Coeliac UK

What Coeliac UK does

Coeliac UK is a UK-registered charity and company limited by guarantee, founded in 1968 (with the Crossed Grain Trademark originating in 1974) and headquartered in High Wycombe, that operates as the national membership, advocacy and certification body for people with coeliac disease and the wider gluten-free community. Its consumer-facing stack includes a website portal, the Live Well Gluten Free mobile app backed by a curated database of over 190,000 food and drink products, a Food and Drink Guide (40,000 printed annually), a bi-annual magazine with ~100,000 readership, a 48,000-subscriber monthly e-newsletter, a Helpline that has fielded over 18,000 questions, and a free "Is It Coeliac Disease?" online self-assessment that routes newly suspected patients into member services. Membership is sold on two annual tiers (Digital at £21 and Complete at £30 with printed materials) and currently reaches 63,000+ paying members, with a wider annual touchpoint of more than 2 million people across social, web, events and partner channels.

The commercial engine is layered on top of the membership base. Coeliac UK licenses the Crossed Grain Trademark to food manufacturers under the AOECS Standard for Gluten-free Foods, runs the Gluten Free Accreditation scheme for around 3,000 venues (restaurants, schools, hospitals, caterers) via approved audit partners NSF International, Food Alert, UK Food Certification and SGS, sells advertising and sponsorship across its magazine, e-newsletter and social channels, and offers catering training and commercial consultancy through its commercial.coeliac.org.uk portal. Income is completed by donations, weekly lottery, raffles, legacies and challenge fundraising. The charity has invested over £3.5 million in coeliac disease research since 2005 (£2.2 million in 2024 alone), oversees a Research Awards Panel of senior academic clinicians, and works with the UK Food Standards Agency on labeling and 20ppm threshold regulation while sitting as a founding member of the Association of European Coeliac Societies (AOECS). Revenue mix combines recurring subscription, trade licensing and certification fees, and donation-driven fundraising typical of a UK health charity, and growth is supported by a refreshed Gluten Free Accreditation Standard (January 2026) and a recently strengthened commercial leadership team.

Name

Coeliac UK

Legal name

Coeliac UK

Website

https://coeliac.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Coeliac UK is the UK's national charity for people with coeliac disease, providing membership services, a 190,000-product gluten free database, helpline and advocacy for over 63,000 members and 2 million annual users, and operating the Crossed Grain Trademark and Gluten Free Accreditation schemes for food businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Health Charity and Disease Support Services

NAICS

Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (813990)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Gluten-Free & Allergen-Free Certification Services (AFALAMAH)

Keywords

• Gluten free certification
• Coeliac disease support
• Dietary health charity
• Food allergen accreditation
• Charitable membership services

Headquarters

HQ city

High Wycombe

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership fees with two tiers: Digital Membership at £21/year providing online-only access to resources, product database, and recipes; Complete Membership at £30/year adding printed materials, welcome pack, and the Live Well Gluten Free magazine.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Voluntary donations, legacy gifts, lottery, raffle entries, and event-based fundraising including marathon runners. The organization also runs a weekly lottery and accepts donations in memory.
3. Gluten Free Accreditation Fees: Food service businesses pay fees for Gluten Free Accreditation scheme, including annual license renewal. The scheme covers restaurants, schools, hospitals, and other catering venues.
4. Crossed Grain Trademark Licensing: Food manufacturers and brands pay for licensing to use the Crossed Grain trademark on their gluten free products, with annual renewal requirements.
5. Advertising and Marketing Services: Marketing opportunities for food brands to advertise in the Live Well Gluten Free magazine (100,000 readership), Products and Offers e-newsletter (48,000 subscribers), and other digital channels reaching over 200,000 social media followers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Coeliac UK is the UK's leading charity for coeliac disease, providing expert information, membership resources, and gluten-free certification services for individuals and food businesses. Its consumer offering centres on a gluten-free product database (190,000+ SKUs), the Live Well Gluten Free app, dietitian helpline, and printed Food and Drink Guide; its commercial offering centres on the Gluten Free Accreditation scheme for venues and caterers, the Crossed Grain Trademark licensing programme for packaged products, and research funding (>£3.5 million since 2005).

