Dive Brief:

• Explorado Market, a ketogenic grocery store and treat company based in Fort Collins, Colorado, is launching a subscription box of keto baked goods for shoppers across the U.S. in October, the company announced in a press release.
• The Keto Bake Box will be sent out monthly and will include a curated assortment of Explorado’s best-selling treats and seasonal offerings, Explorado co-founder Rob Benson told Grocery Dive. The box will cost $54.99 a month.
• All items in the Keto Bake Box will be made in Explorado’s commercial kitchen. Customers who want to sign up for a subscription can visit Ketobakebox.com. The first box will be sent out Oct. 8.

Dive Insight:

Explorado opened a keto-friendly brick-and-mortar grocery store last November and recently added a bakery section featuring display cases and a focus on keto baked goods, Benson said. The company has been testing different products over the past several months. 

While Explorados’ physical store serves Fort Collins, its national distribution of the keto bake box could meet a major need the company says exists with new keto dieters who complain about a lack of baked treats and snacks that fit the diet. 

Keto, which spiked in popularity last year, is one of several specialty diets Americans are embracing — though just 3% of Americans report following the diet, according to the International Food Information Council Foundation’s 13th annual Food and Health Survey. Overall, about one-third of Americans are following some type of diet including paleo, Whole30 and intermittent fasting, the survey found. 

Some stores and subscriptions exist specifically for keto consumers, but there is room for more companies to cater to dietary preferences. The Keto Bake Box from Explorado is among the first of its kind, with other subscription boxes on the market like My Keto Snack Box and Sugar Smart Box focusing on snacks and packaged goods. 

The markets for other specialty diets like paleo and gluten-free are more established. Paleo consumers can choose from grocers including One Stop Paleo Shop and Wild Mountain Paleo Market as well as subscription boxes like Paleo Pax, Paleo Family Snack Box and Healthy Surprise Paleo Box. Gluten-free shoppers have a range of markets and bakeries to choose from in cities around the U.S. and an array of subscription boxes such as Healthy Surprise Snack Box and SnackSack. 

Larger retailers are paying attention and adding foods to fit dietary preferences, as well. Walmart, Thrive Market and Kroger all have products or sections dedicated to diets including keto, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and more.