Colleyville, Texas. Southlake, Texas June 9, 2016
Kukko Pils makes U.S. appearance, ships from Finland to Texas
Southlake, Texas – Good Life Imports, Inc. (GLI) today announced it has partnered with Austin-based Whole Foods Market to bring the world’s first 100 percent barley malt gluten-free beer to Texans. Laitilan Wirvoitusjuomatehdas Oy’s (LWT) innovative Kukko Pils beer is now available at the Colleyville store.
“Kukko Pils is unique because it is made with traditional ingredients for great taste, but uses a completely proprietary, natural method to remove the gluten,” said Rami Aarikka, CEO of LWT.
In 2001, LWT set out to make an award-winning pilsner. During the process, the company discovered a natural way to brew beer with only barley, hops, water and yeast that consistently tests below 20 parts per million of gluten, which is the European standard as safe for gluten-free diets. Unlike other barley-based beers marketed as gluten reduced, this one-of-a-kind process does not rely on enzymes to remove the gluten. The process is natural and has been relied upon by Celiacs in Finland for over a decade. In fact, multiple styles of Kukko beers have been certified by the Finnish Coeliac Society as safe for gluten-free diets.
“I stumbled on Kukko while on a business trip and founded Good Life Imports to bring this great product to the U.S. for celiacs like me,” said Jason Dyer, co-founder of GLI. “I trust Kukko to be a safe choice for my dietary restrictions that actually tastes like beer.”
Kukko Pils will be the first Kukko-branded beer available at the Whole Foods in Colleyville beginning June, 2016
“We’re thrilled to bring this great Finnish product to beer fans in Texas,” said Mikko Makinen, GLI co-founder. “With 20 percent of U.S. households now shopping for low gluten products, we see a significant opportunity to give consumers a better tasting alternative.”
About Laitilan Wirvoitusjuomatehdas, Oy
Laitilan Wirvoitusjuomatehdas Oy (LWT) is an independent brewery manufacturing the highest quality beers, as well as ciders, hard fruit juice blends, and soft drinks. Established in 1995, it is the largest Finnish craft brewery, passionately dedicated to its founding principles of creating and serving consumers truly superior quality beverages. It is a pioneering company in many ways; its Kukko beer was the first gluten free 100 percent barley malt beer in the world and it is also the first Finnish manufacturing company to use only wind generated electricity from 2001 onwards.
About Good Life Imports, Inc.
Good Life Imports, Inc. (GLI) is a Texas-based importer dedicated to making unique products from Europe available to American consumers. GLI was founded by Jason Dyer and Mikko Makinen in Southlake, Texas, and is the sole U.S. importer of LWT’s Kukko beers, the world’s first 100 percent barley malt gluten free beer.
