{"id":248299,"date":"2026-01-16T19:22:14","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T19:22:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/248299\/"},"modified":"2026-01-16T19:22:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T19:22:14","slug":"industry-insights-on-reshaping-nutrition-for-the-glp-1-consumer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/248299\/","title":{"rendered":"Industry insights on reshaping nutrition for the GLP-1 consumer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Amid growing access to GLP-1s, particularly in the US, the food and nutrition industries are exploring how to develop or adapt products tailored to the medication users. Nutrition Insight explores opportunities and challenges for innovations with Novonesis<\/a>, WellVine, ofi, and Ingredion<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Riccardo Locascio, head of Partnering in Advanced Proteins at Novonesis<\/a>, highlights the three levels of food and nutrition innovations according to the Three Horizons Framework. \u201cToday, we\u2019re still in its infancy \u2014 Horizon 1 \u2014 using existing tools to reformulate.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cJust around the corner, we are seeing how we can take existing ingredients and tweak them to become more nutritious and bioavailable \u2014 like using enzymes to chop up proteins into peptides that bring value.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen Horizon 3: if you had a white canvas, could you design personalized proteins that bind in the gut and provide the effects consumers need? This is something that the industry is starting to talk about; it will be 10\u201315 years to get there, but the interest is there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re just at the beginning,\u201d he adds. \u201cCreating science-based ingredients takes time. We need to ensure that as corporations we do the right thing \u2014 lead with science \u2014 and maintain consumer trust.\u201d<\/p>\n

Opportunities abound<\/p>\n

Scott Forsberg, chief operating officer at WellVine, notes that the GLP-1 era presents a \u201conce-in-a-generation opportunity\u201d to deliver better nutrition in the same product while keeping sensory aspects that consumers desire. WellVine has developed prebiotics from upcycled Chardonnay grapes<\/a> that it combines with cocoa in Vine to Bar chocolate.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are looking for alternatives that give them more for the same calories or the same money. If you can deliver added value within that sector, you\u2019re going to do well. That\u2019s the opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"WomanKrishnaswamay says there is a trend in smaller portion sizes and mindful indulgence.Moreover, he spots an opportunity to understand non-users<\/a> and change their diet toward that of people taking GLP-1s.<\/p>\n

\u201cConsumers who don\u2019t use GLP-1 are still aware of it, understand what\u2019s happening, and know how big a trend it is. If we could get them to pay as much attention to fruits, vegetables, and the like as GLP-1 users do, that would be a seminal change. We\u2019re appealing to every consumer, not just users of anti-obesity drugs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a chance to take some risks,\u201d Forsberg underscores. \u201cConsumers are open to the idea that food can be dramatically improved. They\u2019re interested in clean labels, whole foods, and many things that used to be hard to get people to pay attention to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe live in an extraordinary time, and these drugs are helping move the conversation faster than it otherwise would. We shouldn\u2019t take for granted that we have a more receptive and better audience than we\u2019ve had in a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mindful indulgence<\/p>\n

Brijesh Krishnaswamay, chief commercial officer for North America at ofi, highlights that there is a growing interest in quality over quantity. \u201cWe\u2019re starting to see \u2018less is better\u2019: smaller portion sizes, but people want more packed into those portions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe term we\u2019re seeing is \u2018mindful indulgence,\u2019\u201d he adds. \u201cConsumers are still indulging, but with a purpose \u2014 they\u2019re well-intentioned.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCoffee and cocoa consumption continues, but people align it more with health and wellness goals,\u201d he adds. In snacks and beverages, people are looking for nutrient-dense foods, more protein, more fiber, and cleaner labels.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt ofi, we\u2019re working closely with our customers to support them as they evolve with changing consumer needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ManCanene-Adams says GLP-1 users require the same things as somebody trying to lose weight or maintain lost weight needs.Krishnaswamay also notes that as an ingredient supplier, ofi also spots shifting patterns. \u201cIf you look at cocoa, consumption might be down in candy, but cocoa can show up in protein shakes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reformulation potential<\/p>\n

Although new product development tailored to GLP-1 users is underway, Kirstie Canene-Adams, director of Nutrition at Ingredion, notes that there are still few products on the market that focus specifically on this consumer group.<\/p>\n

