Saucery’s Trends for GLP-1 Meal Replacements in the United States (2026)

GLP-1 adoption is changing how Americans buy food. A Cornell University study in Journal of Marketing Research found grocery spending falls by about 5.3% within six months of GLP-1 adoption, with sharper declines in calorie-dense categories. That pressure is forcing brands to rethink what a meal replacement needs to deliver per bite and per sip.

Saucery Trends is our repeatable way to classify demand signals into three phases: Growing Trend (early signals), Going Mainstream (scaling behavior), and Available Everywhere (default choices). We focus on market reality and verifiable examples so teams can make product and portfolio decisions with confidence.

Growing Trend

GLP-1-positioned meals and pre-meal drinks: Major CPG players are now explicitly targeting GLP-1 users with new products and labels, which signals an early but visible shift in how the industry frames meal replacements. Examples: Nestle Vital Pursuit meals and Boost pre-meal drink. Source: Food Dive coverage of GLP-1 category shifts.
Complete nutrition RTD meals as a one-and-done solution: When total food volume declines, the demand shifts toward fewer, more nutrient-dense occasions. RTD meal replacements sit early in this repositioning. Example: Soylent Original RTD.
High-protein, low-effort replacement positioning: The winners are simple to use, easy to digest, and clearly positioned as a stand-in for a full meal. Example: Soylent Original RTD.

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Going Mainstream

RTD meal replacements as a default lunch substitute: Ready-to-drink shakes are no longer niche; they are now expected in the routine for weight-management and convenience shoppers. Example: Huel Ready-to-Drink.
Protein-forward shakes for satiety and simplicity: High-protein nutrition plan shakes sit in the same decision set as meal replacements, capturing shoppers who want a simple, filling option. Example: Fairlife Nutrition Plan.
Legacy diet brands holding shelf space with modern formats: Established weight-management brands maintain a mainstream role through RTD formats and multipacks. Example: Atkins Shakes.

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Available Everywhere

Classic meal-replacement shakes are now a baseline choice: The core promise is settled; the opportunity is no longer novelty, but execution and portfolio fit. Example: SlimFast Meal Replacement Shakes.

Everyday protein shakes as a default substitute: Protein shakes increasingly function as a de facto meal replacement for many shoppers, even when not explicitly labeled as such. Example: Premier Protein Chocolate Shake.

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Key Takeaways

The prestige here is that GLP-1 does not just shift people toward “healthier” foods. The bigger shift is fewer total purchases and fewer eating occasions, which elevates the role of meal replacements that can deliver nutrition and satiety in one product.

Use this lens to re-rank your portfolio: GLP-1-positioned offerings are still early, while RTD replacements and protein-forward shakes are now mainstream. If you do not have a credible meal replacement option, the window to enter is already open.

To get access to the framework behind how we separate signal from noise in food categories, start here: What Are Food Trends?

Wanting a fast path to validate meal replacement concepts before you commit to scale, see: How to Test Food Concepts in 24 Hours (Instead of 6 Weeks).

If you want to pressure-test GLP-1 meal replacement concepts quickly, you can apply to our Early Adoption program here: Saucery Early Adoption.