Business: Gluten Free Things, Inc
Address: 11651 W. 64th St., Unit A-6 Arvada
Hours: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-noon Saturday
Founded: 2012
Contact: 303-668-1663,ܳٱԴڰٳԲ.dz,ܳٱԴڰٳԲ
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Interview with John Irvin, founder and chief operating officer
Q: How did you get involved in this business?
:I was a mechanical engineer from 1983 to 2012 — and still doing some engineering on the side for the fun of it — but I just got tired of the rat race. I got laid off twice and having had my own engineering company from 1988 to 2006, I decided to find something where I could use my engineering brain and make something new and innovative. My wife had been promoting gluten-free for 30 years at Body Massage Wellness Spa, and I had seen several companies back in 2009 start developing what they called “gluten-free.” Even though I had told my wife I would not get into the food business, I ended up a week later, in July of 2009, getting into the gluten-free industry. I moved into our existing bakery in January 2012 and started experimenting on making a good-tasting gluten-free bread and other products that had minimal ingredients. We now are gluten-free and vegan with all of the products we produce, with a great taste and minimal ingredients to maximize our customer base.
Q: What distinguishes you from other businesses in your category?
:First and foremost, our gluten-free vegan products are the best tasting and at the best value on the market — not by my account, but from the customer reviews on our website and from what they tell us when they taste it for the first time. Second, our mission statement says it all: Gluten Free Things, Inc. is a dedicated gluten-free products business. Our goal is to provide and be associated with the best tasting, highest quality gluten-free food products in the industry. Consumers are essential to Gluten Free Things and a vital part of our focus. That’s why taste matters. Finally, our goal is to have fun and empower our valued customers to enjoy gluten-free things every day. After all, gluten-free is not an option for some. We will start to conquer the paleo market in about a year.
Q: What do you like best about your line of work?
:First, the customers — yes, you get a few who are crabby on the full moon, but in general I get people who cry when they taste our breads, because they now can eat good-tasting bread, either fresh or toasted. Second, I have done a lot in my life having three patents and having been around the world twice, and now I want to take this company to the masses and allow everyone to enjoy outstanding tasting gluten-free products.
Q: What is your business’ biggest challenge?
:Getting past the product buyers at grocery stores, and getting them to taste the difference between what they sell now and what they could sell with Gluten Free Things. Getting chefs to accept gluten-free in their restaurants and that it is not just a fad and getting them to let their customers taste and evaluate our gluten-free vegan products. Also, money — financing a business to get it to the empire we want to get it to in the next three years has been a challenge, but perseverance and hard work are the only ways to the top of the heap.
Q: Something people might be surprised to learn about you or your business:
:Most people are surprised to hear that I am an engineer and got into the food business as a fluke. I am asked all the time, “How can a small business like yours be able to produce such a good-tasting gluten-free vegan product, when large companies have all the scientists and money to do it?” I answer, “My perseverance, hard work and trust in God will pay off in the end.” We are now sold through Sysco foods in Colorado, so all businesses have access to our bread and product line.