Sometimes I must admit I have my naive moments...
A local butcher in a shopping center I shop at sells "veggie burgers". I think probably he doesn't even make them - they have similar ingredients than ones I've seen before in the supermarket. Nothing bad - but not something that is going to fill a person up or provide all that much nutrition in the form of vitamins, minerals and protein - the first and main ingredient is of course - potato. Nothing wrong with them I could see - just not something that could really replace the amount of protein, zinc and certain B vitamins found in meat.
So in the back of my mind I was thinking..."Hmm - Strav, you could take samples of your homemade burger for this guy to sample, and show how much more nutrient dense it is than the veggie burger he's offering, and how tasty too. Maybe he'll be interested in the recipe. You could charge him for it. Think big, Strav..."
Lol. Yes, I actually entertained that thought for a while. Until it dawned on me:
If I owned and operated a meat store - would I have any interest at all in a well prepared, tasty, filling and nutritious veggie burger?
And then I had to admit that the answer is "absolutely not". After all - the ingredients used are very easy to source and very cheap - beans, seeds, flour, various spices. Not many people in the suburbs own pigs, cattle, chickens (well a few, but darn few) - and many wouldn't if they could - too much trouble, smell etc. But these ingredients - I bet a lot of people would just grow them in their yards. No smell. Free, easy food.
And then I thought - Strav - a smart Butcher would absolutely not be interested in a great veggie burger that could actually replace his meat. He would much rather support the rather un-tasty, un-filling, and not very nutrient dense "veggie burger" he's already offering. Yes, he wants people to buy the "healthy" option - and then he wants to see them come back and buy his meat because they were still hungry and ...
You see where I'm going with this, Strav? You see?
Yes, I see.
Now, maybe a vegan restaurant might be interested...
Don't be silly. We live in the internet age you ...you....
ok! ok!