💊 Food manufacturers are experimenting with formulas that will circumvent the effects of Ozempic and other appetite suppressants. The rise of GLP-1 drugs — originally used to treat type 2 diabetes — are now being used commercially to curb appetites, cut cravings, and push towards simpler meals, leading to weight loss in consumers. Their viral popularity means that more and more people are losing interest in junk food, creating a major shift in the food industry.

Where’d all the snackers go? For decades, Big Food has been designing products that would keep people snacking, reports the New York Times. But now — with 7 mn people already on GLP-1s in America (24 mn predicted by 2035), the demand for these goods is taking a hit. Walmart’s CEO mentioned a drop in sales for baked goods and snacks with customers on GLP-1s generally adding less food into their carts.

Now, companies are looking for ways to maintain their grip on consumer appetites by experimenting with formulas that undercut the effects of GLP-1s. Instead of focusing on promoting large meals, Big Food is focusing on making snacks more addictive, banking on the idea that if people eat less overall, they may still consume small portions throughout the day. Other companies are exploring new ingredient combinations to enhance cravings despite lower hunger levels.

Could it work? Nicole Avena, a professor of neuroscience at Mount Sinai, believes that Big Food has the power to engineer compounds that would reduce the effect of GLP-1 drugs by making foods seem more rewarding, causing consumers to crave them then eat them regardless of the appetite suppressing drug.

You’re being a little dramatic. Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, CEO of Novo Nordisk — the makers of Ozempic and Wegovy — told Bloomberg that he believed the industrial reaction to reduced appetites were “a bit hyped.” He explained that they were only just scratching the surface in terms of how many people could be treated, and that the scaling takes time. He encouraged food companies to follow the trend, highlighting that “change brings opportunity.”

But they’re not giving up without a fight. Rather than embracing the trend, companies are reformulating products and shifting marketing strategies all to ensure that consumers keep eating — whether they’re on the drug or not.

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