Meeting the demands of allergy conscious, gluten-free and vegan treats, ThimbleCakes, a Centretown shop, is expanding once again in Ottawa.
Named ThimbleCakes & The Candy Store, it is staying true to its message of inclusion by accommodating allergies and offering gluten-free and vegan-friendly options. It opened on March 6 at 350 Richmond Rd.
Now in almost every major grocery chain and mainstream restaurants, food for dietary restrictions has never been easier to find. Gluten-free, vegan-friendly and allergen-free products are no longer a thing of the past.
One in 13 Canadians have a serious food allergy, according to a nation-wide study by the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
The Canadian Digestive Health Foundation says more than 330,000 Canadians are affected by celiac disease while only 110,000 have been diagnosed.
Wendy VanVelthoven started the company in 2010 and owns ThimbleCakes Bakery in Westboro, ThimbleCakes in Centretown and Thimble Café in Barrhaven.
ThimbleCakes & The Candy Store will be a hybrid of cupcake shop and sit-down café. Its selection will range from baked goods such as cakes, chocolates, loaves and cupcakes to specialty coffees.
Cindy Frohlick, a student at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition in Ottawa, explains the food eaten today is very different from foods eaten 40 to 50 years ago.
“There is 20 per cent more gluten in wheat than there used to be,” she says.
She explains that foods such as soy and corn, allergens for some, are genetically modified and are in many processed foods.
Maureen Shields understands the seriousness of food intolerances. She has been helping her teenage her son with his allergies for 19 years. When her son was younger, a restaurant aiming to keep his food free of dairy forgot about the salad dressing, which had cheese in it. His body went into shock and he was rushed to the hospital. “For the next 10 years we didn’t want to ever try [eating out] again,” she says.
At ThimbleCakes & The Candy Store, the staff know the severity of food allergies and take special caution.
“It sounds like a gift for someone in my position,” says Shields. “I would rather go to a neighborhood bakery or café, where they know me, they know my concerns and can answer my questions .”