DeepSummary
The episode features an interview with Barb Stuckey, the chief innovation and marketing officer at Mattson, a food and beverage innovation company. She discusses how her team conducted a study on Ozempic users to understand how the weight loss drug changed their diets and food preferences. Stuckey shares insights from the study, such as Ozempic users reporting a reduced craving for salty, sugary, and high-calorie foods, and instead preferring lighter, more hydrating options like fruits and vegetables.
Stuckey's team also developed and tested various new food and beverage concepts tailored for Ozempic users, such as individually wrapped grilled chicken strips, bite-sized brownies with added protein and fiber, and clear protein beverages with light, refreshing flavors like cucumber-lime. The goal was to create products that could satisfy cravings while accommodating the smaller portion sizes and dietary changes experienced by Ozempic users.
The conversation also explores how food manufacturers identify and capitalize on emerging flavor trends, with Stuckey highlighting the potential of tropical and Southeast Asian flavors like ube, calamansi, and pandan. She emphasizes the importance of monitoring various sources, including social media platforms like TikTok, to stay ahead of rapidly evolving consumer preferences and capitalize on viral food trends.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The rise of weight loss drugs like Ozempic is forcing the food industry to adapt by developing new product concepts and flavors to cater to changing consumer preferences.
- Food companies are studying the dietary changes and preferences of Ozempic users, who report reduced cravings for salty, sugary, and high-calorie foods, and a preference for lighter, more hydrating options.
- New product concepts being developed include smaller portion sizes, added protein and fiber, and lighter, more refreshing flavors like cucumber-lime and tropical fruits.
- Food companies are monitoring various sources, including social media platforms like TikTok, to identify and capitalize on emerging flavor trends and viral food crazes.
- Tropical and Southeast Asian flavors like ube, calamansi, and pandan are currently major trends that food companies are exploring.
- Smaller food companies may have an advantage in quickly responding to emerging trends due to their agility compared to larger corporations.
- Food manufacturers are also working to create healthier, more nutritious versions of familiar products to meet consumer demand for 'clean label' ingredients and added protein.
- The food industry's ability to adapt and innovate in response to changing consumer preferences and emerging trends is a testament to the capitalist system and the enduring appeal of novel flavors and consumption experiences.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Yeah, it's a good question, and it depends on a lot of things, mainly the size of the company. I would say that the smaller companies are a little more nimble, and they can move a little faster.“ by Barb Stuckey
- “We look to higher end restaurants for inspiration. That's where we get a lot of them. We also look to TikTok. It's interesting that things are starting there, and not just food, but the way that you're making food, the appliances that you're using.“ by Barb Stuckey
- “The idea of using the clear protein in these lighter cucumber flavors and, you know, other light citrus flavors was that you would appeal to the more hydrating, refreshing kind of experience, but still get some protein.“ by Barb Stuckey
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Episode Information
Odd Lots
Bloomberg
6/10/24
The rise of GLP-1 drugs, like Ozempic, is a potentially existential threat to the makers of salty, sugary, high-calorie snack foods. But it's obvious that the gigantic food industry will search out ways to adapt. So what types of new products will they sell? How will they be flavored? How will they be packaged and marketed? On this episode of the podcast, we speak with Barb Stuckey. She is the chief innovation and marketing officer at Mattson, a San Francisco Bay Area company that helps food producers find the next big flavor. Her team recently undertook a big study of Ozempic users to get a better understanding of how it changed their diets. She speaks to us about what they learned, what new types of products are in development, and how food manufacturers find the next big thing.
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