Brands brace for a MAHA food fight

Major food and agricultural groups are publicly positioning themselves as fans of the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, with brands of all stripes rushing to seize this moment for change.

Steak ‘n Shake, a chain best known for milkshakes paired with burgers, is not exactly the first food that comes to mind that would comport to the tenets of wellness championed by the “Make America Healthy Again,” or MAHA movement. MAHA supporters, led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., agitate for “clean” ingredients, cutting out sugar and saying no to food dyes and seed oils, among other things. Yet Steak ‘n Shake has managed to earn the health secretary’s blessing after announcing it would shift to using beef tallow — a MAHA favorite — to fry its food. This spring, it even mounted at least one pop-up lunch day at HHS headquarters, according to signs seen by CNN in the building. Major food and agricultural groups are publicly positioning themselves as fans of the MAHA movement, with brands of all stripes rushing to seize this moment for change as Kennedy draws up plans to reshape American food policy. By August, the secretary aims to issue the second installment of a sweeping plan, ordered by President Donald Trump, to tackle the causes of chronic illnesses in the country. The first report laid the groundwork for Kennedy’s targets: environmental toxins, certain medications, and a whole lot of processed food. This second stage will lay out what HHS and other agencies plan to do about it. On top of that, Kennedy has also pledged new, slimmed-down dietary guidelines in line with this vision, also due out this summer — another change for food companies to furrow their brows over.