Five Ways to Prepare for the Seismic Impact of GLP-1s on the Food Industry 

By Brian Brown, president and partner at food marketing agency Ingredient 

For those living on the West Coast of North America, the reality of “the Big One” is something everyone grows up knowing about: a massive seismic event that experts say will happen someday. If, like me, you’re from the southern half of California, it’s the San Andreas fault you’re warned about. If you’re from the Central Coast of California, it’s the Hayward fault beneath Oakland. In the Pacific Northwest, it’s the Cascadia subduction zone that lurks offshore. 

For everyone involved in the growing, raising, manufacturing, or selling of food, our version of “the Big One” is GLP-1 drugs. 

The good news is that, unlike the tectonically driven Big One, the impending impact of GLP-1s on the food sector can be predicted, mitigated, and may even offer an opportunity for growth. 

The class of drugs we call GLP-1s mimic a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which signals to our brain that we are full and slows digestion. They were developed to help lower blood sugar in those with diabetes, but a major side effect is substantial weight loss. Secondary effects include many of the benefits of weight loss, like improved blood pressure and cardiovascular health, but they may also decrease inflammation in the body and could lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. 

Studies are underway to measure the efficacy of GLP-1 drugs as treatments for addiction. Even those without addiction issues report a reduced desire for alcoholic beverages after starting GLP-1 treatment. Since the impacts and benefits of GLP-1s mostly fade after discontinued use, long-term treatment may be necessary, leading to lifelong changes in a user’s fundamental approach to consuming food and beverages. 

There is no aisle in the grocery store, no producer of food, and no restaurant that can avoid the impact of America’s growing adoption of GLP-1s. 

As of May 2024, 12% of Americans reported having used GLP-1 drugs, with 6% saying they’re currently using them. The two biggest barriers to their adoption — and the main reason people stop using them — are availability and cost. Half of former users say they were difficult to afford, as many insurance carriers, including Medicare, do not cover them for weight management or have scaled back previous coverage. 

Until recently, pharmaceutical companies struggled to keep up with the demand for GLP-1 treatments. In response, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared the drugs to be in shortage, which allowed pharmacies to manufacture and sell compounded versions at considerably lower costs than the patented name-brand versions. The patent holders lobbied the FDA to end the shortage declaration, which became official on February 21, 2025. Consequently, suppliers like Hims & Hers have announced they will stop selling compounded GLP-1s by the end of the quarter.

The availability and affordability of GLP-1s will remain in flux in the near future, but lower-cost and more readily available versions are on the way. The first patents for semaglutide, the generic form of Ozempic, expire in 2026, and pill forms of most GLP-1s are in active development and testing. Because pills are cheaper to produce and easier to transport than injectables, which require refrigeration, they may lower the barrier to taking them as many people are squeamish about self-injections. More affordable pill versions may also encourage insurers to start or resume coverage. Given the number of Americans who stand to benefit from GLP-1 treatments, it seems inevitable that their usage will skyrocket in the next 18 to 24 months and continue growing for the foreseeable future. 

A recent Impact Analytics report suggests that food consumption in the United States will drop by 10 trillion calories a year by 2030 due to GLP-1 drugs. Users aren’t just eating less — they also reported being less interested in eating processed foods. They want to consume fewer packaged snacks and less fast food, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages. Instead, users are opting for more freshly prepared dishes, just in smaller portions. 

Here are five key areas food brands and marketers should focus on as the impact of GLP-1s becomes more pronounced: 

1. Thoughtful consumption: People using GLP-1s are becoming more mindful of their food choices. Food brands should prioritize higher-quality ingredients with a more interesting or sustainable provenance. Consumers will seek out new or remixed flavors more than ever, gravitating toward foods perceived as being freshly prepared. 
2. Dietary quality: GLP-1 users prioritize quality over quantity, seeking foods that pack a bigger nutritional punch. They want options higher in protein and fiber, along with added vitamins and minerals, to meet their needs in fewer meals. Simplified ingredient decks will be more appealing than those suggesting a higher degree of processing. 
3. Room for supplements: People taking GLP-1 drugs will look for supplements to provide the necessary nutrients they may not get from eating less food. This not only includes vitamins and minerals but also specific prebiotics and probiotics. Packaged supplements are already being marketed specifically, or implicitly, toward GLP-1 users. 
4. Portion sizes: GLP-1 users often face social pressure to maintain the same meal cadence as friends and family not using the drugs. They might be invited to happy hour or expected to participate in family dinners, even though they may have little to no interest in eating more. They want to participate in the social aspects more than they do the eating opportunities. To accommodate, restaurants should cater to customers with smaller appetites by offering small plates, such as dim sum and tapas, or the option to order half portions.
5. Tailoring the story: With all the factors GLP-1 users consider as they modify a lifetime of eating habits, marketers need to ensure they use the language these consumers are looking for. Explicitly highlighting protein and fiber content, along with other nutrient boosts, and emphasizing fresher, less-processed product qualities will appeal to GLP-1 users as well as the broader consumer base. 

GLP-1 drugs will permanently reshape the food consumption landscape in the United States in the coming years, but that process doesn’t have to be as disruptive as an earthquake. Those who are monitoring how Americans’ relationship with food evolves can start effectively preparing for those changes today.

As Ingredient’s president and partner, storytelling is Brian Brown’s superpower. He believes food defines us culturally, socially and brings us together. Established in 1994, Brown now leads a creative network of nearly 55 food enthusiasts, from professional strategists, food scientists, designers and developers, copywriters, photographers, videographers, and culinary professionals to inspire connections between brands and consumers.