Australian gourmets can officially wave goodbye to gummy or dry gluten-free cakes this winter, with the sensational Almondy Toblerone cake now available at 680 Woolworths stores nationally.
Imported by Sydney-based Merchants of Pure Flavour, Viking Imports, the frozen layered Almondy Toblerone cake by Swedish brand Almondy is creamy yet light. The cake – a type of tartå, as it’s known in Swedish – is one of several Almondy products offered by Viking Imports. It features a base made from almond meal, sunflower seeds and apricot kernels, topped with low-fat buttermilk cream and real Toblerone chunks. Sensational served on its own, it can also be folded into a sundae or paired with fresh fruit.
The Almondy Toblerone cake ranging is a first for Woolworths, which until now offered few gluten-free desserts and of these, no frozen gluten-free cakes. Gluten-free baked goods have long had a hit-and-miss reputation among coeliacs, IBS sufferers and others unable to tolerate gluten. This is mostly because of their use of imitation flour blends that disappoint on the flavour and texture fronts.
However, Almondy uses an original Swedish recipe that dates back to the 1890s, proving that gluten-free baking never had to be difficult. It could simply be delicious. Europe has a rich tradition of desserts made using almonds, which were first introduced to the continent in medieval times via the Middle East.
The Almondy Toblerone cake aligns with the Woolworths strategy to range more premium and unique foods, as supermarkets nationally back away from their earlier price war tactics. The move also reflects the increasingly sophisticated tastes of Australian consumers, combined with a genuine demand for quality gluten-free foods.
“For decades, Almondy has been creating desserts that are excellent by any standards, not just because they meet the needs of coeliacs or others with food intolerances. These cakes are one of a kind in quality and flavour. We are delighted that the Almondy Toblerone cake is now available to Woolies customers in every state of Australia,” said Viking Imports CEO, Ivan Markovic.
Gluten-free foods are enjoying annual growth rate of 9.2% globally, with the baked goods sector especially tipped to grow faster at 10.2% projected through to 2027. Growth in Australia of gluten-free readymade foods is expected to be 7.8% through to 2025. Again, baked goods are a key driver. Factors stimulating the demand include a rise in gluten-intolerant coeliac disease and general food intolerances, and a preference to avoid gluten-containing foods for health reasons.
Almondy’s range of gluten-free frozen cakes are manufactured on equipment that does not process gluten-containing foods. The company is regularly inspected for compliance with food standards, and fulfills the EU’s requirements for the concept ‘gluten-free’ as containing less than 20 parts per million (ppm) gluten.
Viking Imports was founded in 1984, originally with a niche in Scandinavian specialities such as frozen berries, pickled herrings, gingerbread biscuits and the flourless Almondy cakes. The business rebranded in 2020 under the strategic direction ‘Merchants of Pure Flavour’, and is continuing to expand its European and other global specialty foods. Many will have a focus on wellness, such as low-sugar or gluten-free. For more information, please contact Ivan Markovic at Viking Imports (phone 8004 0399, email ivan@vikingimports.com.au).
