IFT FIRST 2026: GLP-1 Drugs Reshape Functional Food Innovation

GLP-1 medications are accelerating existing demands for satiety, nutrient density, sustained energy, and digestive support in everyday food and beverages, according to insights from IFT FIRST 2026 in Chicago. Suppliers such as Tate & Lyle, Cargill, PLT Health Solutions, and ICL Food Specialties are…

Rather than creating one uniform GLP-1 consumer, the trend is fragmenting the market into different nutritional and sensory needs. GLP-1 medications are incentivizing product developers to become more precise about the nutritional outcomes of their food and beverage solutions. At the same time, behaviors associated with medication users are spreading into the wider population, reinforcing demand for foods that work harder in smaller portions and communicate a clearer purpose.

GLP-1 as an Accelerator of Existing Trends

Product segmentation will also need to become considerably more sophisticated. Cargill showcased protein-forward snack concepts, including a crunchy seed-and-nut bar and spicy pea-protein puffs, demonstrating how smaller portions can deliver more nutrition. "Everyone's GLP-1 journey is individual," Cahill said. "So it's not as simple as slapping a GLP-1-friendly label on a product."

Tate & Lyle is examining current full-dose users, consumers who are microdosing, former users, and people who have never taken the medication but want to lose weight. The company is also mapping changes in calorie intake, habits, mouthfeel, texture, and flavor preferences over the course of medication use. Its GLP-1 formulation platform covers sweeteners, fibers, and fortification solutions.

Distinct Needs Across Different User Groups

Former GLP-1 users may represent one of the most important and underserved groups. "The outcome of our research in 2025 was that the greatest unmet need was for satiety support for former GLP-1 users," Cahill said.

One research participant described the medication's primary benefit as "turning off her food noise." When that effect ends, former users may face the return of cravings and persistent thoughts about their next meal. Food and beverage products cannot realistically replicate the appetite-suppressing effect of a prescription medication, Cahill explained.

"Our recommendation is not to try to make a claim that compares the role of food and beverages to a prescribed medication that is going to suppress your appetite," she said. Instead, developers can combine established tools, such as protein, fiber, glycemic management, and texture. Cahill highlighted the difference between eating an apple, apple sauce, and apple juice as an intuitive example of how structure and chewing can affect fullness. Certain fibers can also be selected for studied satiety effects rather than relying on a generic fiber claim.

PLT Health Solutions presented beverage-ready ingredients, such as zümXR, Zynamite S, and cellflo6, to address stimulant, non-stimulant, and endurance energy needs. Sensory design is another dividing line. In Tate & Lyle's product testing, current medication users described one formulation as "too indulgent" and "like a dessert for me," while former users said, "it's not sweet enough." Cahill said the findings show that current and former GLP-1 users can have contrasting expectations around sweetness, richness, and texture.

Moving From General Health to Specific Outcomes

Cargill's Future of Food platform points to a parallel change in consumer language. Keith Albright, senior consumer insights manager at Cargill, said nutrition is becoming less about whether a product is broadly healthy and more about what it helps the consumer to accomplish. "The consumer is ready to have the products identify what it's helping them do," he told us. That creates an opening for more explicit positioning around energy, digestive comfort, or metabolic needs, but it also makes generic functional claims less compelling.

"There's no doubt that GLP-1 is acting as an accelerator, but GLP-1 is just a manifestation of what we've been seeing for the past three years around nutrition," Albright said. Cargill is breaking broad platforms, such as gut health, into more specific outcomes, like digestive stability. Albright also pointed to metabolic balance and sustained energy as connected priorities, saying "this whole notion of sustained energy is a big one."

PLT Health Solutions sees a similar diversification within the energy category. Steve Fink, vice president of marketing, said "there's not a one-size-fits-all need for just energy for the sake of energy." Consumers may seek stimulant energy, non-stimulant mental energy, endurance, or adaptogenic support depending on the occasion. PLT showcased options, including zümXR Extended Release Caffeine, Zynamite S, and cellflo6, with the emphasis placed on matching different needs rather than treating caffeine as the category's universal answer.

ICL Food Specialties displayed a high-protein matcha latte using stabilization systems designed to keep nutrient-dense formulations suspended and stable through processing. Delivery format is also widening the addressable market. Fink said some consumers "have what we call capsule fatigue or pill fatigue," creating demand for beverages, gummies, and ready-to-mix stick packs. Those formats, however, raise solubility, stability, taste, and mouthfeel challenges.

Peptides referenced: GLP-1.