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The use of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy is already changing the way some big food companies look to the future, but experts say a bigger conversation is needed between food, agriculture, retail and healthcare professionals.
In a recent study, Mattson, Food Product Innovation Expert We found that consumers taking these medications are changing their eating habits and seeking out small amounts of protein-rich foods and beverages that help with hydration.
Morgan Stanley Analysts predict a global market for obesity treatments. It is expected to reach $105 billion by 2030.
part Large food manufacturers like Nestlé have already invested time and money. We are focusing on product innovation to appeal to a growing consumer base.
But food, agriculture, retail and health care experts say a larger conversation is needed to ensure the health care industry doesn't end up trying to fix problems Big Food created, and vice versa.
“This is an existential threat to the food industry, and it’s an existential threat to the processed food industry,” he said. Marion Nestle, Professor Emeritus of Nutrition, Food Research and Public Health “It all came together in a way that had never been done before,” she told the New York Times, who writes extensively on food policy and science at New York University.
At the IFT conference in Chicago this month, food producers gathered to discuss industry trends, a topic that has drawn heated debate from food, agriculture and health professionals.
“This is a field that no one is an expert in, but when you combine these perspectives, suddenly everything starts to make a little bit more sense,” he said. Matt Bibby, global commercial leader for Lilly's Diabetes business and former general manager of U.S. Therapeutic Nutrition, spoke on the GLP-1 Opportunity panel at IFT First earlier this month.
Beebe said social media has played a huge role in encouraging people to live healthier lives, but it has also become one of the biggest barriers for businesses to successfully communicate their message to consumers. “It’s gotten extremely noisy,” he said. “The way to win from a brand perspective is to not be noisy.”
Annette Magee, a retail health expert and consulting nutritionist, had a different perspective than Big Pharma executives. Magee said some celebrities who aren’t transparent about their use of drugs like Ozempic and Wegobi have had unintended negative consequences. For example, actress Mindy Kaling, who spoke out in support of body positivity, didn't initially reveal to the audience that she had started taking drugs, Maggie said.
From a nutritionist's perspective, Maggie said one thing the food industry doesn't pay enough attention to is the unintended consequences of drugs.
“So one of the things you see and hear in the media is that people who take GLP-1 lose a ton of protein status in their bodies. They can lose protein, and when they gain the weight back, they don’t gain it back. So you end up with people who are biochemically fatter than they were when they started,” Maggie said.
Mike Leonard, Ingrion's new chief innovation officer, says companies need to take their time and be careful when bringing new products to market with these types of claims.
“The danger we face here is that the trend is so powerful that we rush to market before we have the science right and the product design right,” he said.
Leonard emphasized that there is no second chance to form a first impression, and that includes food.
“So the real imperative here for me, especially for B2B food ingredient companies, is to ask the right questions to get the science right. And then the next step is again, how do we make this taste good? We have to have the integrity as a community to do the science before that happens,” Leonard said.
According to Leonard, Ingredion has worked toward its goal of making healthy solutions more delicious with its recent launches, and the company is committed to working with healthcare professionals to ensure the science behind its products is sound.
“The healthcare provider and nutrition and dietitian communities have always been close to the ingredient, and we’ve always asked for feedback and been part of that discussion. I think we’re now doubling down on that commitment as consumers increasingly expect more from their foods,” he said.
IFT panelists agreed that the seismic impact of GLP-1 drugs is far greater than the impact of any one company.
“When it comes to the agricultural industry,” said Tyler Groeneveld, North American grain and oils director for Corteva Agriscience, “how do we get flour growers to grow grains that are more nutritious? And how do ingredients solve that problem for consumers? We can’t fix everything, but we need to be part of those conversations to drive truly new outcomes.”
