Macro Trends Driving the Fiber Revolution

For years, protein has dominated product development, marketing messages, and consumer aspiration. But the landscape is changing. As PepsiCo’s CEO recently stated, “fiber will be the next protein.” Fiber is moving from a basic digestive aid to a hero ingredient—central to metabolic health, gut health, and better-for-you product innovation.

Several powerful macro trends are converging to fuel this “fiber revolution.” Here are the forces reshaping how brands formulate—and how consumers eat and drink.

1. The nutrition & fiber gap: a widening opportunity

Despite strong awareness of healthy eating, most consumers still don’t reach recommended fiber intakes. While guidelines suggest 25–30 grams per day, real intake in Western diets averages around 15 grams. At the same time, consumers increasingly associate food and beverages with wellness:

This gap is both a health concern and an innovation catalyst. Brands are now turning to fibers to:

• improve nutritional density
• support digestive comfort
• differentiate products without resorting to artificial additives

Fiber-fortified beverages, cereals, snacks, and powders are emerging across many categories, far beyond traditional “high-fiber breakfast products”.

2. The GLP-1 era: new needs, new formulations

The rapid adoption of GLP-1 solutions has created an entirely new consumer group with specific nutritional needs and behaviors. Users frequently report:

• reduced appetite
• changes in food preference (less attraction to high sugar/fat foods)
• reduced emotional eating
• potential muscle loss
• gastrointestinal discomfort

This has direct implications for food, supplement, and beverage design. Smaller portions must now deliver:

• adequate protein
• sufficient micronutrients
• fiber for appetite regulation and digestive support

Fiber plays multiple helpful roles in this context, including satiety support, regularity, and microbiome modulation. As a result, “GLP-1–friendly” recipes and products are accelerating the adoption of higher-fiber formulations in mainstream categories.

3. Microbiome awareness goes mainstream

Just a few years ago, microbiome science was niche. Today, it’s a wellness megatrend. Consumers increasingly recognize the gut as a central health hub connected to:

• immunity
• energy
• mental wellbeing
• weight management
• skin health
• metabolic balance

The numbers reflect this heightened awareness:

• in 2024, 76% of consumers have heard of prebiotics vs 47% in 2022.
• 59% of people aware of the microbiome report changing their diet because of it
• digestive health ranks as a top global consumer priority

This awareness is pulling fiber into the spotlight, since prebiotic fibers directly nourish beneficial gut bacteria. As a result, fiber is no longer perceived as “just for transit”—it is becoming synonymous with overall wellbeing.

4. From #GutTok to #fibermaxxing: social media as accelerator

Social platforms are powerful drivers of nutrition behavior, particularly among younger consumers. Trends such as:

• #GutTok
• #fibermaxxing

are making high-fiber eating aspirational, fun, and shareable. Creators showcase:

Crucially, these trends reach Gen Z, one of the populations historically consuming the least dietary fiber. What was once considered “functional” or “clinical” is now becoming culturally cool.

5. Sugar reduction & reformulation pressure

Most of the brands are trying to improve their nutritional profile and their nutriscore.

Innova Health & Nutrition Survey 2025

Sugar reduction remains the number one consumer request in food and beverage in the US. Fiber plays a strategic role here by helping to:

• replace sugar bulk
• improve texture and mouthfeel
• reduce glycemic impact
• support metabolic health messaging

As brands move away from artificial sweeteners and long ingredient lists, fiber offers both nutritional and technological benefits, making it an increasingly attractive reformulation tool.

6. Sustainability & clean label expectations

Consumers continue to demand:

• natural ingredients
• transparent sourcing
• minimal processing
• short ingredient lists

Many fibers fit seamlessly into this expectation, supporting sustainability narratives and “back-to-nature” positioning. As climate consciousness grows, ingredients that are plant-based, multifunctional, and label-friendly gain competitive advantage.

Fiber’s new role: from basic nutrient to wellness hero

All these forces—nutrition gaps, GLP-1 disruption, microbiome science, social media trends, sugar reduction, and sustainability—converge toward the same conclusion:

👉 Fiber is becoming one of the most aspirational ingredients in modern nutrition.

It is no longer framed only as “for regularity,” but as central to:

• gut health
• immunity
• energy
• metabolic wellness
• satiety and appetite control

The fiber revolution is already reshaping beverages, snacks, meal replacements, nutrition powders, and beyond. As innovation keeps accelerating, one thing is clear: fiber truly is the new protein.

Looking for customized support for your product development ? ⤵️

Juile Impérato
Marketing & Communication Manager, Nexira

Sources: Innova Ozempic & UPF Survey 2024 and 2025 (US) | Innova Health & Nutrition Survey 2025

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