In my work at Mayo Clinic and working with our Sharing Mayo Clinic blog I got to meet Sheila Robb, a Twin Cities patient who is a former Miss Austin (Minn.), which also happens to be the world headquarters of SMUG. Here is Sheila’s story on Sharing Mayo Clinic.
As she mentions in the video, Sheila works for General Mills, maker of Chex cereals and Betty Crocker mixes. As we got to know each other and I mentioned that I had celiac disease, she told me about the line of gluten-free Betty Crocker dessert mixes General Mills is developing. And when she returned for her check-up, she left a sample of these mixes (which I don’t think are generally available yet) in my office (I was away.)
Here’s a little video I shot tonight after taking one bite of the gluten-free Devil’s Food cake:
Again, I emphasize that the opinions expressed here are my own, and not those of my employer. But they’re also the opinions of my wife, Lisa, and my son, John, who each had a piece. I had two pieces.
I appreciate when large organizations like General Mills, Outback Steakhouse and Chipotle Mexican Grill make it a point to accommodate those of us with celiac disease. I’m glad for the niche players too, who have served the celiac community and provided resources. But it means a lot when bigger businesses offer gluten-free options that really taste good and are reasonably priced.
Update: In keeping with our Mayo Clinic policy on personal acceptance of gifts, I brought the rest of the cake to the office to share with co-workers. I also want them to see how good this is so they buy gluten-free products, so there will be more of them offered.