NUGS: Championing Gluten-Free Innovation

NUGS is the UK’s first fast food concept dedicated to the nostalgic favourite: the nugget.

Born out of lockdown in May 2020, founders Reis and Charley started from humble beginnings, cooking and delivering from their home kitchen. From a back garden setup to residencies, festivals, and now multiple locations, NUGS has grown rapidly, evolving into a standout independent brand known for both quality and innovation.

Alongside that growth, one of the most significant shifts has come from the menu itself. What began as a simple change to their chicken coating has evolved into a fully gluten-free offering – a move that has not only broadened their appeal and won them the prestigious title of Best Chicken in London at the Deliveroo Restaurant Awards 2025 – but fundamentally reshaped their customer base and brand identity.

As part of Allergen Awareness Week, we caught up with Reis to explore how going gluten-free has transformed the business.

You’re menu is 100% gluten free, how did that come about?

It actually started as a bit of a happy accident. We came up with a new coating for our chicken, and it just happened to be gluten free.

Once we made that switch, we started to realise how many people are gluten free or coeliac and the reaction we got was incredible. People were telling us it was the best takeaway or street food they’d been able to eat in years.

From there, we decided to fully lean into it. To make sure there was absolutely zero cross-contamination, we took the step to remove gluten from the menu entirely. We’re now operating as a fully gluten-free kitchen.

Has it been worth it commercially and has going gluten free genuinely grown your customer base?

Yes, without a doubt it’s grown our customer base.

Ingredients can be slightly more expensive, but the increase in customers more than makes up for it. There’s a real gap in the market, and when you fill it properly, people respond.

The key for us is that we don’t just make something gluten free for the sake of it. We’ll only put something on the menu if it’s as good as – or better than – a non-gluten-free version. That’s important, because it means we’re not compromising on quality while still being inclusive.

What will the Coeliac UK Accreditation mean in practice for your kitchen and team?

We’re currently going through the accreditation process, but it won’t actually change much day to day for us.

We’re already operating as a 100% gluten-free kitchen and have a full gluten-free risk assessment in place. The main benefit will be external as it gives customers extra confidence and helps us reach more people who are specifically looking for trusted gluten-free options.