So, the other day I stopped into Hannaford to pick up my usual 10 boxes of Gak’s cookies, when I was approached by a very friendly young woman who works at the Bakery. You can’t begin to imagine my disappointment when she informed me that Hannaford would no longer be carrying the Gak’s line. When I inquired about the rationale behind their decision, she told me that the line was not selling well in other locations.
Coincidentally, I was in Hannaford a few weeks earlier when my cashier, who happened to be the assistant manager, asked me about my many boxes of Gak’s. I explained to her that my son has food allergies to milk, egg, peanut and tree nuts and Gak’s was one of the few brands that he was able to eat off the shelf. Other brands are available online, but I love the convenience of shopping at the local market. And as a bonus, I think Gak’s are yummy! The cashier proceeded to tell me a story about a woman who had come into the store a week earlier looking for cookies for her child with food allegies. She sent her away empty handed because she had no idea that Hannaford offered Gak’s and that they were specifically designed in a milk-free, egg-free, nut-free facility so that they would be safe for individuals with those specific allergies.
I wanted to pull out my hair! I wanted to revamp the Gak’s marketing department and I wanted to lambaste Hannaford. Why the heck were the cookies displayed in the bakery amongst all the “dangerous” bakery cakes and cookies.? Why were they not in the specialty foods department where I was first inclined to look for them a year earlier? That’s where they keep the Sunbutter and Enjoy Life cookies that my son can eat. Instead, I talked to the manager and explained to him how the Gak’s would be flying off the shelves if consumers only knew that they were there. I gave him three examples of a friend and two strangers who were ecstatic when I recently informed them of Gak’s. The first was an old high school friend who’s work associate is allergic to eggs. The second was my physical therapist who has a four year old niece with similar food allergies to my son. And the third was my painter, who recently got engaged to a woman with peanut allergies.
The manager said he would try to keep the Gak’s coming to Norwood, but it didn’t sound like there is much hope for the other locations. Once again, this is inspiration to somehow become a clearing house for people with food allergies and the foods they can safely consume.
by Ann
P.S. Gak’s is now www.homefreetreats.com.
