Last November, top executives from one of the world’s biggest food companies huddled at a snowy Swiss resort, not to plot a takeover or deal with supply chain troubles, but to confront a new challenge: a blockbuster weight loss drug.
Nestlé, like many global food giants, had already been seeing customers drift away from sugar-laden, highly processed snacks.
Now, with semaglutide-based medications like Ozempic making waves, the problem had just become far more urgent.
Big Food Faces a Post-Ozempic Reality
In her new book Off the Scales: The Inside Story of Ozempic and the Race to Cure Obesity, Reuters columnist Aimee Donnellan paints a picture of a food industry scrambling to adjust.
“Somebody in one of the big food manufacturers did say to me, we can’t sell you a piece of salmon.
We can’t sell you a salad and make a margin on that.
That’s not our business,” Donnellan told the Daily Mail.
The challenge is clear: how do you convince a population taking appetite-suppressing medications to indulge in traditionally processed foods again?
McDonald’s Struggles to Keep Sales Up
For McDonald’s, the timing couldn’t be worse.
With more than 13,000 US outlets, the fast-food giant saw a 3.6 percent dip in sales in the first quarter of 2025, after three years of double-digit growth.
Even inflation and rising food costs have contributed, but weight loss drugs are believed to be nudging wealthier customers away from burgers and fries.
Attempts to sell salads have floundered—the chain pulled them from the menu in 2020 due to low demand—and the company appears now to be focusing on lower-income customers less likely to use weight loss medications.
The extended $5 Meal Deal, launched in 2024, is a sign of this strategy.
Nestlé’s New Approach for a Health-Conscious Era
Nestlé, by contrast, has taken a more proactive route.
With roughly one in eight Americans having tried a GLP-1 weight loss drug, and 1.5 million prescriptions written monthly, the company is now targeting this emerging market directly.
Last September, it launched Vital Pursuit, a line of protein-packed pizzas, pastas, and fiber-rich meals designed to help maintain muscle and relieve constipation associated with GLP-1 use.
Later, Nestlé added pre-meal shakes and nutritional supplements, from hair-thickening capsules to $50 peptide treatments.
Executives showcased these products at the Swiss Alps meeting, signaling to investors that Nestlé remains ahead of trends, though Donnellan notes a “rapid scramble” that hints at underlying fear.
The Healthier Side Effect of Ozempic
Food and beverage expert Amrita Bhasin points out that weight loss drugs have inadvertently nudged Big Food toward healthier products.
Companies are highlighting protein and fiber more than ever, while consumers are cutting back on sugary drinks, cereals, and junk food.
Starbucks’ protein-infused coffees and smaller cereal boxes are just a few examples of this shift.
Inventing the Next ‘Irresistible’ Processed Foods
But the real battleground is creating processed foods that even Ozempic users can’t resist.
California-based consultancy Mattson is experimenting with protein-rich brownies, mozzarella sticks, and even fried chicken wrapped in edible leaves.
Other innovations include yogurt pouches, satiety gums, and “Bird-gers,” a mix of seasoned frozen vegetables with turkey.
Chris Bellamy of Yanaa explains that altering textures and mouthfeel could be key:
“While Ozempic reduces the desire for food and takes the pleasure out of eating, there may be new ways to make people feel satisfied—extra crunchiness, mouth-feel experiences.”
Big Food Isn’t Backing Down
The rise of weight loss medications may have sparked a challenge for the food industry, but giants like Nestlé and McDonald’s are proving they aren’t going quietly.
From fiber-rich meals to inventive texture-driven treats, Big Food is racing to find new ways to win back consumers in a post-Ozempic world.
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