Rise of GLP-1 good news for New Zealand farmers and growers

By Gianina Schwanecke of RNZ

The rise of GLP-1 weight loss drugs, giving rise to more nutrition-conscious consumers, is good news for New Zealand farmers and growers.

The weight loss drugs, which mirror the natural hormone GLP-1 and regulate appetite, are disrupting the food sector, accelerating post-Covid health-conscious trends.

It means consumers are increasingly abandoning ultra-processed foods as they look for more nutritional value from food.

Rabobank’s new report – New Zealand’s protein moment – found tight global beef and sheepmeat supply will mean positive prices in the near term, but longer-term value will depend on market diversification, customer relationships and reliable delivery.

The report found GLP-1 weight-loss medications were accelerating demand for protein, with United States surveys suggesting nearly one in eight adults has used a GLP-1 medication for weight loss in recent years.

Senior animal protein analyst Jen Corkran, who wrote the report, said while strong prices helped open doors today, they were not a long-term strategy on their own.

“People using these medications generally eat less, but that does not mean demand for every food will fall at the same rate,” she said.

“Because weight loss can include the loss of lean body mass, protein is increasingly being positioned as important for preserving muscle.

“The commercial signal is not simply ‘more protein’ or ‘more meat’.

‘It is about useful, high-quality protein that delivers nutrition, convenience, eating quality and value for a smaller appetite.”

Corkran said capturing lasting value would depend on proving claims behind nutrient-dense red meat products to increasingly deliberate consumers across diverse markets.

“It’s being driven by a lack of global supply of red meat right now.

“The beef production is about 2% down on last year, and there just isn’t enough around the world, so New Zealand is experiencing great returns because there’s a lack of supply.”

Corkran expected these conditions to continue for two to three years, noting rising input costs and volatility were also expected to remain.

She said this still provided a favourable window for farmers to grow the value of their products.

“This is a good season for farmers, processors and exporters to build the next one – to broaden their market and customer options, strengthen the evidence behind nutrition and provenance claims, and keep improving how product is delivered beyond the farmgate,” she said.

“Tight supply may support farmgate prices for a time, but proven value is what is more likely to keep customers with us as the cycle turns.”

Rabobank New Zealand analyst Jen Corkran says limited supply is driving strong returns for New Zealand red meat.

Premium fruit offerings also benefitting

Rockit Apples grows and sells miniature apples, promoting them as a healthy snack option.

Chief executive Grant McBeath said the trend was helping grow demand for premium fruits.

He said global consumers appreciated its consistent quality, as well as health benefits and convenience.

“GLP-1 absolutely is a global phenomenon that is changing categories in supermarkets and health shops [...] it’s absolutely driving growth in fruit and vegetables.

“We believe our product is ideally suited for those consumers that want a healthy, unprocessed snack – and that’s where the tube format, which is re-sealable, different pack format, different pricing options really remove the friction from consumers choosing a healthy snack versus something else.”

It’s a similar story for kiwifruit.

Zespri chief marketing officer KokHwee Ng said the rise of GLP-1s was part of a broader trend where consumers are more selective about nutrition.

Speaking from Singapore, she said consumers are increasingly looking for science-backed nutrition claims.

For example, the European Commission recognised last year that eating two green kiwifruit a day contributed to normal bowel function by increasing stool frequency.

“We know that when consumers are looking at premium fruit, consumers are always seeking the basics of taste and quality ... but we know that’s kind of just the beginning.

“To the conversation on GLP-1, they’re becoming more selective and intentional about their nutritional consumption, so value in terms of seeking more nutrient-rich food in their diet and the composition of this food starts to matter a lot more to consumers.”

Ng said it was why Zespri had invested in nutrition literacy programmes around the world, like its new brand platform Grown for Good.

This story was first published on rnz.co.nz