GLP-1 users reshape nutrition product development, say ADM, Cargill & Synergy Flavours

The use of GLP-1 medications for weight loss continues to rise. The Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index estimates that 11% of US adults took these medications for weight loss in 2026, compared to 3% in 2024. 

Experts from ADM, Synergy Flavours, and Cargill tell Nutrition Insight how the growing use of these medications changes the nutrition industry’s approach to product development. They also point to nutritional challenges for people using these drugs, key formulation considerations, and their expectations surrounding the evolving GLP-1 companion nutrition market. 

Bastian Hörmann, senior marketing director at ADM, says the rising adoption of anti-obesity medications (AOMs) such as GLP-1s creates new considerations around food, nutrition, and portion sizes.

“Globally, 67% of current AOM users state GLP-1 friendly attributes matter more since starting medication, and 80% are willing to pay more for products with added health benefits,” he details, citing ADM Outside Voice data from its 2025 Anti-Obesity Medication Users Landscape Report.

“Nearly 70% of AOM users say nutritional value is now more important to them, and they’re paying closer attention to protein and fiber content. GLP-1 users also report feeling full more quickly, and they place greater importance on portion control.”

Chris Whiting, European category development manager at Synergy Flavours, adds that manufacturers must ensure new nutritional product innovation appeals to this rapidly growing audience, without alienating existing consumer bases who don’t use GLP-1 medications.

Hörmann says that almost 70% of AOM users say nutritional value is more important, and they’re focusing more on protein and fiber content (Image credit: ADM).“A consumer survey by Synergy Flavours found that GLP-1 users report that vitamins, followed by protein, fiber, and minerals, are the hardest nutrients to obtain from food alone, and as such, 95% of GLP-1 users are supplementing their diets to ensure adequate intake.”

“Protein in particular is the biggest focal point for many GLP-1 consumers, with 55% of users saying they struggle to meet protein needs, leading many consumers to supplement,” Whiting adds. “With nearly two-thirds of users aiming for at least 100 g of protein per day, protein fortification in food products can help users to overcome these challenges.”

Flexible relationship with food

Aysegul Ozcan, Enhanced Nutrition commercial marketing director at Cargill, says that GLP-1 medications are accelerating a broader shift in how the industry thinks about nutrition and product development as eating behaviors change. 

“Manufacturers are having to think more carefully about how much nutrition can be delivered within different portion sizes and eating occasions, while recognizing that consumers still expect convenience and enjoyment.”

Cargill is seeing a shift toward a more individual and flexible relationship with food, she adds. “Smaller portions and changing eating occasions can alter what consumers expect from a product, with nutrition, convenience, portion size, and enjoyment all becoming part of the decision.”

Exploring the consumer experience as a whole, combining behavior, nutrition, and sensory preference, is key to understanding those changes, says Ozcan.

“To build a more connected picture, Cargill and isi developed a research program that examines the evolving food landscape from several complementary perspectives, bringing together insights into consumer experiences, changing behaviors, nutrition, and sensory expectations.”

“Consumers increasingly want food to do more for them while still fitting into the realities of everyday life,” she adds. “For manufacturers, that means looking beyond individual nutritional attributes to understand how nutrition, taste, convenience, and format can work together across changing routines and eating occasions.”

Overcoming nutritional challenges

ADM’s research indicates that muscle maintenance, digestive discomfort, and hydration are primary concerns for users of weight-loss medications, says Hörmann.

Synergy Flavours’ consumer survey found that vitamins, protein, fiber, and minerals are the hardest nutrients to obtain from food alone.“Clinical research estimates 20–40% of weight loss comes from muscle, highlighting demand for increased protein density to support muscle maintenance.”

At the same time, Hörmann says that manufacturers are navigating cost and supply constraints for traditional dairy proteins such as whey. He notes that alternatives such as soy offer a high-quality protein source to complement or replace whey. For example, he points to ADM’s new ProFam 883 soy protein isolate, providing 90% protein content with good dispersibility and medium-to-low viscosity.

“When it comes to digestive health, consumers are increasingly aware of the role fiber can play to support their gut and digestion, along with metabolic health, satiety, and appetite regulation,” he adds.

He highlights ADM/Matsutani LLC’s Fibersol Prebiotic dietary fiber, which has clinical research showing it may provide support for the gut. “When consumed at 10 g with a meal, Fibersol may increase the appetite-regulating hormone GLP-1 as part of a normal physiological response in healthy individuals.”