Product overview

Coeliac UK operates as a charity offering a comprehensive suite of products and services for individuals requiring gluten free diets. The core offerings include the Live Well Gluten Free App (accessing over 190,000 product listings), membership programmes (Digital at £21/year and Complete at £30/year including printed materials), the Gluten Free Accreditation Scheme for venues/caterers, and the Crossed Grain Trademark for packaged products. Additional services include an online symptom assessment tool, Venue Guide directory, Recipes Database, Helpline with dietitians, Catering Training, Consultancy Services for businesses, Research Programme with grant funding, Live Well Gluten Free Magazine (biannual, 100,000 readership), Products and Offers e-newsletter (48,000 subscribers), and Gluten Free Food Market events. The organisation also provides commercial services through its commercial.coeliac.org.uk portal for business partnerships, food safety schemes, and marketing opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Live Well Gluten Free: The charity's flagship magazine published twice a year with a readership of around 100,000. Also the name of the charity's mobile app.
• Crossed Grain Trademark
• Gluten Free Accreditation

Products and services

• Digital Membership Annual membership tier priced at £21 per year providing online-only access to the gluten-free product database (190,000+ SKUs), recipes database, Live Well Gluten Free app, online self-assessment tool, and core member resources for individuals with coeliac disease.
• Complete Membership Full membership tier priced at £30 per year combining all Digital Membership access with a printed welcome pack, Food and Drink Guide (40,000 printed annually), diet and health fact sheets, and the Live Well Gluten Free magazine published twice a year.
• Live Well Gluten Free App Mobile application for members that enables gluten-free product suitability lookup against 190,000+ SKUs and access to a Venue Finder of accredited gluten-free venues across the UK.
• Gluten Free Accreditation Scheme Certification programme for food service venues and caterers ensuring gluten-free meals meet the UK 20ppm threshold (Regulation (EU) No 828/2014) through training, auditing by approved certification bodies, and the GF Symbol trademark display rights. Around 3,000 venues participate.
• Crossed Grain Trademark Licensing Licensing programme allowing food manufacturers and brands to display the internationally registered Crossed Grain Trademark on pre-packaged gluten-free products certified to the AOECS Standard via annual third-party audits. 74% of gluten-free shoppers trust the Crossed Grain mark more than other gluten-free claims.
• "Is It Coeliac Disease?" Online Self-Assessment Tool Free online self-assessment tool with a two-minute questionnaire workflow that helps individuals determine whether they or their child should be tested for coeliac disease, serving as a top-of-funnel diagnostic aid driving healthcare professional referral and membership conversion.
• Food and Drink Guide Comprehensive printed guide (40,000 copies per year) listing food and drink products suitable for a gluten-free diet, bundled with Complete Membership and targeted at newly diagnosed individuals.
• Venue Guide Searchable online directory of around 3,000 Gluten Free Accredited venues across the UK, filterable by location, venue type, cuisine, and service features, accessible via the website and the Live Well Gluten Free app.
• Gluten Free Recipes Database Online collection of hundreds of gluten-free recipes for every occasion, including a Recipe of the Month feature, available to members via the website and Live Well Gluten Free app.
• Dietitian Helpline Services Helpline service staffed by expert dietitians and advisors available Monday to Friday 10am-4pm, answering approximately 18,000 questions from members and the public about coeliac disease and gluten-free living.
• Gluten Free Catering Training Training programme delivered online and face-to-face covering gluten-free food preparation, service, and certification requirements for hospitality and catering staff working towards Gluten Free Accreditation.
• Gluten Free Consultancy Services Tailored commercial consultancy service for food businesses that includes surveys, workshops, tasting panels, and focus groups to help them identify and capitalise on gluten-free market opportunities.
• Coeliac Disease Research Funding Programme Research funding and support programme that has invested over £3.5 million in coeliac disease research since 2005 (£2.2 million in 2024 alone), with governance provided by the Research Awards Panel and annual research calls plus sponsored dissertations.
• Live Well Gluten Free Magazine Flagship bimonthly printed magazine with approximately 100,000 readers featuring gluten-free recipes, product reviews, lifestyle content, and commercial advertising for food brands.
• Products and Offers E-Newsletter Monthly email newsletter reaching approximately 48,000 subscribers with a 51% average open rate, featuring gluten-free product offers and promotions from commercial partners and accessible as part of the membership package.
• Gluten Free Food Markets In-person Gluten Free Food Markets held across UK cities, with the most recent Torquay event and a planned July 2026 Milton Keynes event each attracting around 1,500 visitors and providing brands and venues a direct consumer engagement channel.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% of gluten free diners feel more confident eating out at GF Accredited venues
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NSF InternationalcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNSF International supports the Gluten Free Accreditation scheme with delivery of onsite audits against the Coeliac UK Gluten Free Standard, providing independent verification of venue compliance.
• Food AlertcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFood Alert supports the Gluten Free Accreditation scheme with delivery of onsite audits against the Coeliac UK Gluten Free Standard.
• UK Food CertificationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUK Food Certification is an approved supplier for delivery of audits to the AOECS Standard for Gluten-free Foods in both the UK and Ireland. They are a UKAS accredited certification body providing food supply chain certification.
• SGScoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSGS provides standalone AOECS Standard audits and AOECS Gluten-free Addendum audits for Crossed Grain trademark licensees, offering independent certification against international gluten free food standards.
• Association of European Coeliac Societies (AOECS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoeliac UK is a founding member of AOECS, the international body that sets standards for gluten free certification across Europe and beyond. AOECS standards underpin the Crossed Grain trademark and Gluten Free Accreditation schemes.
• Coeliac Society of IrelandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint partnership with Coeliac Society of Ireland to extend provision of AOECS Standard certification throughout the UK and Ireland through UK Food Certification.
• Food Standards AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoeliac UK works with the FSA on food safety regulations, allergen labeling, and policy development affecting the gluten free community, including consultations on bread and flour regulations and precautionary allergen labeling.

