# SlimFast

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American diet supplement company

SlimFast Product type Dietary supplement foods Owner Heartland Food Products Group Country United States Introduced July 11, 1977; 48 years ago (1977-07-11) Markets U.S., UK, Republic of Ireland, Canada, France, Germany, Iceland, Latin America Previous owners Thompson Medical Company, Unilever, Kainos Capital, Glanbia Website slimfast.com

**SlimFast** is an American company headquartered in [Palm Beach Gardens, Florida](/source/Palm_Beach_Gardens%2C_Florida), that markets an eponymous brand of shakes, bars, snacks, packaged meals, and other [dietary supplement](/source/Dietary_supplement) foods sold in the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Latin America, and the UK. SlimFast promotes [diets](/source/Dieting) and [weight loss](/source/Weight_loss) plans featuring its food products.

There is mixed evidence on the effectiveness of the diet, although it appears to function no better than behavioral counseling.[1]

## History

SlimFast was started in July 1977 as a product line of the Thompson Medical Company, founded in the 1940s by [S. Daniel Abraham](/source/S._Daniel_Abraham). The product was rolled out nationwide in a marketing campaign that began on July 11, 1977 for "a fat-free, carbohydrate-free, animal-based fortified cherry-flavored protein supplement formula" that promised to make purchasers "feel better, cleaner, stronger and healthier.[2]

Thompson Medical also sold the controversial weight loss dietary supplement [Dexatrim](/source/Dexatrim).[3][4] In 1987, Abraham took the brand private, and it was acquired by [Unilever](/source/Unilever) in 2000.[5] In 2014, Unilever sold SlimFast to Kainos Capital.[6] After the sale, KSF Acquisition invested with Kainos Capital in order to take responsibility for the SlimFast brand in the UK, Ireland and Germany.[7]

In 2018, Glanbia Plc. acquired SlimFast from Kainos Capital.[8]

On December 3, 2009, SlimFast [recalled](/source/Product_recall) all of its canned products due to possible bacterial [contamination](/source/Contamination).[9] The company stated that it had halted production until the cause was discovered.[10] No further problems or issues have been noted. In 2011, SlimFast stopped producing cans and has since used plastic bottles.[11]

On September 17, 2025, [Carmel, IN](/source/Carmel%2C_Indiana) based, Heartland Food Products Group (makers of the [Splenda](/source/Splenda) brand) acquired Slimfast.[12][13]

In October 2025, the company sold its UK and European operations to Supreme, a UK-based company, for $26.5 million.[14]

## Products

### Original (1987–2004)

SlimFast was originally just a diet shake product line. It consisted of chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla shakes meant to replace breakfast and lunch. The company suggested customers eat a low-calorie dinner. Usually, dieters would pick a low-calorie [frozen dinner](/source/Frozen_meal) brand such as [Lean Cuisine](/source/Lean_Cuisine) or [Weight Watchers](/source/Weight_Watchers_(diet)), as the SlimFast diet was a [convenience product](/source/Convenience_food) line that offered none of its own dinner products. Later, in the mid-1990s, SlimFast began offering meal bars that could be used as [meal replacements](/source/Meal_replacement).[15]

## Effectiveness

In a 2009 study involving 300 overweight and obese males and females aged 21–60 years published by [Cambridge University Press](/source/Cambridge_University_Press), the SlimFast programme achieved weight losses of between 5 kg (11 lbs) and 9 kg (19 lbs) after six months compared to a control diet. The results were comparable to that of both the Weight Watchers 'Pure Points' programme and [Rosemary Conley](/source/Rosemary_Conley)'s 'Eat yourself Slim' Diet and Fitness Plan (a low-fat diet popular in the United Kingdom).[16]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-effic_1-0)** Gudzune KA, Doshi RS, Mehta AK, Chaudhry ZW, Jacobs DK, Vakil RM, et al. (2015). ["Efficacy of commercial weight-loss programs: an updated systematic review"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4446719). *Ann Intern Med*. **162** (7): 501–12. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.7326/M14-2238](https://doi.org/10.7326%2FM14-2238). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [4446719](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4446719). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [25844997](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25844997). Review in: Kahan, Scott; Theim, Kelly (2015). "Review: Some commercial or proprietary weight-loss programs increase weight loss". *Annals of Internal Medicine*. **163** (4): JC8. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.7326/ACPJC-2015-163-4-008](https://doi.org/10.7326%2FACPJC-2015-163-4-008). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [26280443](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26280443). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [1586172](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:1586172).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["New! Slim-Fast, pre-digested protein power diet with diet plan for a controlled modified fat (meal supplement) as a diet regimen"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/traverse-city-record-eagle-slim-fast-ad/91946592/), advertisement in *Traverse City (MI) Record-Eagle*, July 11, 1977, p.5; the ad ran the same day in the *Detroit Free Press*, the *Akron (OH) Beacon Journal* and the *Thousand Oaks (CA) Star*

