What do GLP-1 medications mean for the future of commercial baking? In this episode of Bake to the Future, host Anne Fairfield-Sonn speaks with Keith Albright, Senior Insights Manager for Bakery at Cargill, about how rising GLP-1 adoption is influencing appetite, portion sizes, nutrition priorities, and overall bakery demand. They explore how the industry can adapt to consumer changes and what actions commercial bakers should be taking now. Tune in for timely insights to help your business stay ahead.<br>With special guest:<br>Keith Albright, Senior Insights Manager for Bakery at Cargill<br>Hosted by:<br>Anne Fairfield-Sonn, Director of Marketing and Communications at the American Bakers Association

Cargill Breaks Down GLP-1's Impact on Commercial Baking

Bake to the Future

# Full Transcript

**Podcast:** Bake to the Future

## Transcript

Hello and welcome to Bake to the Future. Today's episode focuses on one of the most talked about shifts in food consumption right now, the rise of GLP-1 medications and the impacts the commercial baking industry can expect. GLP-1 medication is influencing consumer preferences and consumption habits, but how will this impact category performance and drive bigger innovation in the years ahead?

To help us unpack what we're seeing and what it means to the future, I'm joined by Keith Albright, Senior Insights Manager for Bakery at Cargill, a proud ABA Premium Allied member. Keith, welcome to the show. Can you start by introducing yourself in Cargill? Thanks, Anne. Excited to be here with you today. I've enjoyed a long career in Consumer Insights covering food and non-food. Much of my career has been in the food industry and most of that time has been in the indulgence space.

I joined Cargill two years ago and currently lead Consumer Insights for our chocolate and cocoa business, as well as bakery, confections, snacks, and the cereal categories. In my spare time, I lead our trends efforts and the insights around GLP-1. Cargill is a family company that produces food, ingredients, agricultural solutions, and industrial products.

In the food and ingredients space, Cargill connects farmers with markets and customers with ingredients so they can make food people love. For me, food people love is what it's all about. That's why I enjoy the indulgence space so much. To kick us off, can you give us a high-level overview of what GLP-1 medications are?

Sure. GLP-1s are a class of medicines that have been around for years, originally used for type 2 diabetes and now widely used for obesity and weight management. With over a third of the U.S. adults classified as obese, weight loss and weight management have been a big business over the years. That number is even higher for those over 40. What makes GLP-1 medications different is that they mimic the GLP-1 hormone.

The GLP-1 hormone regulates our blood sugar levels after eating and they help manage appetite. This is different than the previous methods of dieting. So why are they generating so much attention across the food industry, including bakery now? Yes, this is where it gets really interesting from a consumer perspective in the food industry, particularly categories like bakery.

From a medication standpoint, GLP-1 medications like terzepatide and semaglutide get our system back on track and help to do what it's supposed to do. I think the original reaction from the industry was that GLP-1 medication users were going to dramatically impact categories that lean more towards indulgence. The math just doesn't support that.

As of our latest data from Kantar, 13.7% of U.S. adults are using GLP-1 medications for their weight loss and type 2 diabetes needs. Another 20% are interested, and among those who stop, three-quarters say they will use a...

Cargill Breaks Down GLP-1's Impact on Commercial Baking

Transcript

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Cargill Breaks Down GLP-1's Impact on Commercial Baking

Transcript

Built for investment professionals

Every day you wait, your competitors are findingedge in conversations you're not hearing.

Every day you wait, your competitors are finding
edge in conversations you're not hearing.