The GLP-1 Effect: Smaller Portions, Bigger Expectations

The rapid rise in GLP-1 medication use has redefined consumers’ food expectations, panelists shared in a Tuesday IFT FIRST Hot Topics Studio session titled “GLP-1 and the Future of Food: Formulating for New Consumer Reality.”

As consumers eat less, they want their food to do more.

“It’s not about the quantity of the food,” said Anke Golde, senior director, R&D, with Ardent Mills. “It’s really about the value. Consumers are asking themselves, ‘What is this food doing for me?’ … Consumers are looking for what we call benefit stacking, where it’s not just one benefit. Consumers really want a lot of different things all in one product.”

That means smaller portions that are more nutrient-dense. “Every single bite has to work twice as hard to deliver all of the nutrients we need,” said Carolina Betancourt Villamizar, health and nutrition scientific director with Alianza.

It’s well established that GLP-1 users are looking for foods that are high in protein and fiber, but it’s important to remember that many also need vitamins and minerals, including iron, B vitamins, and vitamin D, Villamizar added.

All of this presents food formulators with both challenges and opportunities, Golde noted. As a food scientist, it’s her job, she said, to translate consumers’ nutritional needs into products that are appealing, stable, and accessible.

Of course, that’s not easy. “If we create something that doesn’t deliver taste, people won’t necessarily buy it again. If we deliver something that’s not affordable, nobody will buy it. And if we create something that doesn’t meet nutrient needs, then it doesn’t even appeal to the consumer at the shelf.”

Asked by session moderator Marlene Schmidt, senior nutrition, health, and wellness manager at Nestlé USA, whether the dietary changes associated with GLP-1 use will last, Stephanie Mattucci, principal strategist at Mintel, said she was optimistic they would because many users experience benefits that extend beyond weight management.

“Not only are the medications helping them lose weight, but they [GLP-1 users] are also reporting just feeling better,” she said. “They have more energy, they’re feeling more balanced, and I think that is something that applies not just to the GLP-1 consumer, but to all consumers. They’re looking for ways to feel their best.”

A focus on metabolic health isn’t limited to GLP-1 users, Golde agreed. “Most people just want to eat better,” she said. “I think that applies to all of us.”

What’s more, while GLP-1 users may be choosing smaller portions and making healthier choices, they haven’t necessarily abandoned their favorite products, Mattucci noted, pointing to Mintel research showing that about 90% of them purchase ice cream, for example.

“I think it is a moment, a wake-up call for us to right-size portions and really give consumers the agency to pick what they want,” Mattucci said.

What does the future hold for the GLP-1 market? Asked to describe it in one word, panelists Mattucci and Golde both chose “intentional,” while Villamizar opted for “simplicity.”

Golde urged product developers to see the market changes the rise in GLP-1 use has brought about as a way to advance innovation and improve consumers’ nutrition. “I think we should take this as an opportunity to make food healthier and to truly nourish more people,” she reflected.

As GLP-1 medications continue to reshape eating habits, panelists agreed that the next generation of food products will need to deliver greater nutritional value, functionality, and consumer appeal in every bite.

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