The impact of oral GLP-1s on the food and beverage industry – summary:
- A study has found that orfoglipron (Foundayo) can help to maintain weight loss after coming off injectable GLP-1s
- GLP-1 users could stay appetite-suppressed for significantly longer
- Big Food should not rely on people cycling on and off GLP-1s
- There is opportunity for growth if companies focus on nourishment
A new study has found that an oral GLP-1 weight-loss medication called orforglipron (Foundayo) can help consumers maintain weight loss after coming off injectable forms of the medication.
Recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Foundayo and Novo Nordisk’s oral pill version of Wegovy were already a worry for CPGs because not only are they cheaper to produce than injections, they’re also easier to use, making them far more accessible.
But with this study, manufacturers also now face the possibility that people will be appetite suppressed for much longer than they are now, possibly years.
“The results point to a future where weight loss is achieved through powerful, though expensive injectable drugs, and maintained with cheaper pill-based preparations,” says Dr Simon Cork, senior lecturer in physiology at Anglia Ruskin University.
“GLP-1s are evolving into a long-term behaviour modifier,” agrees Maha Tahiri, CEO and founder of Nutrition Sustainability Strategies. “That has profound implications for food and beverage companies.”
What do oral GLP-1s mean for CPGs?
“One of the biggest mistakes CPGs could make would be to assume that consumers will simply ‘cycle back’ into previous eating behaviours once they stop treatment,” says Tahiri. “The rebound window many companies may have been counting on could narrow significantly.”
The categories most exposed are those driven primarily by impulse, frequency and appetite stimulation: confectionery, salty snacks, sugary beverages, certain alcohol occasions and impulse indulgent consumption, according to Tahiri.
The changing GLP-1 landscape could create major growth opportunities for brands. “To the industry I would say: don’t build your growth model on the rebound. Build it on nourishment,” says Tahiri.
Recent research shows that GLP-1 use may result in deficiencies in micronutrients such as calcium and vitamin D, as well as protein and fibre.
“That creates a major challenge around muscle preservation, micronutrient adequacy, fibre intake, hydration and overall nutrient density,” says Tahiri.
“The food industry strategy should be bridging the gap for people on GLP-1s to have adequate nutrient intake – pharma can manage appetite; only food can provide nourishment.
“This is where the next phase of innovation needs to focus – the winners will design products specifically for the physiological, nutritional and emotional realities of GLP-1 users across the treatment journey.”
Which companies are leading the way?
“Strong early examples include Chobani’s high-protein drink portfolio, with formulations designed to support digestibility with lactase,” says Tahiri. “It reflects a much more targeted understanding of the needs of GLP-1 users, particularly around satiety, protein adequacy and smaller eating occasions.
“Nestlé is also taking a very interesting approach through its Vital Pursuit platform.
“They are not simply repositioning existing products but beginning to think about nutrition support across the broader treatment journey.”
Is Foundayo coming to a country near you?
Currently, Foundayo has only been approved for use in the US. However, Eli Lilly has submitted a licensing request in more than 40 countries.
In the UK, it is being reviewed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, possibly making it available for private prescription in late 2026/early 2027 if it gets the go-ahead.
Separately, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is reviewing it for use in the NHS, with the report expected in November 2026.
In the EU, it has been submitted to the European Medicines Agency for licensing approval and the regulatory agencies of each country will decide whether to approve it within their health systems.
Uptake of GLP-1s in Europe has been slower than the US, but this may now change as prices and formats become more accessible.
Key takeaways
We’ll continue to see more innovation in this rapidly changing landscape. ‘Pharmaceutical companies will be racing to develop pill-based weight-loss medications that are as effective as the most powerful injectable forms,’ says Dr Cork.
Questions remain – long-term effects, whether people will want to stay on them for years – but the takeaway message for food and beverage manufacturers is to be ready to shift and adapt at speed.
“When you remove cost and convenience barriers at the same time, you don’t just get more users, you get a different population entirely.” says Tahiri.
So as pharma giants release ever more accessible and effective formats, we may see not only more users across the globe, but evolving nutrition needs and tastes as the user profiles change.
What happened in the ATTAIN-MAINTAIN study?
- 376 patients previously treated with the injectable GLP-1s semaglutide and tirzepatide for 72 weeks were transferred onto orforglipron (Foundayo) pills or a placebo for a year
- Those who’d previously been on tirzepatide kept off 75% of the weight they’d lost compared with 49% in the placebo group, and those who’d been on semaglutide kept off 79% of the weight compared with 38% in the placebo group
- Orforglipron (Foundayo) is the only GLP-1 pill for weight loss that can be taken at any time of day without food or water restrictions
- It was a randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled study. The study was sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company, the manufacturer of orforglipron and the injectable GLP-1, tirzepatide
- Side-effects were similar to other GLP-1s, including mild to moderate nausea, diarrhoea, constipation and bloating
- ‘It’s important to highlight that the study was quite small (just over 100 people in each arm of the study received active treatment), so more research is needed over a longer time period,’ says Dr Cork