Jessica DiNapoli
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Nestle’s new food brand for people taking weight-loss drugs such as Wegovy will note that the products contain high amounts of protein, fiber and nutrients, but will not name blockbuster drugs, a company executive told Reuters .
The world’s largest food maker doesn’t list drug names on packaging because of regulatory concerns, Tom Moe, president of nutrition at Nestle USA, said in a recent interview. Instead, Nestlé will sell its Vital Pursuit line of frozen dinners priced at $5 or less on social media, he said.
“We will not directly link (medicines) to food on the packaging,” Moe said.
Nestle’s hesitation to name drugs like Wegovy and Novo Nordisk’s (NYSE:) Ozempic on its packaging shows the uncertainty facing global food companies as they make big bets on selling products specifically targeted to the millions of people taking appetite suppressant medications. .
The drugs, from a class of drugs known as GLP-1 agonists, threaten to cut into profits for snack makers and fast food chains as people taking them significantly reduce the amount of food they eat.
When the fajita melts and the pizza hits store freezers this fall, Nestlé will face a sea of competitors making specific claims about its products aimed at people taking medications.
The maker of the Biocare drink, which sells for $4.50 a serving, advertises on the packaging that it can “relieve side effects” such as nausea in people taking semaglutide, a reference to the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic.
The medications can cause gastrointestinal side effects, but doctors recommend that people taking them continue to eat, especially protein-rich foods, to maintain energy and avoid muscle loss.
Herbalife (NYSE:) offers shakes, sold per pack for $185.10, that it says can help people meet their nutritional needs while “getting high,” as injection drugs are sometimes colloquially known.
Retailers such as dietary supplement retailer GNC are also looking to capitalize on the trend by opening a GLP-1 consumer section in stores that sells protein powder and fiber.
Mention of weight-loss drugs on the packaging of Vital Pursuit products could expose Nestlé to regulatory scrutiny.
“We are not a medicine, we are a food product,” Moe said.
Mentions of drugs may suggest that the food somehow treats or prevents a disease. Only products approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration can make such claims, said Lauren Handel, an attorney who specializes in food products.
“This is a tricky area where you have to be careful what you say,” Handel said. “The safest course of action is not to mention any medications.”
The same rules apply to advertising, she said. Labeling products as “suitable for individuals on diets” or as “adjuncts” to medications may comply with FDA regulations. “Some companies will take more risks,” she said.
Nestle declined to say whether it would mention the drugs in advertising.
“ABSOLUTE GAME CHANGER”
Herbalife takes a more direct approach, saying on Facebook (NASDAQ:): “Using a GLP-1 weight loss product? Support your nutritional needs with the Herbalife GLP-1 Companion Pack.”
Herbalife Chief Commercial Officer Frank Lamberti said the company chose GLP-1 over recognizable brands such as Ozempic so as not to alienate people taking competing drugs such as Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound (NYSE:) or those who have stopped taking medications, but still watch your weight.
Robard Corp, which makes Biocare, said it sells the drink through “a strong community of influencers who all take GLP-1.”
Biocare influencer Ashley Dunham of Jacksonville, Florida, said in a TikTok video that the product is an “absolute game changer” when it comes to maintaining her weight after losing 100 pounds.
Coca-Cola (NYSE:) and yogurt maker Danone say many of their products are ideal for people taking medications because they are either low in sugar or high in protein.
Coke’s Fairlife shakes, which contain up to 42 grams of protein, are often promoted on social media by people taking these medications.
Fairlife does not have paid partners or influencers who link the shakes to GLP-1 or weight loss, and it does not offer them free products or other incentives, the spokesperson said, adding that the company has heard from consumers using the medications they use. like cocktails.
Healthy Choice food maker Conagra Brands (NYSE:) also will not list the names of drugs on the packaging of food products sold to people using those drugs, executives told Reuters this month.
Using names may turn off people who don’t use drugs but are still considering buying the food, says Megan Bullock, director of strategic insights at Conagra.
Conagra will focus on the attributes of its existing products, such as protein or fiber content, to help GLP-1 consumers know the food is right for them, said Bob Nolan, the company’s vice president of demand science.
Conagra is not currently developing new brands for people using these drugs, but executives said they see an opportunity to sell them more frozen foods.
Kelly Frias, a marketing professor at American University, says consumers don’t yet have a clear understanding of what to eat while taking medications.
Food companies are “trying to create new associations,” she said. “We don’t have those associations in our heads until we teach them.”