If you're trying to lose weight, Starbucks isn’t exactly the first place you’d think to eat. But CEO Brian Niccol wants to change that.

In an interview on Friday with CNBC, Niccol said the company is well aware" of the GLP-1 trend.

The number of Americans using GLP-1 medications for weight loss has nearly quadrupled since Niccol took over as CEO in 2024, according to the latest Gallup poll. One in seven adults in the U.S. reports having used the medicine for weight loss at some point.

The medicines significantly reduce appetite and food cravings.

"We've focused our food innovation on making sure that it’s kind of like snackable, poppable, the way frankly people want to eat in these smaller meals and more protein-forward," Niccol said.

Starbucks launched protein lattes and cold foams last year and added bottled zero-sugar energy drinks in March. The coffee chain's snack options now include protein popcorn, turkey jerky and a wider variety of snack bars.

“That resonates with GLP-1 users and, frankly, all customers, Niccol said about the expanded menu options.

Starbucks’ sales in U.S. stores have continuously beaten expectations. Comparable sales at U.S. locations rose 7.7% in the company’s latest fiscal quarter — the company’s fifth consecutive quarter of positive global comparable store sales growth.

At the same time, Starbucks has rolled back weight-loss-drug coverage for its own employees as GLP-1’s popularity skyrockets.

Business Insider reported earlier this fall that Starbucks planned to stop covering GLP-1 drugs prescribed for weight loss for benefits-eligible employees in October. The drugs may still be covered for other conditions, Business Insider reported.

Starbucks did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday morning.

Starbucks isn’t the only company to make such a cut. Companies are increasingly dropping weight loss drug coverage or finding ways around it as costs swell.

According to a 2026 survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, GLP-1 weight-loss medications accounted for 11.4% of corporate employers' total annual claims. That’s up from 6.9% in 2023.

©2026 The Seattle Times. Visit seattletimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.