She says all consumers who are trying to lose weight or maintain lost weight have similar nutritional needs. Whether they are using GLP-1s or not, they focus on nutrient density.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need protein, fiber, and micronutrients,\u201d she details. \u201cAlso, companies don\u2019t want to pivot \u2014 think about the shelf space they have at the retailer level. They don\u2019t want different SKUs for all these different consumers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether for clean eating, less processing, or GLP-1 user needs, reformulation is important, says Canene-Adams, as this can provide consumers with more nutrients. For example, reducing sugar, fat, or sodium and increasing fiber and nutrients as needed, such as protein.<\/p>\n

She underscores the importance of understanding consumer needs, public health concerns, and trends. \u201cIn this case, pharma is coming over<\/a> and impacting the food industry. We have to be aware of that, regardless of where we sit in the food supply chain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moreover, Canene-Adams highlights the importance of making responsible health claims that are easy to read and understand for consumers while building on science that finds statistically significant and physiologically relevant changes in the right population and sample size.<\/p>\n

\"BusinessLocascio cautions that innovating and reformulating products to meet specific needs of GLP-1 consumers requires time and resources.\u201cThe holistic way we communicate claims to consumers is important; we\u2019d never want to imply we\u2019re doing the same as a drug in the food industry.<\/p>\n

Investing in innovation<\/p>\n

While experts identify substantial opportunities<\/a> to innovate and reformulate products to meet the needs of GLP-1 users, Locascio at Novonesis cautions that this requires time and resources.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn food, it takes a very long time to build the right amount of scientific evidence to support your products. There was a notion that food is faster \u2014 like software \u2014 but we\u2019re realizing food takes as much time as pharma,\u201d he details. \u201cBeing prepared with long-term timelines is essential if you want a solid clinical package with your ingredient.\u201d<\/p>\n

He adds that collaborating with companies closer to consumers is crucial to expand consumer insights needed for product development. While there are a few products specifically designed for GLP-1 users on the market, Locascio says it\u2019s essential to assess how these products perform to inform further developments.<\/p>\n

\u201cMore data and knowledge are needed,\u201d he highlights. \u201cBut in an environment where research is tight, we need to come together with industry, academia, and foundations<\/a>. Foundations will be crucial, because industry can\u2019t always fund decade-long projects.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, more than ever, consumers request transparency,\u201d adds Locascio. \u201cThat will take longer and more investment. Ultimately, the ingredients and companies that will make it are those with rigorous science behind them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Potential and challenges for small companies<\/p>\n

According to Locascio, Novonesis invests a substantial amount of its revenues in R&D at the level of pharmaceutical businesses. However, he sees a challenge for smaller companies, which struggle to scale due to a lack of capital.<\/p>\n

\"PersonForsberg says WellVine has studied grapes for 15 years and only commercialized a product when trends caught up with science.\u201cWe try to work with smaller companies to offer the scale and commercial access they need, like start-ups with something interesting but don\u2019t have the runway to get to the next level.\u201d<\/p>\n

WellVine\u2019s Forsberg adds that while smaller companies are strong in innovation, they have fewer resources and can extend themselves in terms of claims. Meanwhile, he notes larger suppliers have established businesses they don\u2019t want to risk.<\/p>\n

At the same time, he notes that many smaller companies that succeed have made significant efforts to prepare themselves. \u201cThey were either patient, smart, or adaptive enough to pivot when the timing came around in their favor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn our case, we\u2019ve studied grape chemistry for 15 years; for the last seven, we focused on oligosaccharides, gut health, and the microbiome. We\u2019re just now commercializing the product; we\u2019ve only been in the market for a year or two. All these trends started to catch up with this, and we were able to leverage that science, which formed the foundation.\u201d<\/p>\n

While some new companies primarily get their start to take advantage of an opportunity, such as supplements claiming to be a \u201cnatural GLP-1,\u201d Forsberg doesn\u2019t believe those businesses will still be around in three to five years.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the ones with a foundation that pivot and take advantage of an opportunity that do well,\u201d he predicts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Amid growing access to GLP-1s, particularly in the US, the food and nutrition industries are exploring how to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":248300,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[4368,103,61,124699,60,124696,74226,446,124698,2114,124697],"class_list":{"0":"post-248299","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-glp-1","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-ie","11":"tag-ingredion","12":"tag-ireland","13":"tag-novonesis","14":"tag-npd","15":"tag-nutrition","16":"tag-ofi","17":"tag-weight-loss","18":"tag-wellvine"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/248299","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=248299"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/248299\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/248300"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=248299"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=248299"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=248299"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}