The personal touch

This weekend I overheard three women talking about the impact of Ozempic on their lives and how happy they’ve been taking it.
Only yesterday, I learned that after operating in Dallas for four and a half years, a wine bar and market is reportedly set to close on January 18, 2025. The reasons are numerous.
Michelle Bonds, the owner of Trova Wine Bar, claimed that it wasn’t cost-effective and cited the rise in canned seltzers, Dry January, and the sober curious movement as reasons why her wine bar and retail store were failing.
Since opening 2020, wine consumption has seen a decline as well as recent news that beer and wine should come with a cancer warning, according to a US surgeon general.
While the neighbourhood did support Trova, she also believes the spike in Texans taking Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications affected sales. She noted how people were openly talking about the addition of Ozempic to their lifestyles.
According to The Dallas Morning News, Bonds observed positive traction when her business marketed salads as having 30g of protein if you add chicken — as those taking the drug should be consuming high amounts of protein with each meal. “But at the same time, we saw a decrease in alcohol consumption and the amount of food ordered per customer,” she told the newspaper.
Ozempic presents an interesting challenge to the food and industry industry, namely how to evolve with consumers who are eating and drinking differently by turning to a solution that gives them fewer cravings and reduced caloric intake? The implications for snacks, fast food, convenience food and beverages are huge. Companies have little option but to explore new approaches to health-focused, personalised nutrition.
Many consumers are looking for help with weight management while dealing with their food cravings. Ozempic appears to help with both and there is much off-prescription use underway – as I pointed out earlier.
Ozempic’s impact means it is slowly becoming a key component in helping individuals personalise their diets. Much as Ozempic helps individuals manage their weight, it’s not aiding them with their nutritional intake.
Studies, such as Morgan Stanley’s on obesity drugs, found that people who have taken anti-obesity medications (AOM) like Ozempic have seen a boost in consumption in healthier categories while decreasing consumption of food categories that are high in calories, sugar, and salt such as confectionery, sugary drinks, alcohol, and salty snacks.
The surge of interest alone in this medication has the capacity to herald a shift in the food industry, as consumers change their priorities.
It is highly unlikely Ozempic and other medications will be available without prescription any time soon. Also, the medication isn’t a cure-all for everyone and it won’t work for the majority. Yet, this won’t stop the chatter about what GLP-1 medications bring as a quick fix.
Food and drink companies can adapt by innovating their offerings through healthier products or complementary services, bringing personalisation into the spotlight.
Ozempic could be the push the food and drink industry needs to fully embrace functional, low-calorie options that support individuals’ health and wellness goals.
- Rodney Jack, editor, Food & Drink Technology.
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