Big Food Scrambles to Adapt as Weight Loss Drugs Transform Appetites
As millions of Americans on weight loss drugs report dramatic changes in their food preferences, major food companies are rushing to develop products that can appeal to a transformed market.
Nearly seven million Americans now take GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, with Morgan Stanley projecting that number could reach 24 million by 2035, The New York Times reported in January. The trend has food industry executives concerned, with Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen telling Bloomberg that companies are “scared.”
Mattson, a food innovation firm that creates products for giants like McDonald’s, PepsiCo and Hostess, is studying these changes firsthand. Their research shows users are abandoning processed snacks for fresh produce, with many reporting that artificial flavors now taste “plasticky” and unpalatable.
The firm is developing GLP-1-friendly alternatives, including protein-enriched brownie bites and chicken snacks. Nestlé has already launched Vital Pursuit, a line of portion-controlled frozen meals targeting this demographic.
“The whole field is still a little stunned,” Ashley Gearhardt, a University of Michigan food addiction researcher, told the Times. The drugs appear to not only reduce appetite but fundamentally alter food preferences, potentially disrupting what food historians call the “industrial palate” — learned preferences for artificial flavors and preservatives.
Industry response remains in the early stages, with food-and-drink innovation hitting record lows in 2024. However, some see opportunity: Mattson CEO Justin Shimek, who has lost over 50 pounds on GLP-1 medication himself, believes convenience will remain key even as preferences shift.
The implications could reshape the food industry: GLP-1 users could soon outnumber America’s vegetarian and vegan population combined, with over 100 million obese adults potentially eligible for the medications.
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