Nestle is getting into the weight loss business.
The world’s largest food and beverage company said it plans to launch a frozen food brand that will cater to consumers who use GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy.
“The consumer research shows that there are certain nutrients and certain macros that need to be delivered to actually help the consumers stay healthy along the journey of the GLP-1 treatment,” Steve Presley, Nestle’s North America chief executive told CNBC.
The line-up, called Vital Pursuit, will include 12 items and is expected to arrive in the frozen food aisle of grocery stores by the end of the year, Presley told the publication.
Among the products that Nestle is producing include protein-based pasta, sandwiches, and pizza, as well as whole grain-filled frozen bowls. The items are expected to be priced at $4.99 or lower and will include gluten-free options. Moreover, the company said the items will be made with a focus to include protein, calcium, or iron.
Consumers, however, may have to be on the lookout for the items, in part because Nestle said it doesn’t plan to add a GLP-1 medication label. Instead, it plans to leverage social media to promote the lineup in connection with the weight loss drugs.
The new lineup could bode well for Nestle as consumers flock to popular weight loss drugs that are gradually becoming more accessible and affordable. On Monday, telehealth platform Hims & Hers said that it would start offering customers a compounded version of semaglutide, an active ingredient found in Ozempic and Wegovy.
According to Nestle’s Presley, in the “last 25 years, the diet has been dying, in a sense,” adding that what the company has done is “given consumers a new tool” that can boost their “confidence and success on this journey.”
Francisco Valesquez writes for Quartz, which like The Root, is owned by GO/Media