Nov 16, 2011 11:01 GMT FRIA – NOW AVAILABLE IN BELGIUM Fria is an award-winning, family-owned bakery based in Sweden and since its establishment in 1996 it has become the biggest and most successful gluten- free bakery in Scandinavia, with its products being baked in a dedicated gluten-free and dairy-free environment. That success has now translated to launches in other European countries, including Belgium, with a large selection of Fria’s products now being available in over a hundred O’Cool stores in Belgium. "The word is spreading and the demand for Fria products is increasing so we’re really excited that our products have been so well-received in Belgium – it’s clearly an important new market for us", says Gunnar Adås, founder, co- owner and managing director at Fria. "We're getting a lot of interest from across Europe after taking part in a number of trade shows as well as the International Coeliac Symposium (ICDS) in Olso, Norway, and the Association of European Coeliac Societies (AOECS) in Malta earlier this year." Katrien Verbiest, President of the Flemish Coeliac Society (Vlaamse Coeliakievereniging, VCV) commented: "We are always pleased to see new products being launched enabling those who have to follow a gluten-free diet for life, a wider choice of products to enjoy.” Fria brings gluten-free bakery products into a whole new realm with a tasty, wholesome, healthy and satisfying range. All of the products are gluten-free (less than 20 ppm) and all are milk free and suitable for vegans, except the Kladdkaka chocolate brownie cake and the Äpplemuffin apple muffins, which contain egg. Fria products are freshly baked then frozen, are stored in the freezer and can simply be defrosted at room temperature with no baking required. Fria’s breads, buns, muffins and cakes are currently enjoyed across Europe in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, The Netherlands, Italy, Belgium and the United Kingdom and a host of satisfied consumers all agree that they are as tasty as regular non gluten-free products, and as Fria's tag line states, the breads are so good 'You can't tell the difference!' The following Fria products are now available in O'Cool stores: Vita - white, high-fibre sliced loaf. Ideal for the perfect toast or sandwich. Fiber - a nutritious, fiber-rich loaf enriched with sunflower seeds and linseeds. Minibaguette - white, high-fibre roll, perfect for a lunch roll or home-made garlic bread. Grov Minibaguette - dark roll, fiber-enriched with sunflower seeds, linseeds and buckwheat flakes. Thekaka - golden baked, white round flat breads, ideal for the perfect open sandwich or mini-pizza base. Kanelbulle - wonderfully rich and sweet cinnamon buns. Ideal with coffee, tea, hot chocolate or a glass of juice. Äpplemuffins - filled with apple sauce and flavoured with cinnamon, this apple muffin is the perfect snack. Warm in the oven and serve with custard and let it melt in your mouth. Kladdkaka - this Swedish style chocolate brownie cake has a rich chocolate taste with a hint of vanilla. Serve as it is, or top with whipped cream and fresh berries - it's a guaranteed success at parties for children of all ages! Korvbröd - a Swedish traditional hot dog roll, perfect for grilled, barbecued or cooked hot dogs or sausages. Fria are sampling products at the gluten-free Winter Fair, with the Flemish Coeliac Society, Saturday 3 December. Bauhuis, Slachthuisstraat 60, 9100 Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, 14.00 - 17.00. Contact us for more information & photos: Monika Agorelius, CloseUp PR [email protected] Tel. +44 (0)7785 71 21 86 Fria - http://www.fria.se Fria on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FriaGlutenFreeFood Flemish Coeliac Society - http://vcv.coeliakie.be O'Cool - http://ocool.be/ Contacts Monika Agorelius, CloseUp PR Press Contact PR & Marketing Consultant [email protected] +44 (0)7785 71 21 86.