Through extensive research, ADM has identified five key needs for these consumers. According to Brad Schwan, vice president of marketing at ADM, the three major needs for those currently engaged with GLP-1 medications is retaining muscle mass, minimizing gastrointestinal symptoms and improving hydration. There are also two key needs after people stop taking the drugs:
“When they come off the drugs, the need for satiety is the first really important need that's there because when you're on the drugs, there's this idea of ‘food noise’...kind of these thoughts about food that are just running in the background when you go on the drugs, you kind of dial that down,” he said.
“But when you come off the drugs, it dials back up, and so satiety is a really, really key need. We have an offering at ADM called Fibersol that can really help with that, and 10 grams of Fibersol taken with a meal can actually delay hunger. And so that is a satiety driver and there are others as well—satiety is the first need when you're coming off the drug and then just long-term maintenance of weight.”
Schwan also predicted a rise in "companion products" tailored to the five specific consumer needs, suggesting that brands that effectively address these challenges will have a marketplace advantage.
“Those are needs that are really meaningful for these consumers, and I would anticipate that brands are going to be figuring out how to meet those needs across multiple categories,” he said. “So whether it is specialized nutrition products or beverage products or dietary supplement products, you're gonna see more products that are tailored to these specific needs. They're gonna delight consumers. When you delight consumers, you win.”
To hear more on how ADM is leveraging its expertise in ingredients and formulations to help create products that meet specific consumer needs and support their health, watch the full interview.
