Hi folks,

Apologies, this issue is an hour late - it was my son’s first day of school, and things overran by a lot. Momhood ;)

It’s been quite the active summer in the food tech space, but this last week of August has proved slower—no flashy announcements to share.

Instead, I thought I’d tackle a topic that’s been on my mind: the impact of GLP-1 medications on food system change and the climate crisis:

My own thoughts/observations for the space:

• Increase in animal protein demand: GLP-1 users need to focus on protein consumption in order to avoid muscle mass loss. More protein demand = more animal protein demand. This makes GLP-1 meds a climate issue. The alternative protein space must take on the challenge of diverting this demand to non-animal, low-emission sources, particularly when it comes to protein bars, powders and snacks.

• UPF war gets worse: People taking these drugs report craving more whole, unprocessed foods. While this is a problem for Big Food in general, it’s also a challenge for plant-based alternative brands, which are already being pummeled in mainstream media for being too processed / unhealthy. There’s a real need to respond by bringing out products with shorter ingredient labels and ‘cleaner’ inputs.

• Portion control = food waste? This may seem counterintuitive, but I am going to argue that the way the food system is set up, GLP-1 drugs are currently causing more food waste. Even though they work on helping folks control their appetite better and desire smaller portions, our food system hasn’t adapted to that. Restaurants, fast-food chains, supermarkets, ready meals, work/school cafeterias- currently everything is “normal” to super-sized, which is likely resulting in a lot of waste. The food industry needs to adapt to a new mini-portion reality. Until it does, food-waste-related methane emissions will continue to rise.

I was quizzing a GP doctor about GLP-1 drugs last week to better understand what medical experts on the ground are seeing. She said something that made me pause: she is now prescribing the drugs for heart disease. While the mainstream media continues to lazily refer to these medications as weight-loss drugs, in reality, they are being shown to help with a wide range of health issues, from diabetes (their original use case) to addiction to hormonal conditions. Currently, tens of millions of people take them. Expect this to get to hundreds of millions pretty darn soon. So the appetite effects will affect so many more, which means there are huge opportunities to support these folks. Here’s what founders and product developers should be looking at:

• Rise of “Ozempic-friendly” Products: Brands will increasingly design foods tailored to GLP-1 users, prioritizing smaller serving sizes, higher satiety, and nutrient density over calorie-laden or high-sugar snack formats. Alternative protein startups may partner with nutritional scientists and pharma experts to develop functional foods aimed at weight wellness, metabolic support, and appetite control.

• Focus on Satiety Science: R&D teams will explore novel ingredients and formats, such as high-fiber plant proteins, to sustain fullness, meet nutritional needs, and appeal to the medicated consumer’s changing appetites.

• Shift in Marketing Strategies: Messaging around “hunger management,” “blood sugar support,” and “meal satisfaction” will become central to the promotion of alt proteins and food tech innovations.

• Portion and Menu Redesigns: Restaurants and food service providers are likely to experiment with lighter meals and smaller portions, offering tailored menus for GLP-1 users—creating new categories for plant-based and alternative products.

One thing’s for sure: as GLP-1 medications become more widespread (which they definitely will, and fast!), the food technology landscape will need to evolve rapidly—changing how products are formulated, marketed, and consumed.

-Sonalie

💡 Only On Green Queen

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✅ Must-Read Headlines

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🚀 Everything Else In Future Food

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📆 Scene & Heard

Don’t Miss The Sustainable Business Forum & Solutions Expo!

🇭🇰 Green Queen’s founding editor, Sonalie Figueiras, will be part of a panel on ‘The Evolution of ESG Communication in a Shifting Landscape’ at ReThink HK’s Sustainable Business Forum & Solutions Expo, taking place 11th and 12th September. Get your ticket here.

🎙️ Check out the Cambridge University Social Impact & Sustainability Podcast, featuring Green Queen’s very own Sonalie Figueiras, as they discuss everything from AIO and GEO to sustainable seafood. Listen/watch here.

🍄 Are you building the next fungal breakthrough? The Future is Fungi Award is a global award backing bold founders and science entrepreneurs using fungi to tackle humanity’s and our planet’s greatest environmental challenges. Learn more and enter here.

🇦🇺 Food Frontier’s AltProteins 25, taking place 14th October in Sydney, will tackle the urgent challenges and transformative opportunities reshaping the global food system – enabled by a provocative new format with deep-dive discussions, breakout workshops, immersive tastings and real-time engagement with leading experts – including Green Queen’s Founding Editor Sonalie Figueiras. Sign up here.

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