Conagra Brands said more than two dozen of the company’s Healthy Choice products will be labeled as “GLP-1 friendly.” This will make Conagra the first major food brand to list the popular weight loss drug on its packaging.
The packaged food giant said that from next month, Healthy Choice items will carry a “badge” indicating they are high in protein, low in calories and high in fibre. This makes it ideal for consumers who use medication for weight loss or who want to lose weight. Consumption of healthier items.
With the launch of the new label, Conagra hopes to help its popular Healthy Choice brand stand out as an option for the nearly 15 million American adults who take GLP-1 drugs to manage type 2 diabetes and support weight loss.
Bob Nolan, Senior Vice President, Demand Sciences conagraThe frozen food and snack manufacturer said it was confident the use of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss was more than a fad and would continue to grow. He noted in the interview that Healthy Choice fits the “exact target” of products these consumers are looking for because they are portion-controlled and contain the essential nutrients they need.
“femaleThey already knew they were looking for this food. But we want to help them. We just want to make it a little clearer and a little easier,” Nolan said.
GLP-1 drugs help people eat less, but consumers need nutrients like protein and fiber. Conagra’s The new medium highlights that Healthy Choice contains these nutrients while also linking them to GLP-1. This label will initially appear on Healthy Choice Café Steamers and Simply Steamers. The reason is smaller portion sizes and economy.
According to the company, Healthy Choice started in 1988 after Conagra’s CEO had to change his eating habits due to a mild heart attack. He wanted options that met his dietary needs and also observed similar interest from consumers in the market. This desire led the company to create the Healthy Choice brand.
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As consumers want to eat healthier and more people are switching to GLP-1 medications, better-for-you brands like Healthy Choice are ideally positioned to benefit. The new label highlights these benefits to consumers while also separating Healthy Choice from competitors that, at least for now, have not added similar notices to their packaging.
“we We don’t want to wait to be the last person standing because we know that companies that can help people solve their problems better and find them easier on the shelf will have a lasting advantage over time,” Nolan said.
Conagra added that it is looking at other brands that could benefit from marketing or similar labels across its portfolio to capitalize on the GLP-1 movement. Consumers taking weight loss medications are spending more of Conagra’s frozen convenience food brands. That’s because Marie Callender’s is portion-controlled and rich in protein. Nolan added that its popcorn, seed and meat snack brands also have these and other sought-after characteristics.
“We’re going to start by dipping our toes into (healthy choices) and make sure it makes sense, understand the consumer impact and get feedback,” Nolan said.
At this time, Conagra is not considering any new brands specifically targeting GLP-1 users. The company said its base is growing but currently only represents 7% of adult consumers. “We probably don’t have enough to put on the shelves,” he said.
Earlier this year, food manufacturers downplayed the threat of GLP-1. Tom McGough, co-representative Conagra’s operations chief told Wall Street analysts in February that Slim Jim and Orville Redenbacher sees “opportunity within our unique snack portfolio.”
At the time, he pointed to molecular data showing an 8% increase in consumption of healthier frozen foods in people taking weight-loss drugs.
conagra We haven’t made any changes to Healthy Choice foods, but we’re using badges to highlight that existing products are suitable for GLP-1 users. The Chicago-based company said the USDA reviews and approves all badged products to ensure they comply with regulatory standards.
The growing popularity of weight-loss drugs has created opportunities for some food manufacturers and challenges for others.
Nestle recently launched Vital Pursuit, its first major U.S. brand in nearly 30 years, for consumers taking GLP-1 medications and other individuals focused on weight management. The new products prioritize convenience, taste, portion size and providing essential nutrients.
At the same time, Hershey CEO Michele Buck said last month that the maker of Kisses and Reese’s is seeing “mild” impacts from GLP-1 and is continuing to monitor consumer behavior.
“We continue to see a variety of data sources demonstrating that consumers using those medications are not consuming disproportionately fewer products in our category,” she said.
