COELIAC AWARENESS WEEK  |  15-21 JUNE 2026

Clean, simple, naturally gluten-free

It is Coeliac Awareness Week here in New Zealand, and this year Coeliac New Zealand has chosen a theme we absolutely love: “Together we can thrive gluten free.” Thriving is exactly what good food should help you do, so it feels like the perfect moment to mention something we do not shout about often enough. Every single Bennetto chocolate is gluten-free. Always has been.

A quick word on coeliac disease

If you are not personally affected, it can be easy to underestimate how much coeliac disease shapes everyday life. According to Coeliac New Zealand, it affects an estimated 100,000 Kiwis, including around 30,000 children under 18, and it can appear at any age. What surprises a lot of people is how many go undiagnosed. Research suggests that 50 to 80 percent of those affected in Western countries do not yet know they have it, partly because the symptoms vary so much from one person to the next.

For anyone living with coeliac disease, gluten is not a lifestyle preference. It triggers a real immune response that damages the small bowel. So the simple act of reading a label, asking about ingredients, or finding a brand you can trust is part of daily life. That is why a chocolate you do not have to second-guess matters so much.

So why is Bennetto chocolate gluten-free?

Here is the honest answer, and it might not be the one you expect. We did not set out to make a “gluten-free chocolate.” We set out to make the cleanest chocolate we possibly could, and being gluten-free came as a natural result of that.

Good chocolate really does not need much. Ours is made with a short list of organic, Fairtrade ingredients and nothing we cannot pronounce. No additives. No preservatives. No fillers, padding things out.

That choice is where the gluten-free part quietly takes care of itself. A lot of the additives and preservatives that sneak into processed foods can carry gluten with them, often in places you would never think to look. By leaving all of that out and keeping our recipes clean and simple, there is simply nowhere for gluten to hide. As we like to say around here, there may be a place for chemicals and fillers in this world, but when it comes to chocolate, we say no thank you.

So gluten-free is not a clever bit of reformulating. It is just what happens when you keep things real.

Peace of mind, one square at a time

One of the lovely things about clean ingredients is the peace of mind that comes with them. Coeliac New Zealand encourages everyone to get into the habit of checking labels every time, even on products you have bought before, because recipes can change. We think that is great advice, and we have made it easy. With Bennetto, what you see is what you get, batch after batch.

We are also proud to be Crossed Grain certified through Coeliac New Zealand. That means our gluten-free status has been independently checked and endorsed, so the Crossed Grain logo you see on our packs is the same trusted mark coeliacs everywhere are taught to look for. It is one less thing to worry about.

It also means our chocolate can sit happily on the table at a shared meal, where one person is coeliac, another is vegan, someone else is dairy-free, and everyone just wants something delicious. Our chocolate is gluten-free, organic, Fairtrade, vegan and B Corp certified, so it tends to be the one treat the whole table can reach for. That is our idea of joy.

Fancy a gluten-free bake this week?

If Coeliac Awareness Week has you in the mood to get into the kitchen, we have you covered. A few of our favourites to start with: the Gluten-free Pumpkin and Orange with Chilli Chocolate Marble Loaf, the Millet, Honey and Tahini Chocolate Bubble Logs, and the Healthy Greek Mosaiko - all naturally gluten-free and proper crowd-pleasers.

If you spot something in the Bennetto chocolate kitchen that does not say gluten-free outright, it is worth knowing that many of our recipes are easily adapted. Swapping in gluten-free flour or oats is often all it takes. Pour yourself a cuppa and have a browse.

Frequently asked questions

Is Bennetto chocolate gluten-free?

Yes. Every chocolate in the Bennetto range is gluten-free, with no exceptions. We are also Crossed Grain certified through Coeliac New Zealand, the trusted accreditation for gluten-free products.

Why is Bennetto chocolate gluten-free?

Because we make it with clean, simple, organic and Fairtrade ingredients, with no additives or preservatives. Many of those additives can carry gluten, so by leaving them out, our chocolate stays naturally gluten-free.

Is Bennetto chocolate suitable for other diets too?

It is. As well as being gluten-free, our chocolate is organic, Fairtrade, vegan, soy-free, and B Corp certified. As always, we recommend that coeliacs and anyone with allergies read the label on the pack before enjoying.

Where can I learn more about coeliac disease?

Coeliac New Zealand is a not-for-profit that has supported the coeliac community since 1973. Their website, coeliac.org.nz, is full of resources, support and the trusted Crossed Grain logo to look out for, the same logo you will find on every Bennetto pack.

Together we can thrive gluten-free

This Coeliac Awareness Week, we are raising a square of dark chocolate to everyone navigating life gluten-free, and to the family, friends and colleagues who check labels, ask questions and make room at the table. That is what thriving together looks like.

Clean ingredients. Real chocolate. Joy the whole way through.