For some, gluten-free is more than a fad diet. For a brand whose premise revolves around the notion of providing wholesome experiences the whole family can enjoy, going gluten-free is about including millions of families and children around the country in the food and fun experience, like other kids, without the feeling of being different.

It was only fitting that the idea of expanding its food options to accommodate children who have to follow such a strict diet was one that Chuck E. Cheese’s did not approach without serious thought. This would have to be done the right way or not at all.

Chuck E. Cheese’s Perfects the Product

While the problems and concerns surrounding dining out with gluten allergies aren’t new to those who deal with them on a daily basis, the ability to communicate those needs to Chuck E. Cheese’s Vice President of Research and Development, Joe Elliot, grew exponentially through easy access to Chuck E. Cheese’s corporate offices on the Web through site contact forms and the Chuck E-Club email program.

That’s when the company began considering what its options for a gluten-free pizza might be. It would be three years later, when Elliot was at the International Pizza Expo chatting with Mike Conte, founder of Conte’s Pasta Company and manufacturer of a fully-sauced, gluten-free cheese pizza, that the idea would begin baking. Conte’s Pasta Company’s booth in the expo hall was located next to another booth manned by Policarta, an Italian company best known for making “brown-and-serve” bags used in the restaurant gourmet bread industry.

Conte took some bags from Policarta and began to experiment in the test kitchen at his dedicated gluten-free facility in New Jersey, all the while working with Elliot to test the most promising prototypes at the Chuck E. Cheese’s nearby. The collaborators finally created a viable product and process for introducing certified gluten-free options to Chuck E. Cheese’s stores.

The Bake-in-Bag® pizza available at Chuck E. Cheese’s remains sealed while cooked and delivered, until it is opened and served with a sealed personal pizza cutter at families’ tables by the adult in charge. Under the same gluten-free procedure, chocolate fudge cupcakes from GIG-certified Fabe’s All Natural Bakery remain in pre-sealed, single-serve packaging until opened and served at the table.

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