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Nestle looks to develop new products to serve users of weight-loss drugs. Nestle uses AI and nutritional science to develop products for GLP-1 drug users, addressing side effects like muscle loss. They've launched Boost Advanced Nutrition Shake and Milo PRO High Protein. By Reuters August 18, 2026, 9:06:15 AM IST (Published) Nestle is seeking to turn the rise of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs from a threat into a business opportunity, using artificial intelligence (AI) and nutritional science to develop products aimed at millions of consumers taking medicines such as Ozempic and Wegovy. The rapid adoption of drugs made by Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO), opens new tab and Eli Lilly (LLY.N), opens new tab has fuelled investor concerns that appetite-suppressing medicines could permanently reduce demand for packaged foods, snacks and beverages. Nestle believes the drugs are also creating a new market for products designed to address the side effects of rapid weight loss. Chief Technology Officer Stefan Palzer told Reuters that Nestle was using AI and other technology to analyse clinical research, identify nutrient combinations and develop products tailored to GLP-1 users. "We are well positioned with the portfolio. It's a huge opportunity for our company," he said. Presentation materials shown to Reuters detailed side effects associated with rapid weight loss, including muscle loss and the loss of facial fat often referred to as "Ozempic face", and outlined areas where Nestle believes its products can help address them. The GLP-1 market is dominated by Eli Lilly's Mounjaro and Zepbound and Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Ozempic. Around 16 million Americans are taking GLP-1 medicines, according to Boston Consulting Group, a figure expected to rise sharply by the end of the decade. Nestle's response has been to develop products tailored to the needs of weight-loss drug users while using AI to accelerate research, product development and consumer analysis. TACKLING SIDE EFFECTS Palzer said Nestle's scientists have been studying the consequences of rapid weight loss and developing products designed to help consumers manage them. The company is using AI tools to process large volumes of clinical research and identify combinations of nutrients that may help support muscle health, hydration and nutritional intake. Nestle has begun adding collagen protein to products under its Vital Proteins brand to address concerns around skin, hair and nail health linked to rapid weight loss. "A big part of weight loss is that people lose lean muscle mass," Palzer said. "We found a combination of two micronutrients which we industrialised that stimulate the growth of muscle tissue. On one hand you provide protein, on the other hand you stimulate the muscle tissue to grow back faster." Palzer said Nestle had also patented combinations of proprietary ingredients designed to reduce appetite among consumers who often experience increased hunger after discontinuing GLP-1 treatments. The company has already launched products aimed at GLP-1 users. Nestle's US business created Boost Advanced Nutrition Shake, marketed as containing 35 grams of protein to support muscle health during weight loss. In Asia and Australia, Nestle has introduced a higher-protein version of its Milo malt drink called Milo PRO High Protein. Rival ice cream makers are also wrestling with the same issues, turning to higher-protein products, smaller portions and simpler ingredient lists. AI RECIPE BOOK AI is playing a growing role throughout that process. Nestle has developed internal systems to analyse scientific literature, simulate consumer behaviour, identify emerging trends and help product developers navigate a database of roughly 120,000 recipes. Among those tools is an internal platform called Food Genie, which Palzer said helps scientists and product developers predict how recipes might perform and identify opportunities for reformulation. "You can imagine if you're a small company you have only a thousand recipes. It's very difficult to model and predict recipes using AI," he said. "AI needs data." Nestle is also testing AI-driven consumer simulations designed to predict how shoppers will respond to new products and health claims before they reach shelves. "You see noise around certain topics, and then you can conclude whether that's a lasting trend or not," Palzer said. "Increasingly, AI will get into this field." NOT EVERYONE IS CONVINCED Some nutrition experts question whether specialised products offer significant advantages over conventional foods. "It's quite sad that we turn to new products all the time that are more expensive than whole, fresh food that also contain the same protein and nutrients," said Amanda Avery, associate professor in nutrition and dietetics at the University of Nottingham in central England. She noted that meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, beans, nuts and pulses remain relatively inexpensive sources of protein and nutrients. Still, Avery said products specifically marketed to GLP-1 users were likely to find buyers. "Sadly, we are quite influenced by marketing," she said. "Nestle will have done their research."

Nestlé deploys AI formulation engines to capture high-margin GLP-1 nutrition market. Nestlé uses AI platform Food Genie and 120,000 recipes to develop high-protein foods tackling GLP-1 drug side effects like muscle loss. Swiss food giant leverages internal "Food Genie" system and 120,000-recipe database to engineer functional proteins and combat rapid weight-loss side effects. Nestlé is accelerating its deployment of artificial intelligence and advanced nutritional science to engineer specialized food and beverage formulations tailored for consumers using GLP-1 weight-loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. While the rapid adoption of appetite-suppressing drugs initially raised concerns across the food industry regarding declining snacking volumes and grocery cart contractions, Nestlé Chief Technology Officer Stefan Palzer noted that the dietary shift represents a major commercial opportunity. Rather than relying solely on high-volume consumption, the Swiss multinational is pivoting toward nutrient-dense, high-margin functional formats designed for consumers who eat smaller portions but require elevated nutritional quality. To drastically shorten research and development cycles, Nestlé is utilizing proprietary internal AI platforms, including an algorithm-driven tool dubbed "Food Genie." The system allows food scientists to analyze and cross-reference a corporate archive of roughly 120,000 historical recipes against clinical literature, predictive consumer simulations, and real-time social listening data. By modeling ingredient interactions in silico before physical bench trials, the AI engine optimizes new formulations to simultaneously meet stringent protein-density, micronutrient, regulatory, taste, texture, and unit-cost requirements. A primary technical focus of the AI-led development pipeline is formulating products that directly address physiological side effects linked to rapid pharmaceutical weight loss, particularly lean muscle mass depletion, hydration imbalances, and structural changes in skin and facial fat (often termed "Ozempic face"). Palzer revealed that Nestlé has identified and industrialized a specific combination of two micronutrients that actively stimulate muscle tissue regrowth when consumed alongside bioactive proteins. Additionally, the company has patented proprietary ingredient combinations engineered to help manage rebound appetite and satiety among patients weaning off GLP-1 treatments. The specialized formulation push builds upon Nestlé's expanding commercial portfolio of high-protein and functional wellness brands. In the United States, the group has positioned its Boost Advanced Nutrition Shake - formulated with 35 grams of protein to preserve lean muscle - alongside targeted collagen protein additions within its Vital Proteins line to support skin, hair, and nail integrity. Concurrently, across Asia-Pacific markets, Nestlé rolled out Milo PRO High Protein, demonstrating how functional reformulations are being applied across legacy consumer brands to meet shifting macronutrient demands. Nestlé's strategic pivot illustrates how global food and beverage conglomerates are turning the GLP-1 pharmaceutical boom into a catalyst for premium value creation. By replacing volume-driven growth strategies with high-specification, functional nutrient delivery, the company is positioning itself at the intersection of medical nutrition, packaged food, and beauty-from-within wellness. As GLP-1 user bases continue to expand worldwide, integrating predictive AI into dairy fractionation, protein blending, and micro-nutrition will remain central to defending consumer food margins. You may be interested in. Legal Notice Related notes.

