The consumer is eating less. Is your beverage delivering enough in every sip?

With generic Ozempic entering the market, the beverage industry needs to reformulate. Not as a trend, but for survival. Those who deliver more nutrition in less volume will lead. Those who don’t will lose ground.

The account has changed

Let’s get straight to the point: since March 2026, semaglutide can be manufactured by any laboratory in Brazil. The Brazilian Superior Court (STJ) blocked Novo Nordisk’s patent extension, and at least 20 generics are already awaiting approval from ANVISA.

What does this mean for the beverage industry? It means millions of Brazilians will start consuming 20 to 30% fewer calories per day. Not because they are dieting, but because the medication literally turns down hunger signals. And when people eat and drink less, every product that ends up in the shopping cart now has to justify its place in a way it didn’t before.

The logic of volume loses strength. Selling more liters is no longer enough. What matters now is density: more protein, more nutrients, more function in every sip. Whoever manages to package that into a tasty, stable product will be able to charge more and sell better. Those still selling flavored liquid with nice packaging and weak formulation will feel it directly in revenue.

Numbers abroad already point in this direction. In the US, projections estimate a reduction of US$ 30 to 55 billion in food spending by 2034 due to GLP-1 medications. Nestlé launched Vital Pursuit, a line of meals with over 20g of protein designed specifically for users of these medications. Conagra added a “GLP-1 Friendly” label to its products.

The real issue: muscle goes with fat

There is something most people don’t know about Ozempic and its competitors. When a patient loses weight with semaglutide, up to 40% of that loss can come from lean mass, including muscle. This is not a rare side effect it is what clinical studies consistently show.

For the industry, this should be a major warning sign. There is a growing audience that needs high-quality protein and is willing to pay for it, but this same audience has a sensitive digestive system (nausea and constipation are the most common GLP-1 side effects), eats smaller portions, and pays much closer attention to labels.

In this game, it is not enough to simply add whey to a formula and hope for the best. The protein ingredient needs to be soluble, stable, neutral in taste, and well tolerated by the digestive system. This is exactly where most projects fail.

What actually works in formulation

After years working with beverage formulators, one thing becomes clear: the secret is not a magical ingredient. It is the right combination of ingredients solving different problems at the same time.

Protein that doesn’t break the product

Hydrolyzed collagen, in the form of TAZCol Instant, solves what conventional whey cannot in many applications. It dissolves instantly, does not cloud the beverage, withstands acidic pH and UHT processing without sedimentation. When combined with essential amino acids, the system mimics a complete protein, unlocking the “Protein Source” claim under RDC 54 and delivering real functionality: muscle support, joint health, skin benefits.

In practice, for formulators this means fewer ingredients in the label, fewer batch adjustments, and a product that remains stable on shelf for 12 to 18 months without surprises.

Fiber the consumer doesn’t notice, but the gut appreciates

GLP-1 users deal with digestive discomfort; constipation affects more than 30% of them. Adding conventional fiber can make things worse, causing bloating, gas, and complaints to customer service. Acacia gum, our FibreGum B, solves this differently. It is fully soluble, invisible in the formula, and does not affect texture or taste. It allows a digestive health claim without creating side effects that push consumers away.

Sweetness without sugar load or “diet” taste

More than 55% of consumers classify artificial sweeteners negatively. And GLP-1 users are precisely the ones who read labels more carefully. Moving to clean sensory-profile sweeteners is no longer optional.

EdulTAZ addresses this in practice: a calibrated blend that replicates sucrose sweetness without calories, without metallic notes, and without the bitter aftertaste that drives consumers to switch brands. For R&D teams, it simplifies development: instead of constantly adjusting combinations batch by batch, the blend comes ready and standardized.

In practice: how this becomes a product

A functional beverage designed for this new consumer can bring everything together in 250 ml: TAZCol Instant with amino acids for complete protein delivery and regulatory claims; FibreGum B for satiety and digestive comfort without changing sensory experience; EdulTAZ for clean, zero-calorie sweetness; and essential vitamins and minerals such as D, iron, and B12 to address deficiencies caused by caloric restriction.

The result is a premium-positioned product with legitimate scientific communication and optimized formulation cost, because each ingredient performs multiple roles.

This logic applies to shakes, functional dairy, protein bars, and powdered supplements. The foundation is the same: nutritional density, stability, and taste. Whoever gets this equation right will dominate the premium shelf in the coming years.

Those who wait will chase

Generic Ozempic is the trigger, but the shift is bigger than a drug. Brazilian consumers are already more selective, more informed, and more demanding about what they put into their bodies.

Companies that reformulate now, with the right ingredients and partners who understand industrial application, will be ready when the wave fully arrives. Those who stay still will find a shrinking volume market and a value segment already occupied by competitors.

Total Ingredientes acts as a technical partner in this process, from ingredient selection to validation in your production line.

References

STJ — 4th Panel. Unanimous decision denying extension of semaglutide patent (REsp 2.240.025). Dec 2025 / Mar 2026. Confirmed by CNN Brasil, Migalhas, Brazil Journal, InfoMoney.

Blundell, J. et al. Effects of once-weekly semaglutide on appetite, energy intake… Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2017. (24% reduction in ad libitum calorie intake). Morgan Stanley Patient Survey, 2024 (20–30% reported reduction).

KPMG / Morgan Stanley Research. “Getting to know GLP-1 users, a new kind of consumer.” 2024. (Projected US$ 30–55B reduction in food spending by 2034). J.P. Morgan Global Research, 2026.

Nestlé USA. “Vital Pursuit Hits Shelves Nationwide.” Sept 2024.

Neeland, I.J. et al. Changes in lean body mass with GLP-1 therapies… Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2024. (15–60% lean mass loss depending on study). Endocrine Society ENDO 2025 (~40% with semaglutide). ADA 2025 (15–40%).

Wilding, J.P.H. et al. STEP 1 Trial. NEJM, 2021. (Nausea 44.2%, diarrhea 31.5%).

Cargill. Sweetness Spectrum Insights Report, 2023 (>55% negative perception of artificial sweeteners). IFIC Survey, 2025.

Total Ingredientes. Technical stability and application reports: TAZCol Instant, FibreGum B, EdulTAZ MF. 2026.