A line of frozen pizza and protein-enriched pasta dishes will be launched by Nestle in the USA, specifically aimed at taking weight loss drugs such as Wegovy or Ozempic.

According to a news story in The Independent, the world’s biggest food company said it had developed the new products with more protein, iron and calcium for people taking the popular appetite-suppressing drugs, called GLP-1 agonists.

People on GLP-1 medications are at risk of losing lean muscle mass as they shed pounds and often don’t feel like eating very much, and some develop aversions to protein and fat.

Tom Moe, president of Nestle USA’s meal division, said it will pitch the meals in a new brand, Vital Pursuit, as “food solutions” for people who want to complement their use of the drugs with “the right nutrition – high protein, good fibre, the right minerals, like potassium and vitamin C.” The products, set to hit supermarket shelves towards the end of 2024, are priced at $4.99 and under, a little more expensive than a DiGiorno four cheese personal pan pizza, which is sold at Target for $4.79.

Around one in eight US adults have taken the GLP-1 drugs, and Goldman Sachs estimates that 10m – 70m US consumers could be taking them in the next four years. While some investors have been worried that food companies will lose sales due to the hunger-suppressing drugs, executives at companies like Nestle and Conagra see the medications presenting a new opportunity to pitch products such as beef jerky, popcorn and frozen meals.

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