Hörmann notes that brands can also incorporate other biotic solutions for gut and metabolic health. For example, he points to clinical research findings that ADM’s Esflorin1 (Bifidobacterium longum CECT7347) probiotic and postbiotic may help support overall gut and digestive health, while BPL1 (B. animalis subsp. lactis CECT8145) probiotic and postbiotic target aspects relevant to metabolic health. 

System-based reformulations

Reformulating products for GLP-1 users poses challenges as foods need to combine multiple requirements in a single product, says Cargill’s Ozcan.

“Nutrition, portion size, taste, texture, and functionality all need to work together to create products that fit changing consumer needs and everyday eating occasions.”

“Increasing protein or fiber, reducing sugar, or adjusting portion size can all affect taste, texture, mouthfeel, sweetness, and stability,” she notes. “Manufacturers also have to consider cost, regulatory requirements, and scalability, so changing one element of a formulation can have implications across the entire product.”

At Vitafoods Europe 2026, Cargill presented product concepts to show how the company approaches formulation as a system rather than as a series of individual ingredient substitutions. These concepts were designed around nutrient density, portion flexibility, and sensory experience.

For example, the company developed VitalFuel, a nutrient-dense cocoa nutrition drink designed to deliver protein and fiber in a smaller, more manageable serving size of approximately 250 ml.

Ozcan notes that manufacturers need to consider how to combine nutrition, portion size, taste, texture, and functionality for GLP-1 companion products.Ozcan details that the drink combined plant protein and fiber with phosphatidylcholine lecithin, Gerkens Sweety cocoa powder, and Eversweet stevia sweetener — a product of Avansya, a joint venture of dsm-firmenich and Cargill.

“The aim was to show how manufacturers can bring together nutritional priorities with familiar taste, texture, and convenience in a smaller-format product.”

Taste and texture perceptions

A Synergy Flavours consumer survey found that 72% of GLP-1 users reported some form of change in their taste perception when using the medications, says Whiting. He notes that reports varied from vague “changes in the way certain flavors taste” to more specific sensitivities toward sweetness and bitterness. 

“For many consumers, taste is the primary driver of repeat purchases, so these changes in taste perception will lead many GLP-1 consumers to rethink the products they purchase,” he cautions.

Therefore, he suggests that manufacturers be careful when reformulating to ensure that ingredient replacements or fortifications do not impact taste.

“For example, as many GLP-1 users report a sensitivity to sweetness or bitterness, the use of artificial sweeteners can trigger this sensitivity, with high sweetness or a bitter aftertaste.”

“Fortification can also bring additional challenges, with protein being notorious for introducing a ‘dry’ or ‘chalky’ mouthfeel when added to products,” Whiting adds. “Adopting specialty taste modulation solutions can mask bitter off-notes, improve sweetness perception, and also help to overcome mouthfeel and texture challenges when developing enriched products.”

ADM’s Hörmann adds that weight-loss medications can also make users feel fuller, faster, which means that dry or heavy foods can quickly become unappealing or hard to finish.

“Lighter and smoother textures, such as smoothies, protein beverages, and drinkable yogurts, make formats easier to consume, without overwhelming the palate.”

Whiting suggests that manufacturers be careful when reformulating to ensure that ingredient replacements or fortifications do not impact taste.Pointing to ADM Outside Voice’s 2026 Texture Report, he adds that solid snack formats such as nutritional bars also benefit from a smoother mouthfeel, with 98% of GLP-1 consumers citing gooeyness as important, significantly more than non-AOM users.

From GLP-1s to everyday life

Over the next few years, Cargill expects the conversation to become broader than a distinct category of products associated with GLP-1 medications.

“Some of the behaviors emerging around changing appetites, portion sizes, and eating occasions may have much wider implications for food and beverage innovation,” Ozcan notes. “That could increase the focus on nutrient-dense foods, protein and fiber enrichment, portion flexibility, reduced sugar, and convenient formats.”

However, she says the opportunity is broader than any individual ingredient or nutritional attribute. “Ultimately, we see this as part of a wider evolution toward more personalized nutrition and greater choice, rather than the creation of a single type of product for a single consumer group.”

Whiting at Synergy Flavours adds that consumer food habits will continue to shift, driven by the growing use of GLP-1 medications in weight loss management. He expects these changing behaviors will directly impact how manufacturers both develop and market new products.

“We expect to see food and beverage manufacturers invest more time and innovation in ‘better-for-you’ products that showcase nutrition enrichment in convenient everyday formats, such as high-protein breads, fiber-enriched yogurts, and portion-controlled snacks.”

“In addition to this, we also expect to see a marketing shift to remove more sensitive callouts such as ‘diet’ in favor of more empowering messaging that highlights nutritious benefits, such as ‘complete nutrition in a smaller serving’ or similar.”