (otherwise
the easiest route is the lawsuit-avoidance that companies like Kraft
practice).

I'll pass the soapbox to someone else now.

Tami in Minnesota