Nestlé wants to make your weight loss journey a little sweeter.
People trying to lose weight are most likely trying to avoid chocolate to the best of their abilities, and with the craze around Ozempic and other weight-loss drugs, more and more people are likely to stop adding candy to their carts.
But Nestlé announced Thursday that the company was working on “companion products” for weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro.
Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider said that there is a market for products that will allow those on the appetite-suppressing drugs to get the nutrients, minerals and nutrients they need while still supporting weight loss.
The “companion products” could also help to “limit the loss of lean muscle mass” and “a rapid regain of weight” — especially since the drugs aren’t a “permanent” solution, Schneider told Bloomberg.
The Swiss food giant is also working on smaller portion sizes for their goods and already sells products for weight loss, such as Optifast meal replacements.
Ozempic is a medication designed for people with Type 2 diabetes that has become widely used as a weight loss drug.
Ozempic and Wegovy are semaglutides, which help the pancreas release the right amount of insulin when blood sugar levels are high. The Eli Lilly counterpart Mounjaro is a tirzepatide that has been shown to help control blood sugar as well.
The drugs work by mimicking a natural hormone, GLP-1, which slows down the passage of food through the stomach, making people feel full for longer.
While both Ozempic and Wegovy are widely used for weight loss these days, only Wegovy has been approved for weight loss by the Food and Drug Administration.
Don’t worry, though, anyone who wants to indulge in their sweet treats will still be able to.
Schneider reaffirmed that a majority of Nestlé products “will not be affected” by the rise of the use of weight loss drugs, but they will be “carefully” monitoring to see if demand for products is affected.
The news comes after it was reported that Nestlé’s shares dropped as much as 3.6% Thursday and the company’s stock fell 6% over the past month — and there’s concern that the weight-loss drugs are partly the reason.