Is Asia the next GLP‑1 boom market and what it means for F&B?

GLP-1 agonist drugs have revolutionised weight loss in the United States and parts of Europe, providing – in most cases – a highly effective way to manage the ballooning issue of obesity in these markets. In Asia, the appetite for GLP-1 agonists for weight management has been less voracious. Cost and accessibility have been cited as the main barriers to their use , although there have been other issues moderating their uptake. “In many APAC markets where healthcare spending is largely out of pocket, adoption tends to be slower,” explains FMCG consultant Veena Giridhar-Gopal, adding that the ‘demand profile’ has traditionally differed from that of western markets. “Across much of the region, GLP-1 therapies are more likely to be driven by diabetes and metabolic disease management than for weight loss.” That ‘demand profile’ has already started to shift. Obesity rates in most regions are on the rise – particularly in China and India, where many are edging away from traditional Asian diets to more calorific western-style food. As a result, governments are seeking swift solutions to manage their nations’ increasing waistlines. Could GLP-1 agonists be the answer they are looking for? ‘Yes’, says Jonny Forsyth, principal strategist at Mintel Food & Drink, who thinks we’re set to see ‘explosive growth’ of GLP-1s in Asia this coming year. “Our data shows that there is strong interest in GLP-1s for weight loss in Asia,” he says. “For example, 68% of Indian adults would like to know how medications that reduce appetite can help with their own weight management, second only to Nigeria among the 36 different countries we polled.” China is arguably most desperate for a quick solution to tackle rapidly growing rates of obesity. A recent survey in medical journal The Lancet suggests about half of adults and 20% of children are obese. Then there is the fact that Indian and Chinese companies are in late-stage trials with cheaper generics as the patent for semaglutide expires in Asia, adds Forsyth. “This has already forced Novo Nordisk to dramatically reduce prices of Ozempic, and if generics cost as little as US$100 per month or less, as mooted, that would make them accessible to a much wider user-base.” If those cost and accessibility barriers were to lift, there are strong indications that GLP-1 usage could not only increase in Asia, but in some markets, overtake that in the west, says Mintel. “According to our model, China has the potential to be the number one GLP-1 usage market in the world by 2030,” confirms Forsyth. However, there are some hurdles GLP-1 manufacturers will need to leap before this happens in Asia’s second most populated country. The side effects – some potentially fatal – reported by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and news reports across the west, highlighting how patients regain weight when they are no longer taking GLP-1s, could mean many Chinese patients will be anxious about taking these drugs. “Chinese consumers prioritise safety when they choose weight loss products, meaning the potential side effects of taking GLP-1 drugs, such as nausea, rebound effect and ‘semaglutide face’ may prevent people from taking this medicine for weight loss purposes,” says Forsyth. In India, the government has also cautioned pharmaceutical companies against promoting prescription weight loss drugs, like GLP-1s, directly or indirectly to the public for fear patients will request them without proper medical evaluation. The statement from India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) also said any campaign that promoted unrealistic expectations about weight loss would contravene Drugs Rules 1945. These concerns are all valid, but instances of the ‘rebound effect’ highlighted in the western press have been due to patients returning to their former eating habits when they stop taking the drug. GLP-1 agonist receptors work by mimicking a hormone made by the small intestine which regulates blood sugar levels, slows digestion and increases satiety after eating. In short, they curb the users’ appetites so they eat less. Avoiding the rebound, therefore, lies in the GLP-1 patient’s ability to embrace healthier eating while on the drugs and then sustaining these new habits when they finish taking them, explains UK dietician and nutritionist, Dr Sarah Schenker. So what exactly does ‘healthier eating’ mean in context of GLP-1 use and how can it be adopted during and after taking it to avoid weight returning? Schenker advocates ‘squeezing nutrient-rich ingredients into smaller meals’, for instance, adding fruit, nuts and seeds to salads, or to a protein like egg, fish or lean meats, while eschewing nutrient poor refined carbohydrates such as bread and white rice. “It’s not all about calories, it’s about getting nutrients from food,” she explains, “so you have to think more carefully about getting those nutrients from a smaller intake.” Schenker says often high calorie carbohydrates – like rice and bread – serve as a vehicle to aid consumption of other foods, making them a no-go for those on a weight-loss journey. Instead, she suggests GLP-1 users swap these for less calorific options, such as other vegetables instead of rice, or noodles; or a lettuce leaf instead of bread. Incorporating protein into every meal is also advisable – both during and post-GLP-1 – to maintain muscle mass, something Schenker says Asian consumers typically do – consciously or not - already. This sets them off on the right foot for dietary habit changes. “One of the real positives about typical Asian diets that would work in favour of GLP-1 is that protein distribution throughout the day is better,” she continues, pointing out that traditional Asian breakfasts often contain protein-rich beans and legumes, as opposed to refined carbohydrate-heavy typical western breakfasts of cereals and toast. These principles provide a stronger foundation for improved diets and suggest that Asia could experience sustained