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Launch: taking your weight program from pilot to offer

Reviewed by Dr. Daniel Wallerstorfer, molecular biologist and founder of Novogenia · Updated: 15 October 2026 · Reading time: 9 min

Test kitchen first, then the menu

How do you bring genetics into a weight program without reinventing everything? A primary care team in Canada showed the way. It took a proven group weight-management program and, in half of the groups, added gene-based nutrition information – the NOW trial with 140 participants. The result: the group with genetic counseling adhered better to the fat recommendations over the long term, and their body fat percentage fell more at 3 and 6 months than in the group with the standard program (Horne et al., BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, 2020; Horne et al., Obesity, 2020).

There is a lot to learn from this for your launch: the genetic analysis adds to what you already do well. And a program gets stronger when you try it out on a small scale first. A restaurant tries a new dish in the test kitchen before it goes on the menu. That is exactly what your pilot is: it shows whether processes, conversations and measurements work – before you advertise the offer widely.

The 6 steps at a glance

1. Define your target group and boundaries: Who is the program for – and who is it not for?
2. Choose a partner model: partner shop, white label or your own concept.
3. Set the framework: program components, consent, data protection, advertising, team.
4. Support a pilot group: shared start, fixed period, the same process for everyone.
5. Measure and evaluate: at fixed points, honestly and internally.
6. Package the offer and grow: what has proven itself becomes standard.

Step 1: Who is your program for – and who is it not for?

A clear focus makes your program safer and your results more meaningful. The NOW trial again shows what this can look like. It was open to adults aged 18 and over with a BMI of 25 or more who were willing to undergo genetic testing, had internet access and were not getting weight-loss advice elsewhere at the same time. Pregnancy and breastfeeding were exclusion criteria (Horne et al., Obesity, 2020).

You can use these criteria as a template. Add the situations in which you refer to a physician – such as eating disorders, ongoing treatment with medications or a very high BMI. The full list is in Boundaries: when a physician is needed. In Switzerland, there is more: a health professional listed in Art. 40 GUMV orders the analysis, and the sample is taken in their presence (Art. 34(3) GUMG).

Step 2: The right partner model

Novogenia does not sell directly to consumers but through partners who use the analyses as a tool in their programs. You have three routes to get started:

• Partner shop: You get your own online shop, with no setup fees and a commission on every order. Novogenia ships the kit, runs the analysis and delivers the products.
• White label: The analysis and report run under your brand; the saliva kits are available with your branding if you wish.
• Your own product concept: for example, with personalized supplements under your name.

For a pilot, the partner shop is usually the fastest route because you can start without your own packaging. If you include personalized supplements in the program, you can start small: they are produced from a single unit, and one delivery lasts 90 days. That rhythm works well as a fixed date for a check-in. More in Nutrigenetics as a service: partner and white-label models and Starting small without a minimum order quantity.

Step 3: Set the framework before the first sample goes to the lab

• Program components: analysis, nutrition plan, support and, if desired, supplements – how to combine them is shown in Building a weight-management program.
• Consent: Your clients know what the analysis shows and what it does not, who sees the report and which data you collect for the pilot. Genetic data and data concerning health are special categories of personal data (Art. 9(1) GDPR). Weight and waist circumference can also be health data in a program if they reveal information about a person’s health status (Art. 4(15) GDPR). In Switzerland, health data and genetic data are sensitive personal data (Art. 5(c) FADP/DSG). Details in Genetic data and the GDPR.
• Advertising: Flyers, website and posts have been checked – without weight-loss promises. See Advertising weight loss: what is allowed.
• Team: Everyone who talks to clients knows the process, the report and the referral criteria. Your team can prepare with the free NOVO Academy, for example with the module “The Gene-Diet.”

Step 4: The pilot group – small, clear, well supported

Start with a manageable group that begins together and goes through the same process. That way you see where things get stuck – not just who happens to be especially motivated. Set the period in advance and plan the same appointments for everyone; that makes the progress comparable later.

1. First consultation: clarify goals, expectations and referral criteria; obtain consent.
2. Baseline: record weight, waist circumference, food diary and well-being.
3. Saliva sample: at home or with you – in Switzerland in the presence of the ordering professional.
4. Analysis: 4 days in the lab; use the waiting time for the food diary.
5. Report consultation and plan: agree on a few concrete priorities.
6. Follow-up appointments: regular, with the same measurements.

How to motivate your clients along the way and keep them on track is covered in Coaching and motivation: staying on track.

Step 5: Measure responsibly, evaluate honestly

Weight is not the only number that counts. The NOW trial had body fat percentage as its primary outcome and assessed diet with three 24-hour recalls each at baseline and after 3, 6 and 12 months (Horne et al., 2020). Your pilot needs less – but on the same principle: fixed points, fixed methods.

Three rules for an honest evaluation:

• Everyone counts: Evaluate everyone who started – not just those who stayed the course. Otherwise the result looks better than it is.
• Put it in context: Without a comparison group, a pilot shows how your program runs – not what it achieves for an individual.
• Keep it internal: The results are your tool for learning. Weight figures do not belong in advertising; for foods and supplements, claims about the rate or amount of weight loss are not allowed (Art. 12(b) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006). Evaluate the data in aggregate, without names.

Step 6: From pilot to offer – and growth

What has proven itself in the pilot becomes your standard: process, conversation guide, measurement plan and referral criteria. From these, you put together your offer – for example, a package of analysis, report consultation and follow-up appointments, with personalized supplements on a 90-day rhythm if desired. You set the price yourself; for your own brand, we send you a quote with volume pricing.

And what do you tell prospects who ask whether it works? Something honest and encouraging at the same time: in an internal Novogenia study with 302 people, participants on a gene-based diet lost around 2.4 times more weight than on a standard diet (explanation of the approach of science). That is a study result, not a promise for any individual. Add the independent NOW trial, in which gene-based counseling helped people stick to dietary recommendations better over the long term. There is no guarantee – but there are good reasons, plus your support. How to put the study in context is shown in Gene-based diet: what our study shows.

Three levers help you grow:

• Team: New colleagues learn with the NOVO Academy and your guide from the pilot.
• Languages: Reports are available in up to 18 languages – helpful when your clients speak different native languages.
• Countries: Before each new country, check the local rules for genetic analyses, counseling and advertising – especially in Switzerland.

Tell us about your pilot – what worked and where you need support. Together, we will turn the test kitchen into an offer that lasts.

Checklist for your launch

• Target group, exclusion and referral criteria are defined in writing.
• The partner model is chosen; kits and ordering process have been tested.
• Consent and privacy information cover the genetic analysis and the measurements.
• Advertising has been checked – without weight-loss promises.
• The team is trained and knows the referral criteria.
• The measurement plan is set: what, how, when.
• The evaluation includes all participants and stays internal.
• Switzerland: a professional listed in Art. 40 GUMV is involved, and the sample is taken in their presence.

Frequently asked questions

Related: Building a weight-management program · Nutrigenetics as a service: partner and white-label models · Starting small without a minimum order quantity

Note: This guide is general information for businesses and professionals and does not replace medical or legal advice. The genetic traits determined in a genetic analysis are well documented (each gene included is backed by at least three independent studies); recommendations derived from them are logical conclusions, not scientifically proven. Regulations can change; errors and changes excepted.