Research
Talking Points: What does the appointment of RFK Jr. mean for the food industry?
On February 13th, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was sworn in as Secretary of Health and Human Services. In his new role, Kennedy is in charge of a USD 1.7 trillion department, which is about a quarter of the US federal budget. With the establishment of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) commission, his remit has widened considerably to include other agencies, most notably the Department of Agriculture. Food companies must prepare for Kennedy’s appointment and the MAHA commission possibly marking the start of a transformative period in US food.
On February 13th, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was sworn in as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Hours later, President Trump established the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) commission. MAHA will be chaired by Kennedy, and has been tasked initially with developing a plan to reverse the relentless rise in childhood chronic diseases, including diabetes and obesity. This was, as my colleague, Cyrille Filott, noted in a recent podcast, “a remarkable day in the history of food in the US.” But what do these potentially transformative actions mean for the food industry? Here are three points to note for now:
All eyes on government – For decades, food companies could afford to not pay too much attention to the federal and state governments, as changes in food policy were slow to the point of glacial. If the MAHA movement has the momentum we believe it does, then that is all about to change, especially now the new administration has put the spotlight on the American diet as a contributor to poor health outcomes.
Food as medicine, Republican style – We won’t know the details of the new administration’s food strategy until the summer, but we expect it to be a fresh take on “food as medicine.” This is not a new trend but will now likely include fresh thinking on ultra-processed foods (UPFs) like seed oils, potential reform of the regulatory system for food additives, and encouraging American farmers to ensure US food is, “the healthiest, most affordable... in the world.”
What are the opportunities? – Food companies must prepare for Kennedy’s appointment and the MAHA commission possibly marking the start of a transformative period in US food. Companies should consider pre-empting legislation by making voluntary changes, including significant reformulation and greater transparency. They also need to deepen their understanding of the consumer to determine if there is something more profound going on that MAHA has tapped into that they haven’t fully appreciated.