success if adopting GLP-1 agonist receptors for weight loss. This, teamed with Asia’s ‘openness to new technologies and a desire for a solution for weight management that actually works’, add credence to the argument that GLP-1s will be well-received across this market, says Forsyth. Amy Stobie, a marketing and communications expert whose experience spans FMCG, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and vitamins, minerals and supplements (VMS), says China’s Healthy China Initiative, launched in 2019 makes it well-prepared to support citizens who are prescribed GLP-1s for weight loss. “China’s health messaging has long framed obesity as a chronic disease, which has educated the population on the need to take a sustained approach to weight management,” she says. In China, she notes, the healthcare system ‘focuses on lifestyle and behavioural changes’ which include the delivery of nutrition plans, counselling and exercise programmes from dedicated weight management centres. As dietician Schenker points out, GLP-1 patients who manage to keep the weight off when finish taking the drugs have done so because they’ve changed eating habits and mindset for good. In China, GLP-1 agonists could therefore serve as the catalyst for weight loss before those crucial lifestyle changes kick in. China’s package of healthcare support is impressive, but let’s not forget that the reason it exists in the first place is to tackle high obesity rates. And one of the reasons for growing obesity is bad diet with the increasing consumption of high-calorie fast food and snacks contributing. If GLP-1 is to work effectively, food brands with an existing presence in Asia will need to stop peddling high calorie snacks and step up as GLP-1 companions. So how can FMCG brands support - and benefit from – wider GLP-1 take up? Giridhar-Gohal, who has spent the last 25 years working in FMCG and retail with global corporations such as Diageo and PepsiCo, says there are opportunities for companies that can develop products that deliver high nutritional value in smaller formats, such as ‘protein-forward snacks, fibre-rich foods that support satiety, portion-controlled products, and nutrient-dense mini-meals or functional beverages’. “In Asian markets where food is deeply social and cultural, positioning around nourishment and quality is likely to resonate more strongly than traditional ‘diet’ framing,” she adds. Forsyth says GLP-1 users will be actively seeking foods that deliver more nutrition in smaller portions, particularly high-protein, high-fibre snacks that are rich in vitamins in minerals. He points towards brands like Nestlé which launched GLP-1 companion brand Vital Pursuit – a range of portion-controlled high-protein, high fibre and nutrient dense ready meals - in the US at the end of 2024 and Danone with its GLP-1 friendly yoghurt Oikos Fusion . There is some evidence that brands are already in this space in Asia. Healthcare company Abbott launched vanilla nutrition shake Protality – a product which specifically targets GLP-1 drug users to address nutrient deficiencies and muscle mass loss - in Korea. And last month, Nestlé announced it was launching a new ‘science-backed nutritional drinks’ range - Nestlé Vital – in Latin America with plans to launch it in Europe and Asia later this year. There are also a growing number of functional foods hitting the market, offering nutritional features that GLP-1 users seek. Innova Market Insights reports a 32% rise year-on-year in the number of products carrying a high protein claim . Stobie recommends brands, particularly in the VMS space, also investigate the products GLP-1 users will need to support their health to get ahead with NPD. “For example, Ozempic slows digestion and reduces appetite,” she explains. “As a result, many people become deficient in vitamin D, B12, iron and zinc. Skin can become saggy, which collagen supplements can help.” There’s also a chance for nutrition-led brands with a presence in China to integrate with the nation’s wrap-around weight loss services, she says. “There are strong opportunities for FMCG brands that can work in synergy with this system. Brands that appear in a health setting develop credibility with patients, because the products are psychologically received to have the same quality and authority they receive from care providers.” She advises a ‘careful and deliberate’ integration that would align brands with patients at every step – from initial visits to weight loss centres, right through to follow-up appointments post GLP-use. Tie-ups with non-food brands – in sportswear for example – could be the next step. “Consumers using GLP-1 will want to see how a product fits into their lives and understand how it can support them.” Returning to Giridhar-Gopal’s earlier point about nourishment and quality, Forsyth thinks food or food with ingredients that bring more satiety, like konjak, and that attract consumers with ‘natural GLP-1’ as their selling point, will become more popular. Schenker agrees, suggesting that protein taken in a more natural food form – in yoghurt, fish or egg for example - rather than in processed powders or bars, will have greater appeal among those on GLP-1. Concluding, Forsyth predicts a see-saw affect with increasing GLP-1 agonist receptor use prompting a reorientation of category sales as manufacturers realise that consumers are changing what they put in their shopping baskets. “As GLP-1 adoption grows, demand for calorie-dense snacks, fast food, and ultra-processed foods is expected to decline, while healthier options, especially fruits, vegetables, and protein-rich foods, will see growth,” he says.

Is Asia the next GLP‑1 boom market and what it means for F&B?

After a slow start, Asia’s GLP‑1 weight‑loss market is poised for explosive growth as China and India tackle obesity and food and drink brands race to become essential GLP‑1 companions

Related Topics

How GLP-1 drugs are playing into the alcohol moderation trend

What food brands must know about GLP‑1 consumers