Every January, David Protein founder and CEO Peter Rahal knew what to expect: the emergence of a new diet trend like keto or paleo in “very volatile swings.” This year, however, was different. There was no new fad diet.
David Protein’s chief executive is familiar with food trends. Before launching the David brand of protein bars and ice cream in 2024, he created the RXBar, eventually selling it to Kellogg’s for $600 million.
“My general view on food trends is that because of GLP-1s, diet trends are over,” Rahal told Fortune. “It’s really impactful on food trends.”
About 10% of the U.S. population has taken a GLP-1 receptor agonist, a medication that slows digestion and is used to treat diabetes or obesity, as it can regulate the release of insulin and appetite.
The drug is expected to swell to a $82 billion market this year, according to Morgan Stanley, and as it changes the nature of weight loss, the food industry is expected to change along with it.
