Navigating the GLP-1 Revolution: Opportunities for Food and Beverage Manufacturers

Prioritizing protein content, fat, calorie, and sugar reduction while boosting the nutritional value of products will be essential to support GLP-1 usage for weight reduction. 

The food and beverage industry is on the brink of an exciting transformation, driven by a surge in innovative GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss and blood sugar regulation treatments. As these game-changing medications gain traction among consumers, manufacturers have a unique opportunity to tap into evolving dietary preferences and reshape their product offerings.

A&B has a range of specialty and value-added nutritional ingredients that will help support a healthy metabolism, especially for individuals using GLP-1 to promote weight loss. Key ingredients offerings:

Plant-Based Proteins: Pea protein and Textured vegetable proteins help build muscle mass.

Plant-based fibers: Potato Fiber, Pea Fiber, Chicory Fiber (inulin), and FOS/Oligofructose (from cane sugar) for digestive health and prebiotic nutrition. Lower-calorie fibers, such as inulin and FOS, help reduce sugar and have a low caloric content, helping produce less energy-dense foods. Fibers help support healthy weight loss and a healthy metabolism.

As millions of Americans embrace these new treatments, manufacturers face both challenges and opportunities. The impact is already felt across various sectors, from snack foods to beverages, with some companies reporting noticeable changes in sales patterns.

What Are GLP-1 Drugs?

GLP-1 drugs are a revolutionary class of medications transforming the landscape of weight management and diabetes treatment. These drugs mimic a naturally occurring hormone that regulates blood sugar, appetite, and digestion.

GLP-1 medications help stimulate insulin production from the pancreas, suppressing the release of glucagon, which in turn slows down digestion. They also help reduce appetite by acting on the brain. These combined effects lead to better blood sugar control and significant weight loss, making GLP-1 drugs effective for both type 2 diabetes management and obesity treatment.

Goldman Sachs analysis predicted that the number of Americans treated with GLP-1 therapies could reach 30 million by 2028, with upside to as many as 70 million." This represents a notable shift in consumer habits that food and beverage manufacturers cannot ignore.

Impact on Food Preferences

Users of GLP-1 medications often report significant changes in their food preferences and cravings. According to CivicScience, "more than 60% of current users have changed their dining habits since taking a GLP-1 medication." Many experienced reduced appetite for high-calorie foods and decreased interest in sugary or alcoholic beverages. Additionally, 27% of GLP-1 users reported making healthier food choices.

This shift is not just a temporary trend but could represent a long-term change in consumption patterns. It is reshaping consumer behavior and, consequently, the food and beverage industry. While some may view these changes as a threat, we see opportunities for innovation and growth.

Product Development

The food and beverage industry is known for its dynamic nature, eager to respond to changing consumer preferences and health trends with innovative solutions. With the rise of GLP-1 drug usage, there is an increasing demand for healthier, lower-calorie foods. This latest shift, while significant, is not out of the ordinary.

Companies should look into reformulating existing products and creating new functional foods to meet consumers' unique nutritional needs. Prioritizing protein content, fat, calorie, and sugar reduction while boosting the nutritional value of products will be essential. Key strategies include:

• Protein Fortification: Enhancing products with high-protein content to maintain lean muscle mass.
• Gut and Digestive Health: Incorporating probiotics and prebiotics to support digestive health.
• Sugar and Fat Reduction: Developing low-sugar and low-fat products without compromising taste.

Embracing Functional Solutions

A&B Ingredients offers a range of functional ingredients that make successful product formulation easier. Potential ingredient solutions range from plant proteins to promote satiety to sugar-replacing fibers, fat replacers, probiotics, and more.

Protein Fortification

Protein fortification is not a new trend. According to the IFIC 2023 Food & Health Survey, the "high protein" claim snagged the number one spot among U.S. consumers' preferred eating patterns. With the latest increase in consumer demand for "high protein" products, protein fortification may offer manufacturers unique opportunities for product innovation.

We offer a range of pea protein isolates that are non-GMO, allergen-free, and all-natural ingredients. Pea protein isolates provide functional benefits and can enhance the nutritional profile of various food and beverage products, benefiting manufacturers seeking product innovation.

Pea proteins are excellent emulsifiers and can offer enhanced functional benefits. They are a great plant protein source, boasting 86% protein content. Pisane™ pea proteins are of high purity and high in all the essential amino acids. Thanks to its low anti-nutritional factors, it is well tolerated.

