By RA partner, Eat Choice

Coeliac customers can feel intimidating. The risk of getting it wrong makes catering to these diners seem like a liability or simply too hard. But with a few practical adjustments, you can turn that perceived risk into a real opportunity. Coeliac Awareness Week is a good prompt to reconsider how you approach this growing cohort.

The Business Case is Stronger Than You Think

Up to 2% of New Zealanders, around 100,000 people, including 30,000 children, are believed to have coeliac disease. The global gluten-free market reached 7 billion USD last year and keeps growing. Coeliac diners are particularly valuable because of their behaviour: they are loyal, understand ingredient costs, and when they find a safe place, they tell others. Positive word-of-mouth in the coeliac community travels fast and brings repeat business.

Cross-Contamination Matters, But It’s Manageable

The fear of making a mistake is legitimate: cross-contamination poses a real health risk. But you don’t need a kitchen overhaul. Consistency, clarity and a few smart habits will get you there.

Five Practical Changes You Can Make Tomorrow

1. Separate utensils for gluten-free prep: dedicate tongs, knives and spoons, label them or store separately. It’s low-cost and removes most cross-contact risk.
2. Store gluten-free ingredients on top shelves: keep them in sealed containers where crumbs or flour dust can’t settle to prevent accidental contamination.
3. Prep gluten-free dishes first: early in the day when benches are clean and there’s no residue in the air. It’s easier to manage risk before service chaos begins.
4. Train your team on the difference between “no gluten added” and “gluten-free”:  they are not the same. Encourage back-of-house to ask questions rather than guess. A 30-second clarification prevents a serious mistake.
5. Consider a dedicated gluten-free fryer: If you fry often, this eliminates a major contamination point and will win you business from parents of kids with coeliac disease who just want a bowl of chips.

Build It into Your Systems

You don’t need an entire gluten-free menu. Start by identifying three to five dishes that can be reliably made coeliac-safe every service. Standardise recipes, write them down and ensure any line cook can execute them under pressure.

Check your supply chain. Many ingredients are naturally gluten-free but are processed on shared equipment; that makes them unsafe, as only 3 parts per million of gluten can be risky. Where possible, stock certified gluten-free staples — flours, sauces, breadcrumbs, pasta. Like vegan cheese, quality varies; poll your coeliac diners or ask for recommendations if needed. Consistency matters more than variety.

Operationally, embed gluten-free steps into mise en place: a designated prep area, labelled containers, a daily checklist signed off by the senior cook. Small controls — colour-coded towels, dedicated fryer oil, a rule that staff change gloves before plating gluten-free dishes — make this reliable. Use a simple icon system on your menu to show what’s genuinely coeliac-safe versus what’s low-risk with modifications. Transparency builds trust.

Front-of-House Matters Just as Much

Your floor team sets the tone. Train them to take dietary requests seriously, record them clearly on the ticket or POS, and confirm verbally with the kitchen. Encourage staff to suggest suitable modifications rather than improvising. When a coeliac diner asks a question, it’s due diligence, not a complaint. A confident, informed response reassures them and sets the standard for the whole experience.

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Coeliac Awareness Week Activities and Offers

During Coeliac Awareness Week, Eat Choice and Coeliac NZ are hosting events to promote dining out for people who avoid gluten. Participating can raise your visibility and demonstrate practical commitment to safe gluten-free options.

Coeliac NZ offers a concise online module for restaurant staff covering awareness and cross-contamination controls. Usually $50pp, but for Coeliac Awareness Week (June 15–21) we are offering 50% off to Restaurant Association members who train their teams between now and June 21.

With your free Eat Choice profile, you can signal commitment by displaying the crossed grain logo on your listing and choose your safety level. That helps attract diners with gluten intolerance while you work toward full coeliac-safe options. Eat Choice also provides free search data so you can see the dietary combinations coeliac diners commonly have and ensure your offering meets demand.

This year’s theme, “Together We Can Thrive Gluten Free,” is a timely reminder that inclusive foodservice benefits both diners and operators. Small, consistent steps earn trust, loyalty and recurring business and they make dining out accessible for more people.

Find out more about the Restaurant Association x Eat Choice partnership (and how to sign up with Eat Choice) here.

Find out more about Coeliac Awareness Week .