In 2009, Kylie Martin started GF Oats. What inspired her personally was her own quest to find gluten-free oats for her kids who were just diagnosed with gluten intolerance. Her adventure took her to find the only company in the United States that could process gluten-free oats. In 2021, she collaborated with two WA farmers—Friend and Kim Rintoul. Together, they grew and harvested oats, milling them with no chance of cross-contamination from other gluten-containing grains.
Providing a bright spot in these trying times is the remarkable growth of the initiative since its start. Rintoul has committed about three hectares of his property in Wandering, WA, to harvesting gluten-free oats. He employs several meticulous steps in the farming and processing stages to ensure that his oats remain uncontaminated by other grains. We are meticulous—and proud of it. We exclusively use a mill that is completely cleaned of all gluten-containing grains prior to running each batch of oats. The whole process takes a few days to eliminate any risk of cross-contamination. Once finished, the oats are dispatched to Toowoomba for packing.
Labelling Laws Create Confusion
GF Oats has taken extreme precautions to guarantee quality product. Strict Australian labeling laws wouldn’t let their Anzac biscuits be sold as gluten-free. This untenable situation has alarmed public health experts and consumer advocates, pushing their agendas far beyond the usual allies. Dr Kim Faulkner-Hogg, lead dietician at Coeliac Australia, explained that consumers, especially medically vulnerable consumers, deserve unambiguous clear labeling so they can feel safe and confident.
“What we would really like to see is this one label for oats, for the 90 per cent of people with coeliac disease who know that they can actually eat the oats to come in and find that label on the shelf,” – Dr. Faulkner-Hogg
Dr. Faulkner-Hogg pointed to the confusion consumers are likely to experience because there is no regulation of gluten-free labels in Australia. This enforcement gap can confuse consumers looking for gluten-free products. At present Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) has no restrictions on gluten-free marketing. They aren’t required to be tested for the presence of gluten contamination.
“And that label means it’s been grown correctly and it’s been tested.” – Dr. Faulkner-Hogg
GF Oats‘ steep challenges are emblematic of a much larger dilemma in the food industry. Consumers often have a hard time finding reliable information on gluten-free products.
Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities
It’s gluten-free oats that really pack a social punch! They work closely with the Endeavour Foundation to develop a range of employment options and prospects for people with disabilities. So far as many as 40 individuals have been hired to package and distribute GF Oats products. Of the staff, city jobs give them money and give them family at the same time.
Ryan Forsyth, an employee at Endeavour, expressed how working with GF Oats has changed him personally and professionally.
“I started playing around with it. I had to make it gluten-free,” – Ms. Martin
For employees like Forsyth, it’s more than just the job and the paycheck. What excites them most is the social aspect of their roles and skills gained from protecting the safety of products.
“They learn the important skills of how to protect the products, how to protect themselves and make sure we don’t get crossover of allergens and all that sort of stuff to protect product,” – Greg McCluand
Commitment to Quality and Community
As a missionary, Kylie Martin’s promises to deliver safe, high-quality gluten-free products are holy. She noted that she is proud of her work and the partnerships she has made with WA farmers.
“We’ve been doing it for long enough, and we’re super proud of what we’ve done for the farmers in WA,” – Kylie Martin
While Martin says their work deserves credit, she’s confident that with continued innovation and community support, GF Oats can lead the movement further.
“We’ll take on the world, I reckon,” – Kylie Martin
The equipment used in GF Oats’ production process is custom made to prevent any cross contamination. Rintoul expressed his willingness to ensure a clean processing environment.
“[The] machinery is all dedicated to a non-contaminant,” – Kim Rintoul
