Barb O'Malley-Wikstrom, owner of the Low Carb Gourmet Market, 1606 Lemay Ave., rearranges pasta sauce at the store.
When Barb O'Malley-Wikstrom opened Fort Collins' first low-carbohydrate grocery store a year ago, the Atkins diet was grabbing headlines and dieters couldn't get enough low-carb products.
At this time last year, industry experts predicted the $15 million industry would double in size in the next several years as the number of dieters nationwide surged.
"My bread and butter is the people that do this as a lifestyle," said O'Malley-Wikstrom.
In the past two years, companies across the country introduced about 3,730 new low-carb products, according to Productscan Online, a service that tracks new products.
Now, many of those wholesalers have gone out of business, including New Jersey-based Keto Foods, one of the larger low-carb product companies.
Not only are fewer dieters contributing to the loss in low-carb market share, but major grocery chains and their buying power also are pushing the specialty stores under, Silberman said.
Gib's New York Bagels, 2531 S. Shields St., began offering low-carb wraps last year and gave customers the option of scraping out the innards of the bagel to cut back on carbs.
She also offers occasional cooking classes, giving new customers the chance to taste different products.
And she's investing about $5,000 in an espresso bar at the store in an attempt to reach all customers - not just those on special diets.
The coffee bar will open in early May and serve regular coffee drinks, in addition to sugar-free concoctions and low-carb pastries.
The Collinses, both 65, have restricted carbs from their diets for years and stop by the store to find low-carb replacements for some of their favorite foods - such as pancakes and hamburger buns.