The growing use of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy is significantly altering eating and snacking behaviors, reshaping various food categories from snack bars to quick-service restaurants. These medications are also influencing how major food companies perceive their future in the industry.
A study conducted by food product innovation specialist Mattson reveals that consumers using these drugs are modifying their eating habits. They now prefer smaller portions of protein-rich foods and beverages that aid hydration.
Analysts at Morgan Stanley project that the global market for obesity drugs will reach $105 billion by 2030. Experts from the food, agriculture, retail, and healthcare sectors emphasize the need for a comprehensive discussion to ensure that the healthcare industry and major food corporations do not attempt to solve problems created by each other.
Marion Nestle, a professor emeritus of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University, commented on the situation: “It’s an existential threat to the food industry, and certainly an existential threat to the processed food industry. All of these things have come together in a way that has never been seen before.”
Matt Beebe, former general manager of U.S. therapeutic nutrition at Abbott Nutrition and global chief commercial officer for Lilly Diabetes, highlighted the lack of experts in this emerging field. Speaking at the GLP-1 Opportunity panel at the IFT First conference, he stated, “This is something that there are no experts on, but if you put those perspectives together, suddenly things start to make some sense.”
Mike Leonard, the chief innovation officer at Ingredients, stressed the importance of caution in product development. He warned that companies might rush to market without the appropriate scientific backing or product design due to the strong trend. “The risk we run here is that the trend is so strong that we rush to market before we have the right science and before we have the right product design,” he noted.
Tyler Groeneveld, president of North America grains and oils at Corteva Agriscience, discussed the challenges facing the agriculture industry. He asked, “When it comes to the agriculture industry, how do we create a precision farmer who grows grains into a more nutritious crop, and how can ingredients solve that for consumers? We can’t fix everything, but we have to engage in these conversations to create real new outcomes.”
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