Scale indicators20 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Coeliac Society of Ireland: Sister national coeliac charity in Ireland with a directly comparable mission, membership model, and joint AOECS Standard certification partnership with Coeliac UK through UK Food Certification.
• Beyond Celiac: US-based non-profit driving coeliac disease research, advocacy, and patient support with similar membership, education, and accreditation-style programmes, comparable to Coeliac UK's integrated charity-plus-trademark model.
• Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG): US non-profit operating the GFCO certification mark for gluten-free products, directly comparable to Coeliac UK's Crossed Grain trademark and accreditation scheme in mission, structure, and B2B licensing focus.
• Canadian Celiac Association: National Canadian charity supporting people with coeliac disease and gluten sensitivity, providing advocacy, education, and a Gluten-Free Certification Program analogous to Coeliac UK's offerings.
• Coeliac Australia: Australian national coeliac charity delivering membership, accreditation, and resources, structurally similar to Coeliac UK with the same end-to-end mix of consumer support and food-industry certification.

Broad incumbents

• Association of European Coeliac Societies (AOECS): Umbrella body of which Coeliac UK is a founding member, setting the international standard that underpins the Crossed Grain trademark; comparable as the broader federation governing the same certification and patient-advocacy space.
• BRCGS (Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards): Global food-safety standards body that co-developed the AOECS-aligned Global Standard Gluten Free (GSGF) used as a route to Coeliac UK's Crossed Grain licence; comparable as a broader incumbent in the gluten-free certification infrastructure.
• NSF International: Global testing, inspection and certification company that delivers onsite audits for Coeliac UK's Gluten Free Accreditation scheme; comparable as a large incumbent in adjacent food-safety and dietary certification services.

Emerging players

• Allergy UK: UK charity addressing food allergies and intolerances more broadly, overlapping with Coeliac UK's allergen and labelling remit but covering a wider condition set; relevant as an adjacent specialist charity competing for similar donor and member pounds.

Others

• Free From Foods Expo: Industry event and community for the UK and European free-from market, connecting Coeliac UK's manufacturer and venue partners with consumers; relevant ecosystem participant rather than a direct service competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Coeliac_UK
• Facebookfacebook.com/CoeliacUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coeliac-uk
• Instagraminstagram.com/coeliacuk

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Coeliac UK