Jungbunzlauer webinar preview: What does the GLP-1 era mean for food formulation?

As GLP-1 drugs reshape eating habits, food manufacturers are facing new formulation challenges, from reducing sugar and calories to maintaining texture and flavor while boosting nutrient density. 

This is the central theme of Jungbunzlauer’s upcoming webinar titled “The new math of functional eating in the GLP-1 era: addressing texture, nutrients, and health.” 

Thomas Bernsmeier, market development manager for Europe & APAC at Jungbunzlauer, will explore reformulation requirements for healthy foods and drinks resulting from GLP-1-driven consumer shifts, and how the company’s ingredients can help manufacturers keep pace with emerging trends. 

Bernsmeier expects GLP-1 weight loss medication use in Europe to become increasingly widespread, and patients to adapt and shift to a healthier diet. “At Jungbunzlauer, we are always in tune with the market and continue to develop concepts for healthy and functional foods together with our customers,” he says.

You can register for free for the webinar here, which will be broadcast on September 3, 2026, at 16:00 CEST.

Sugar and calorie reduction remain key priorities

Bernsmeier says the initial shift in food choices during a patient’s GLP-1 journey is “undoubtedly the most significant.”

“The focus here is certainly on reducing sugar and calorie intake. A healthy and balanced diet is the main focus of any long-term weight-loss treatment,” he explains.Thomas Bernsmeier, market development manager for Europe & APAC at Jungbunzlauer.

When discussing how new oral GLP-1 treatments and next-generation weight loss drugs could change F&B formulation priorities, Bernsmeier predicts that the food industry will continue to focus on reducing sugar, carbohydrates, and overall calorie content. 

“The fortification of products with vitamins and minerals is more commonly seen in supplements or drinks, particularly in the context of rehydration.”

GLP-1 innovation shifts toward beverages and supplements

With no formal definition of a “GLP-1-friendly” food, it remains to be seen what product criteria and supporting evidence are needed to prevent “GLP-1-friendly” from becoming little more than a marketing claim. 

But Bernsmeier says consumers are not uninformed. “There’s the Nutri-Score and other traffic light labeling systems on food products that provide information about their dietary value, for example, their levels of sugar, salt, fat, fiber, and protein. It is unlikely that there will be a label stating, ‘suitable for a GLP-1 diet.’ We saw this years ago with foods ‘suitable for diabetics,’ which is no longer allowed.”

Meanwhile, he says it remains to be seen what F&B categories offer the most untapped potential for GLP-1-focused innovation. 

“What stands out today are the innovations in the drinks industry, such as rehydration products, significant sugar reduction, also initiated by sugar taxes, and vitamin-enriched waters and energy drinks. At the moment, in the supplements sector, there’s a rise in gummy bears with added supplements.”

“At Jungbunzlauer, our products have always been associated with healthy eating, for example, sugar substitutes and mineral fortification. We certainly remain close to our customers in the market and support these developments.”

“There are also many food products that contain salts and minerals for technical reasons. For example, in plant-based milks, minerals are added as pH buffers and stabilizers.”