How Ozempic and GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are driving a whey protein boom for Irish dairy

Irish dairy companies are expanding whey production as global demand rises alongside booming GLP-1 weight-loss drug use

Tirlán director of research and development Michelle Collins with Tirlán chair John Murphy, and agriculture minister Martin Heydon at the announcement of plans for the co-op's €126m whey processing facility in Ballyragget, Kilkenny.  Photo: Dylan Vaughan

It started out in Ireland in bygone days used mainly as pig feed. A leftover from the cheesemaking process. These days, whey has become gold for Irish dairy and nutrition companies.

Whey already had appeal as a lifestyle supplement but demand is now unprecedented, a consequence of the surge in demand for GLP-1 weight-loss medicines. It’s a global shift and the Irish dairy industry is riding the GLP-1 wave, as demand for whey-based nutrition booms.