Food companies are beginning to move away from growth strategies centered on volume and toward higher-value products as obesity-treatment drugs gain ground
Industry giants including JBS, MBRF, Nestlé and Danone are directing more investment into protein, fiber and functional nutrition, betting that users of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) weight-loss medications will increase demand for foods with greater nutritional density
Although use of the drugs remains limited, early signs of change are already emerging. Consumers undergoing treatment are buying fewer mass-market consumer goods, while higher-calorie categories are losing ground and supplements are gaining share
- Brazil’s pharma industry eyes up to half of weight-loss drug market
- High-cost drugs and lifestyle changes challenge fight against obesity
The change in eating habits is also visible on supermarket shelves
Data from Scanntech, which monitors more than 21.7 million data points across Brazilian retail, show that higher-calorie categories have posted volume declines since the final quarter of 2025. Beer sales fell 1.03%, snacks dropped 0.82% and chocolate declined 0.72%
Over the same period, dietary supplements grew 5.53%, while fresh beef sales rose 0.43%
The retail figures echo behavioral shifts identified in other studies. A Euromonitor International survey found that 54% of Latin American GLP-1 users reported less desire for food, 46% reduced their consumption of sugary drinks and 41% began exercising more
“GLP-1 is a catalyst, but it is also part of a broader context. These changes were already underway, and the medication helped accelerate them,” said Adriana Murasaki, a senior food and nutrition analyst at the consultancy
However, Murasaki cautioned that the prevalence of fresh and minimally processed foods in the Brazilian diet is likely to limit the impact compared with the United States
Despite those signs, the drugs have yet to achieve broad penetration in Brazil
Figures from Worldpanel by Numerator show that GLP-1 users reduced the volume of mass-market consumer goods they purchased by 12.9% in the three months through February 2026. Consumers not undergoing treatment increased their purchases by 18.7%
GLP-1 users also cut back more sharply on categories such as cookies and savory snacks than other consumers
Even so, only 2.4% of Brazilian households have at least one person using the medications
“We still do not see a structural shift across the Brazilian market as a whole, but the behavioral signals are very similar to those observed in more mature markets such as the United Kingdom,” said Rafael Couto, a director at Worldpanel by Numerator
Couto said household penetration in the U.K. rose from 2.3% to 6.3% over two years
Protein push
The trend is already shaping decisions at some of the industry’s largest companies
At JBS, the spread of obesity-treatment drugs has reinforced the company’s focus on more nutritionally dense products, prompting it to expand its protein portfolio in Brazil and abroad
The strategy ranges from Seara frozen meals to egg-white-based beverages. Just Bare, a brand owned by subsidiary Pilgrim’s, has surpassed $1 billion in U.S. retail sales
“This is not a trend, but a structural change in the way people eat. GLP-1 analog drugs are accelerating this movement, but the search for more nutritious, convenient and higher-value foods was already transforming consumption habits,” JBS Global CEO Gilberto Tomazoni told Valor in an email interview
MBRF, created through the merger of BRF and Marfrig, has also stepped up its investment in protein, although it avoids directly linking the strategy to the spread of GLP-1 drugs
“It is still too early to establish a direct relationship between the use of these medications and any specific change in volume, average ticket or category mix,” said Luiz Franco, the company’s marketing and innovation director
Even so, MBRF invested R$500 million in Gelprime and expanded its Sadia PRO and Perdigão Meu Menu product lines
Nutrition investment
Nestlé is concentrating its efforts on its nutrition and health division, which will receive more than R$1 billion in investment across Latin America through 2027
The company said protein and fiber products are leading the category’s growth in Brazil
Danone has also expanded its focus on protein- and fiber-rich products, including YoPRO and Danone 5 Zeros
Arthur Lorenzetti, vice president of specialized nutrition at Danone, said the expansion of GLP-1 use reinforces an existing trend toward foods with a more complete nutritional profile
The shift is also reaching midsized companies
Lightsweet is preparing to launch its Lowçúcar Protein line and has begun considering consumers undergoing GLP-1 treatment when developing new products and planning its food-service strategy
Founder and CEO Amaury Couto said it is still too soon to attribute sales growth to the medications
New formulations
In sports nutrition, Grupo Supley, owner of Max Titanium, Probiótica, Dr. Peanut and Snack That, is developing a nutritional compound specifically for GLP-1 users, with a launch planned for 2027
The company is also adapting its portfolio with products and packaging aimed at consumers seeking smaller portions and greater nutritional density
Paraná-based Maxinutri said it is already seeing the impact of wider GLP-1 use on supplement demand
CEO Fernando Ferdinandi said sales of the company’s so-called “GLP-1 basket” rose by more than 10% over the past year, prompting Maxinutri to accelerate product development and training for health professionals and pharmacy staff
Retail thesis
The growth of GLP-1 drugs is also influencing investment views in the retail sector
In a 2026 industry report, Santander cited the expansion of the medications as one factor In a 2026 retail-sector report, Santander cited the expansion of these medications as one factor behind its upgraded recommendation for shares of pharmacy chain Pague Menos and its stronger investment case for drugstore operator RD Saúde
For sporting-goods retailer Grupo SBF, owner of Centauro, the bank identified the growth of GLP-1 drugs, alongside the 2026 World Cup, as a short-term business catalyst
At Pague Menos, revenue from GLP-1 drugs rose 153% in the first quarter and reached 9.1% of total sales
“With the arrival of new medications that expand access among middle- and lower-middle-income consumers, we see significant potential for this market to grow,” said Walace Siffert, the pharmacy chain’s commercial vice president
At RD Saúde, the drugs already account for more than 10% of sales, up from about 5% a year earlier, the company said
Healthier aisles
In food retail, GPA and Carrefour are expanding areas dedicated to health-oriented categories
Examples include Pão de Açúcar’s “Espaço Mais Equilíbrio” and Carrefour’s “Viver Bem,” which opened at its Anália Franco store in São Paulo
GPA said demand for lactose-free products rose 40% over the past 12 months, while protein-based functional products grew 35% and gluten-free items increased 23%
Carrefour has seen “a decline in the share of more heavily processed products, accompanied by increased demand for protein, fruit, vegetables and products offering greater added value and functionality,” said Marco Alcolezi, the retailer’s executive director for hypermarket, supermarket and proximity operations
Industry caution
In a statement, the Brazilian Food Industry Association (Abia) struck a cautious tone. It said portfolio adjustments reflect individual corporate strategies and do not necessarily amount to a structural shift across the industry
Abrasorvete, which represents more than 200 ice cream manufacturers in Brazil, said 77.8% of its members plan to invest in protein-based or functional product lines by the end of 2026
Half of the association’s members reported higher demand for healthier products over the past 12 months, while the group expects the industry to post real growth of between 6% and 7% this year
New growth model
Although obesity-treatment drugs still have limited reach in Brazil, the food industry already appears to be operating under a new logic
Rather than competing solely for growth in sales volumes, companies are increasingly investing in categories that generate more value per serving. They are betting that wider use of GLP-1 medications will accelerate a shift in consumption habits that, for part of the industry, was already underway
This article was translated from Valor Econômico using an artificial intelligence tool under the supervision of the Valor International editorial team to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to our editorial standards. Read our Editorial Principles
Mais recentePróximaBrands lose consumers when they lack legitimacy