Pisane™ pea proteins have unique sensory qualities, allowing manufacturers to incorporate them at higher levels without compromising on taste. Their organoleptic qualities have been optimized through a patented process to address the "green" taste and off-notes. The pea protein isolate is readily soluble and can improve the creaminess of products without adding fat.

Pea proteins are ideal for increasing the protein content in bars or improving the texture of bakery products like gluten-free bread and cookies. Additionally, Pisane™ pea proteins improve mouthfeel and taste while providing superb emulsification properties in dairy beverages, powder blends, and non-dairy products.
These ingredients are hitting the mark as more consumers seek high-protein products, including plant-based ones.

Gut and Digestive Health

Probiotics and prebiotics offer excellent opportunities to create value-added products that can meet the needs of health-conscious consumers and GLP-1 users. Companies that decide to formulate products containing both pre- and probiotics can capitalize on the synergistic effect of these ingredients and their support for gut health and immune function. 

Probiotics are live microorganisms that help restore or maintain a healthy microflora in the digestive system. For example, PA5051, Pediococcus Acidilactici, is a strain within the Lactobacillus group of bacteria. These probiotics have been shown to reduce inflammatory biomarkers, which play an important role in modulating our immune system. PA5051 probiotics can withstand low pH and effectively reintroduce natural and beneficial microorganisms into the gut. Thanks to their excellent survival characteristics, manufacturers can add these probiotics to various food and beverage products. These probiotics have a neutral taste and won't affect the sensory qualities of foods.

Prebiotics, such as chicory root fiber, serve as food for good bacteria in the gut. They provide a substrate for probiotic growth, enhancing the effectiveness of probiotic supplements or foods. Chicory root fiber (inulin) is a prebiotic fiber ingredient gaining traction, especially with the growing demand for high-fiber foods. Chicory fiber is ideal for adding dietary fiber to products and improving nutrition. In addition to digestive support, chicory root fiber can be used to replace fat and sugar. It offers mild sweetness, helps improve mouthfeel and creaminess, enhances dough texture, and can act as a binder, enhancing shelf life. Its fat-mimetic and flavor-masking properties make it a perfect and easy-to-use solution for sugar reduction. It's a little-known fact that inulin and oligofructose from chicory fiber are low energy-dense ingredients conveying only 2 kcal/ gram in a food product compared to 4 kcal/gram for sugar or 9/kcal for fat.

Sugar Reduction

Sugar reduction is a hot topic across various consumer groups. Health risks associated with high sugar intake have strongly influenced consumers' food and beverage choices. Recently, consumers rated sugar as the number one ingredient to limit or completely avoid. However, this can be daunting because sugars often appear in foods that aren't typically considered "sweet." That's because sugar not only provides sweetness but also has functional properties.

At A&B Ingredients, we focus on helping manufacturers reduce the sugars in formulations using natural, clean-label solutions. For example, short-chain fructo-oligosaccharide (scFOS) is a sweet soluble prebiotic fiber that helps manufacturers reduce sugar while adding dietary fiber and maintaining 70% of the sweetness of sugar. It helps replace sugar while maintaining a similar level of sweetness and adding functional benefits, like improving texture, moisture retention, and binding.

As a prebiotic fiber, short-chain FOS beneficially affects health by stimulating the growth of beneficial microbiota, such as Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and several species of Bacteroides. It helps improve products' nutritional profile, making scFOS a popular ingredient in foods and beverages, aligning with the growing consumer preference for healthier and more functional food options. Additionally, scFOS has a low glycemic index and is digested and absorbed slowly, causing a slower and smaller rise in blood glucose levels. This makes it ideal for low-calorie diets, sweets, and weight-loss foods.

Reducing sugar impacts these functions, so finding replacements that maintain these qualities is essential. An ideal solution may require the use of several ingredients in combination. We offer prebiotic fibers in liquid and solid forms, which can be combined to achieve the desired sweetness and maintain the Brix level in a formulation.

Another important sugar function is keeping foods fresh by lowering the product's water activity. While ingredients like short-chain FOS can replicate some of this water-binding functionality, we recommend adding plant-based extracts, like our latest Rowanberry-based ingredients. These extracts can help reduce and control spoilage and extend the shelf life of products, all with a clean label.

As GLP-1 drugs continue to influence consumer behaviors, the food and beverage industry must adapt by embracing innovation and focusing on healthier alternatives. By understanding these shifts and leveraging new product development opportunities, manufacturers can position themselves for success in this rapidly changing market landscape. The future is bright for those ready to navigate the GLP-1 revolution with creativity and foresight.

Contact us to learn more about our functional, clean-label ingredient solutions.