Nestle looks to develop new products to serve users of weight-loss drugs. By Reuters Last Updated: Aug 17, 2026, 11:45:00 AM IST Nestle is developing specialized products for GLP-1 weight-loss drug users. Artificial intelligence aids in analyzing research and identifying nutrient combinations. These new offerings aim to address side effects like muscle loss and facial fat. The company is also exploring ingredients to manage post-treatment appetite increases. This strategic move transforms a potential threat into a significant business opportunity. Switzerland: Nestle is seeking to turn the rise of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs from a threat into a business opportunity, using artificial intelligence and nutritional science to develop products aimed at millions of consumers taking medicines such as Ozempic and Wegovy. The rapid adoption of drugs made by Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly has fuelled investor concerns that appetite-suppressing medicines could permanently reduce demand for packaged foods, snacks and beverages. You May Like Nestle believes the drugs are also creating a new market for products designed to address the side effects of rapid weight loss. Chief Technology Officer Stefan Palzer told Reuters that Nestle was using AI and other technology to analyse clinical research, identify nutrient combinations and develop products tailored to GLP-1 users. "We are well positioned with the portfolio. It's a huge opportunity for our company," he said. Presentation materials shown to Reuters detailed side effects associated with rapid weight loss, including muscle loss and the loss of facial fat often referred to as "Ozempic face", and outlined areas where Nestle believes its products can help address them. The GLP-1 market is dominated by Eli Lilly's Mounjaro and Zepbound and Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Ozempic. Around 16 million Americans are taking GLP-1 medicines, according to Boston Consulting Group, a figure expected to rise sharply by the end of the decade. Nestle's response has been to develop products tailored to the needs of weight-loss drug users while using AI to accelerate research, product development and consumer analysis. TACKLING SIDE EFFECTS Palzer said Nestle's scientists have been studying the consequences of rapid weight loss and developing products designed to help consumers manage them. The company is using AI tools to process large volumes of clinical research and identify combinations of nutrients that may help support muscle health, hydration and nutritional intake. Nestle has begun adding collagen protein to products under its Vital Proteins brand to address concerns around skin, hair and nail health linked to rapid weight loss. "A big part of weight loss is that people lose lean muscle mass," Palzer said. "We found a combination of two micronutrients which we industrialized that stimulate the growth of muscle tissue. On one hand you provide protein, on the other hand you stimulate the muscle tissue to grow back faster." Palzer said Nestle had also patented combinations of proprietary ingredients designed to reduce appetite among consumers who often experience increased hunger after discontinuing GLP-1 treatments. The company has already launched products aimed at GLP-1 users. Nestle's U.S. business created Boost Advanced Nutrition Shake, marketed as containing 35 grams of protein to support muscle health during weight loss. In Asia and Australia, Nestle has introduced a higher-protein version of its Milo malt drink called Milo PRO High Protein. Rival ice cream makers are also wrestling with the same issues, turning to higher-protein products, smaller portions and simpler ingredient lists. AI RECIPE BOOK AI is playing a growing role throughout that process. Nestle has developed internal systems to analyse scientific literature, simulate consumer behaviour, identify emerging trends and help product developers navigate a database of roughly 120,000 recipes. Among those tools is an internal platform called Food Genie, which Palzer said helps scientists and product developers predict how recipes might perform and identify opportunities for reformulation. "You can imagine if you're a small company you have only a thousand recipes. It's very difficult to model and predict recipes using AI," he said. "AI needs data." Nestle is also testing AI-driven consumer simulations designed to predict how shoppers will respond to new products and health claims before they reach shelves. "You see noise around certain topics and then you can conclude whether that's a lasting trend or not," Palzer said. "Increasingly AI will get into this field." NOT EVERYONE IS CONVINCED Some nutrition experts question whether specialised products offer significant advantages over conventional foods. "It's quite sad that we turn to new products all the time that are more expensive than whole, fresh food that also contain the same protein and nutrients," said Amanda Avery, associate professor in nutrition and dietetics at the University of Nottingham in central England. She noted that meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, beans, nuts and pulses remain relatively inexpensive sources of protein and nutrients. Still, Avery said products specifically marketed to GLP-1 users were likely to find buyers. "Sadly, we are quite influenced by marketing," she said. "Nestle will have done their research."