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Our Brands: Foods: SlimFast"](http://www.unilever.ca/ourbrands/foods/SlimFast.asp). *[Unilever](/source/Unilever) Canada*. Retrieved 2007-05-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-fundingu-sf_4-0)** ["History: SlimFast Foods Company"](http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/SlimFast-Foods-Company-Company-History.html). *Funding Universe*. Retrieved 2011-07-18.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Branch, Shelly; Beck, Ernest (2000-04-13). ["Unilever Buys Ben & Jerry's, SlimFast for Over $2.5 Billion"](https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB955522850788928066). *Wall Street Journal*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0099-9660](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0099-9660). Retrieved 2015-04-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Stynes, Tess (2014-07-10). ["Unilever Sells Slim-Fast Brand to Kainos Capital"](https://www.wsj.com/articles/unilever-sheds-slim-fast-brand-1405013326). *Wall Street Journal*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0099-9660](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0099-9660). Retrieved 2015-04-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Commercial agreement signed with KSF Acquisition"](http://www.proactiveinvestors.com/companies/rns/160113opti6516l). *Proactiveinvestors*. Retrieved 11 January 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["West Palm Beach-based CEO Tisi plans Slim-Fast makeover"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180710225204/https://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/business/west-palm-beach-based-ceo-tisi-plans-slim-fast-makeover/ffBbaZFsrxTVuX3JXmktXO/). *mypalmbeachpost*. Archived from [the original](https://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/business/west-palm-beach-based-ceo-tisi-plans-slim-fast-makeover/ffBbaZFsrxTVuX3JXmktXO/) on 2018-07-10. Retrieved 2018-05-29.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Recall"](http://www.slim-fast.com/recall.aspx). *SlimFast*. December 3, 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Slim Fast canned drinks recalled by Unilever"](http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/food/2009/12/05/2009-12-05_slim_fast_canned_drinks_recalled_by_unilever.html). *NY Daily News*. Associated Press. December 5, 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Slim-Fast loses cans in bottled makeover"](http://www.drugstorenews.com/article/slim-fast-loses-cans-bottled-makeover). *Drugstore News*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Splenda parent company acquires SlimFast US brand | Food Business News"](https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/29033-splenda-parent-company-acquires-slimfast-us-brand). *www.foodbusinessnews.net*. Retrieved 2025-09-17.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Glanbia sells SlimFast brand to Heartland Food Products Group"](https://www.foodbev.com/news/glanbia-sells-slimfast-brand-to-heartland-food-products-group). *FoodBev Media*. Retrieved 2025-09-17.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Typhoo Tea owner Supreme buys SlimFast for £20.1 million"](https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/companies/article/supreme-slimfast-acquisition-20-million-deal-dwc6vcskf). *www.thetimes.com*. 2025-10-20. Retrieved 2025-10-22.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["History of Slim-Fast Foods Company – FundingUniverse"](http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/slim-fast-foods-company-history/). *www.fundinguniverse.com*. Retrieved 2019-04-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Morgan, LM; Griffin, BA; Millward, DJ; Delooy, A.; Fox, KR; Baic, S.; Bonham, MP; Wallace, JMW; MacDonald, I.; Taylor, MA; Truby, H. (2009). ["Comparison of the effects of four commercially available weight-loss programmes on lipid-based cardiovascular risk factors"](https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS1368980008003236). *Public Health Nutrition*. **12** (6): 799–807. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1017/S1368980008003236](https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS1368980008003236). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [18647427](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18647427). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [2256339](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:2256339).

## External links

- [Official website](https://slimfast.com/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [SlimFast](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SlimFast) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SlimFast?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.