VANCOUVER, BC — After establishing a partnership with Queen St. Bakery at the start of the year, Eshbal Functional Food announced the completion of its first North American production run for its gluten-free pita bread. This milestone is pivotal as the food tech company continues its work to establish manufacturing and commercial operations in this market.

From this initial batch, most have already been sold to foodservice operators in Northern California, reflecting early interest in Eshbal’s product and prospective channels for future expansion.

Additional production cycles are currently in the works, the company shared, and will include a wider range of Eshbal’s gluten-free baked goods.

As part of Eshbal’s North American portfolio expansion, the company intends to expand distribution of its brands — Barili, Dare to Be Different Foods and recently acquired Gluten Free Nation — across diverse channels, including retail, foodservice and online.

This development comes on the heels of the appointment of Natalie Ben-Zur as VP, online and business operations for North America.