The following is a guest post from Bryan Radtke and Jeremy Bartlow, growth strategy experts at PA Consulting. Opinions are the authors’ own.

About a year ago, we published an article exploring how GLP-1 drugs could reshape the U.S. food and beverage sector. At the time, medications like Wegovy and Ozempic were gaining attention, but much of the debate centered on whether they would meaningfully change consumer behavior.

Today, that question has largely been answered.

GLP-1 adoption has accelerated; food and restaurant brands are already responding, and early data now shows measurable impact on how (and how much) people eat. At the same time, the broader nutrition landscape has shifted, with updated federal dietary guidance emphasizing higher protein intake and reduced reliance on refined carbohydrates.

We decided to revisit our original perspective with the benefit of hindsight, emerging data, and new market signals. The aim is not to declare winners or losers, but to help leaders understand what is structurally changing — and where the next sources of advantage may lie.

What we got right: GLP-1s are a structural shift, not a passing trend

Our original thesis framed GLP-1 drugs as a structural disruption to eating habits and consumption patterns, not a short-term diet craze. That framing has held up.

GLP-1s are increasingly used as long-term therapies rather than temporary interventions. Employer coverage is expanding, telehealth access has reduced friction, and the recent introduction of oral GLP-1 options lowers barriers even further. The result is a growing population of consumers whose relationship with food is fundamentally different than it was even two years ago.

Early data reinforces this shift. Consumers on GLP-1s reduced grocery spending by about 6% and restaurant spending (including fast food) by roughly 8% within six months of starting medication. While those numbers may sound modest, applied across more than a trillion dollars in food spend, they represent a meaningful economic signal. Importantly, these effects appear early in the GLP-1 journey.

Research also suggests that behavior changes often persist even among consumers who stop taking the drugs, indicating that GLP-1s may reset habits and not simply suppress appetite temporarily.

The arrival of oral GLP-1 medications marks another inflection point. Pills eliminate many of the psychological and logistical barriers associated with injections, making GLP-1s feel more like a routine part of daily life than a visible medical intervention.

What surprised us: Eating less didn’t mean caring less

It’s tempting to assume appetite suppression simply leads to less eating across the board. In practice, what we’re seeing is more nuanced. GLP-1 users don’t just eat less; they also eat more selectively.

With fewer eating occasions during the day, each one of those carries more weight. Consumers become more intentional about what feels “worth it,” prioritizing foods that deliver satiety, energy and satisfaction without discomfort. Emotional and social aspects of eating haven’t disappeared, but they’ve become more concentrated to fewer moments daily and weekly.

This helps explain a potential dynamic emerging across the market: fewer impulse moments, but higher expectations per bite.

Protein everywhere, and the risk of overcorrection

Protein has emerged as the most visible response to this shift. Restaurants, packaged food brands, and beverage companies are rolling out protein-forward options at unprecedented speed. From high-protein pizzas and wraps to protein-enhanced coffees and smoothies, protein has moved from niche to mainstream.

This momentum isn’t driven by GLP-1s alone. The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans now explicitly recommend prioritizing protein at every meal, while calling for significant reductions in refined carbohydrates and highly processed foods.

In effect, protein demand is being pulled by three reinforcing dynamics:

• Medical consumer behavior change driven by GLP-1 use
• Commercial response from food and restaurant brands
• Institutional endorsement through federal nutrition policy

Together, they help explain why protein is suddenly everywhere.

But ubiquity carries risk. We’re beginning to see signs of protein fatigue, not because consumers no longer value protein, but because they are questioning how it shows up. Products that maximize grams at the expense of taste, digestibility or enjoyment can feel engineered rather than nourishing. Consumers still want food that sparks joy and fits naturally into their lives.

The opportunity isn’t just “more protein.” It’s better protein experiences.