A THIRD of York residents have food allergies or intolerances resulting in the demand for free-from products rising considerably.

A study, conducted by Harrogate-based free-from brand, Kirsty’s, showed that one in three are either lactose, gluten, dairy or wheat free.

Kirsty’s, who make a range of chilled and frozen free-from products, recorded a 127 per cent sales increase in one retailer this January compared to January 2020 as the demand for gluten and dairy free products rises.

Kirsty Henshaw, who started the brand Kirsty’s after finding out her son was allergic to nuts and intolerant to gluten and dairy, believes that education has led to the increase in free-from diets.

Kirsty said: “One in three now suffer from food allergies or intolerances in York and this represents a huge number of people who lead free-from diets.

“According to the research, 50 per cent of 18-24 year olds suffer from allergies and intolerances showing that the younger generation are more aware than ever of what foods and specifically what ingredients we are putting in our bodies and how our bodies react to these foods.”

But whilst only 30 per cent of over 50’s felt they suffer from the same allergies and intolerances, Kirsty believes this figure is actually much higher.

Kirsty said: “As we get older, often the symptoms of food allergies and intolerances are mistaken for other health problems such as IBS, and people sometimes feel like if they have always eaten white bread, it can’t be doing them any harm now. However, for this generation having grown up in a world where gluten and dairy free lifestyles were few and far between there may still be a stigma associated with leading a free-from diet, with many misinterpreting it as faddy or fussy eating. However, with 25 per cent of the UK population actively avoiding allergen laid food, free-from can no longer be seen as a niche need.

“I’m not a dietitian or a qualified chef but I do care passionately about what goes into our food. I don’t think our meals need gluten, wheat or dairy to taste delicious, that’s why you’ll never find them in any of our recipes.”

The research also revealed that the food allergy or intolerance that the UK suffers from most is lactose, followed by dairy, gluten and wheat.

Kirsty said: “Last year, one in every 30 households in York bought a Kirsty’s product which is incredible. In 2021, we not only want customers to continue to trust our products, but we also want to encourage them to trial products from more than one of our ever-expanding categories.”

As previously reported by The Press, Kirsty's built a new £2 million factory in Harrogate during lockdown to make free-from foods in North Yorkshire.

It gives Kirsty’s the capability to produce 20 million ready meals a year as well as scope to play in other categories such as soups, pies and sauces.

Kirsty’s business started 10 years ago following Kirsty's own long search for free from food options that her son would be able to enjoy, after discovering he had several allergies. Kirsty then went on to enter Dragon’s Den in 2010 and worked with Peter Jones and Duncan Bannatyne for the following three years.