Johan Jörgensen is the founding father of Sweden Foodtech, a number one suppose tank on the way forward for meals.
The views expressed on this article are the creator’s personal and don’t essentially signify these of AgFunderNews.
Some name me Mr. Foodtech. My true identify, nonetheless, ought to be Mr. Gluttony. My love for foods and drinks has for many components of my life appeared with out restrict. That lust has given me a considerably rounded determine. And a really unhealthy conscience. For many years (I’m 57) my physique form and the approaching diabetes and coronary heart situation has scared me each day. Has that led to a change in life-style? Completely not. Till the arrival of Wegovy in my life.
In brief, I’ve by no means seen, not the least skilled, such a profound transformative power on this planet of meals and it has led me to suppose in new instructions on meals and its future. To me, the arrival (and coming flood wave) of GLP-1 drugs similar to Wegovy, Ozempic, Saxenda and the others is a type of watershed moments that shifts the route of humanity. Or, at the very least, it has sufficient of that potential to benefit a deep, strategic rethink for each firm in and round at the moment’s meals worth chain.
Weight problems doesn’t simply have a value for those carrying their further kilos by life and loss of life. Society is at a loss as nicely. A recent study from the Maastricht College within the Netherlands acknowledged that an obese or overweight individual price society a mean of €11,500 per 12 months. It’s not nearly coronary heart surgical procedure, however much more so about productiveness losses and lesser high quality of life.
That is completely nothing new. That society would profit from prevention of weight problems is totally and completely clear and has began to present itself in areas similar to sugar taxes. However whereas society strikes painfully, agonizingly slowly in fixing the system that has allowed the meals trade to push humanity into its collective overweight state, medicine is a person alternative. My GP had completely no hesitation in prescribing me Wegovy.
So, allow us to go away all the numerous, many arguments for systemic prevention (and the way that might be very simply mounted) apart and concentrate on what GLP-1 medicine do for people. Me. To state the apparent, this isn’t a research, these are my private reflections, however they’ve been confirmed by fats buddies, additionally on the drug.
How GLP-1 medicine work
I can not actually fathom anybody within the meals sector not being aware of the notion of GLP-1 medicine, however right here goes:
Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists similar to Wegovy are a category of diabetes medicine that assist your mind regulate your urge for food and cut back emotions of starvation. In addition they enhance blood sugar ranges by the improved secretion of insulin. This results in weight reduction. A whole lot of it. Extra on this under.
There are a number of sorts of the lively substance. Whereas Wegovy and Ozempic may be essentially the most well-known manufacturers, they’re removed from the one ones and with the breathtaking growth of biotechnology and biomimetics (tweaking molecules considerably to reinforce results or get away from patent-protected areas) a tsunami of options will hit the market over the subsequent few years. Nature did a good story on this recently (it comes extremely advisable) and the brief story is that availability and results will enhance and costs will come down radically as Huge Pharma everywhere in the world, not the least in China and India, rallies to be a part of the bonanza.
Value goes to be the important thing level. If costs come down I see no finish to the uptake. As a result of what skinny individuals don’t get is that we fatties can not select. The insatiable, burning starvation we are able to really feel can solely be in comparison with the feeling of being out of air underneath water. A predatory comfort system stands prepared to repair us by ultra-processed, low cost and unhealthy (however excessive margin) shit, that for some insufferable purpose is allowed to be referred to as meals. Please, please, please perceive that we don’t need to take the medicine to have the ability to eat much more such shit – we need to eliminate the urge to! And we’re keen to pay!
Value profit evaluation
At the moment this medicine-induced freedom is barely out there to those who can afford it (the therapy prices roughly €100/week so nationwide healthcare techniques don’t need to pay) or, like me, are keen to prioritize to not die prematurely, as an example by letting go of the automotive or having fewer lengthy haul holidays.
But when costs fall, extra individuals will match these medicine of their budgets and nationwide healthcare techniques will begin prescribing them on a pure cost-benefit foundation. Hey, we’d even really feel that we are able to afford to see this weight problems epidemic for the epidemic it’s; curing the consequences whereas attacking the supply of the epidemic on the similar time.
