Kristen Stoehr is Brand Manager at Nestlé and founder of Vital Pursuit. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Food and Nutrition from the University of Miami, completed postgraduate training at Vanderbilt University Medical Center to become a certified Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, and received her MBA from Pennsylvania State University.
“My career has always been in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, but not always in marketing,” he says. “Some of my unique roles include commercial development, regulatory and scientific affairs, and category management, which gives me a unique, end-to-end perspective on brand management.”
Kristen currently serves on the board of directors for the University of Miami’s College of Education, Health and Society and is the proud parent of three young children.
“In my role, I lead Vital Pursuit’s brand development, experience and long-term strategy. “I am motivated by my passion for food and beverage and the opportunity to influence this landscape on a macro scale,” he says. “In every brand I manage, I look at brand building from the consumer’s perspective and lead with empathy to best serve them. My experience at CPG is based on commercial strategies, brand building and sales development on brands ranging from cross-category to in-house new brands, it is this experience that drives me to think bigger and bolder with Vital Pursuit.”
What is Vital Tracking?
“Through our nutritional expertise and consumer-focused approach, we identified a need for a new line of products that provide great taste and functional benefits to provide dietary support for GLP-1 users or those otherwise keeping their weight under control,” says Kristen.
Vital Pursuit is Nestlé’s first brand to launch for GLP-1 users, with the goal of complementing the eating habits of the millions of Americans currently prescribed a weight-loss medication and anyone actively working to manage their weight.
“Every weight management journey for GLP-1 users is personal, but the common thread remains the importance of consuming a nutritious diet in smaller portions. We want Vital Pursuit to be our ally in creating lasting lifestyle changes and maintaining our consumers’ hard-earned progress,” he continues. . “Vital Pursuit delivers the nutrients this consumer group needs in carefully portioned products that offer options with at least 20 grams of protein, great flavor and vibrant veggies. “The new series, expertly designed by chefs and dietitians, offers 14 frozen meals that are convenient, delicious and take only a few minutes to prepare.”
This line includes vegetarian and gluten-free options and offers a variety of air fryer-ready products for those looking for great taste and greater accessibility. Vital Pursuit is now available at retailers such as Walmart, Target, and Kroger in the United States.
“Over the years, Nestlé has evolved to serve a variety of consumers and offer products to suit a variety of needs,” he says. “Our team’s latest opportunity focused on the changing nutritional needs and desires of the growing number of individuals taking GLP-1.”
Vital Pursuit: A special approach to nutrition for those on weight loss medications
In identifying the need for Vital Pursuit, Kristen and her team spent a lot of time with consumers taking weight-loss medications to better understand their reality—what their days are like, their pains and gains, the changes they are or are not making in their lives. dining and shopping.
“We also wanted to understand on a deeper level what the biggest nutritional challenges are for individuals using GLP-1, so we can best serve and support them as a consumer group with unique needs,” he continues. “Based on this research and review of additional existing research, these are the emerging goals for us on how to develop a product line that will best support the needs of the GLP-1 user population.”
It was supposed to provide the following:
- High protein, which helps maintain muscle mass
- Smaller portion sizes can still provide health-boosting nutrients, thanks to nutrient-dense ingredients that make every meal count.
- Portions designed to reflect the weight loss drug user’s appetite
- Delicious, real food options with good carbs and veggies in approachable formats and flavors
- Fiber helps manage GI side effects and since more than 90% of American adults fail to meet recommended intake
- A convenient preparation method, because we heard the desire to be able to make better choices without too much effort
- Taste appeal – because of course if it doesn’t taste good it won’t be nutritious and eating should be an enjoyable experience.
“Vital Pursuit is designed to meet these desires with carefully portioned meals containing high-quality ingredients and an excellent source of protein and essential nutrients,” he adds. “Our goal with Vital Pursuit is to help take the guesswork out of mealtimes for the millions of Americans taking GLP-1 medications or practicing weight management.”
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