<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

I had a few  responses to my request for information as to why  Betty Crocker
products are not available in Canada.   Some of the replies were not exactly a direct
response to the question however their comments are listed below.  My comments are in
Italics Black

-  the brownie mix and white cake mix were terrible.

-  suggested buying them on Amazon.com.  Unfortunately from what I have experienced
one might do so in the US but the Canadian site does not offer grocery items.  The US
site asks for a US address.

-  buy directly from Betty Crocker.   Unless I'm missing something I don't see where
I can buy directly from Betty  Crocker.

-  Betty Crocker said they were in some stores but couldn't advise which ones carried
them.  They also said that they think the stores do not want to use up shelf space.
I don't see why not, they charge double and triple the price for everything gluten
free.

-  t wasn't that easy to get some American supermarket chains to carry these products
initially - for example, my local Safeway manager told me Betty Crocker would have to
discontinue something his store already stocked to make room for them. Of course,
Safeway is not much interested in the GF market if you can judge by the way they
select (or don't) GF products to carry. Even so, the roll-out was very slow. Maybe
Betty Crocker isn't convinced there is a market for these mixes in Canada yet?
It took a lot a requests, made in person, in writing, online, etc. to get the mixes
into some stores. Perhaps your best bet isn't to wonder why your markets don't carry
the BC mixes, but rather to inundate them with requests for the mixes. Show the
stores that the mixes have a waiting customer base - get support groups to send tons
of emails and letters asking for the mixes, and as soon as they hit the stores, stock
up to show demand. One market in my town couldn't keep them in stock the first few
months because people would make special trips there to stock up on them. The result
of that was they expanded their whole GF section and everybody benefited.

- not 20 ppm or less - no standard in the US do not want to go through testing in
Canada.  Do not want to change their labels as required in Canada to sell goods -
must have French on labels plus nutritional information. 

-  Because all the Betty Crocker products are simply Gluten Free Pantry mixes sold
under the Betty Crocker label in the US.
Compare the ingredients. 

-  it has always been difficult for American manufactures to market in Canada. I have
been told by many manufactures of gluten-free products that they have made the
decision not to bother with all of the road blocks set up by the Canadian government.
You may note that there are several Canadian companies that sell their products in
the United States. I have also been told that the Canadian government subsidizes the
companies that produce gluten-free products. I have no proof, but the market is so
small, I doubt if anyone is willing to spend the money to investigate. That would
give an unfair advantage to the Canadian companies.


-  I became very sick from eating only one chocolate chip cookie and believe there
may be a problem with these mixes.  I returned the other varieties and would be
afraid to try them again.  I am an extremely sensitive celiac.

As you can see, a variety of thoughts and opinions. Some of which confirm my thoughts
before I pursued this subject.

Thanks to all for your responses.  If a I hear anything more definite I will share.

Dennis

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