(Truly, it’s only about eradicating the blinds from our eyes and with just a few strokes of a pen change issues. That in fact requires courageous and change-willing policymakers, however maybe someday they are going to emerge. Trace – there are numerous, many obese and overweight individuals who would vote for you.)
Even when such an epic transformation of our meals techniques will take a while to reach, Wegovy and its cousins will probably be a key consider altering meals for good already within the subsequent few years. Now, to my very own outcomes and reflections.
I eat at the very least 25% much less, quick meals and snacks are nearly absent from my spending
After a bit greater than three months I’m down nearly 10% of my physique weight and am on the verge of going from overweight to merely obese. That’s the similar consequence as if I had engaged with critical weight-reduction plan. But it surely has been easy and I merely is not going to fail this time. Once more, what skinny individuals don’t get is that weight-reduction plan for a fats individual like me goes towards nature and nature at all times wins. However now I’ve the meals habits of a skinny individual in a vial. It’s pure magic!
As a tough estimate, I eat at the very least 25% much less now than earlier than taking the drug. I moreover don’t crave snacks, fat- or sugar-kicks. I’m completely bored with heavy meals similar to beef or cheese, and me not being fascinated with cheese is alien-sized stuff. My consumption of wine has additionally gone down considerably, which implies that the late night time glass(es) of a superb crimson to go together with the cheese platter is a behavior of the previous. As are the additional energy.
In fact my meals price range has plummeted and whereas the cash saved in all probability doesn’t fairly make up for the price of Wegovy – although I’m not completely certain about this – the online impact on my financial system just isn’t that unhealthy. This implies I’ve transferred a good portion of my pockets from meals firms to pharma.
Allow us to ponder that for a second. I pay fairly closely for drugs (however I’ll pay much less going ahead) and fewer for meals. Quick meals and snacks are nearly absent from my spending. Heavy meals similar to beef and cheese are gone. Carbs-heavy dishes similar to pizza and pasta are served in a lot smaller parts. Pastries and crisps have misplaced their attraction, as have sweet.
For some purpose I crave extra fruit and veg, seafood and…ice cream…which I used to not. So, my candy tooth just isn’t all gone. I nonetheless get pleasure from life and meals, although not in the identical means.
However my new character just isn’t solely restricted to the house. Lunch is now not a glowing top of the workday – I are likely to skip or eat one thing small. Going out to a superb restaurant continues to be enjoyable, however I spend far much less on meals and wine and undoubtedly wouldn’t order the identical dishes as earlier than.
Me, and my fellow spherical ones have stored sure components of the meals sector on a worthwhile development path for many years. What if we is not going to anymore?
Snacks and quick meals underneath risk
Now, it’s inconceivable to attract statistically right conclusions from the pattern of 1, however for somebody like me who over the past dozen+ years has been pondering 24/7 about our meals techniques and the improvements that may change it, a veil has been lifted. I’ve merely been given a brand new lens by which to see the longer term growth of meals and I like to recommend it to everybody interested by meals.
My fundamental conclusion is that the shift goes to be profound, comparatively fast and significantly have an effect on a protracted vary of gamers each inside and outdoors the present meals worth chain. As a result of once I and my soon-to-be-former fats buddies shift our enterprise, income will flip to losses and there may be a necessity for large write-downs and/or shut-downs. We is not going to shed a tear. You’ll not be missed.
The snack class seems to be fairly threatened. Quick meals will in all probability take a success. I’ve critical doubts concerning the continued development of beef. Cheese and dairy (additionally tightly related to beef) look susceptible, as do producers of all kinds of cookies, sweets and different objects excessive in sugar and fat.
However the developments aren’t restricted to meals. Sure kinds of healthcare companies similar to gastric bypass and coronary heart surgical procedure will see much less development. As will private mobility gadgets, strolling sticks and specialty footwear.
Folks in and outdoors meals ought to due to this fact begin to strategically take into consideration what a thinner world will seem like. I’m now not the sufferer of a dysfunctional meals system. I’m free!
Additional studying:
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