The meat industry is at war. Multinationals and biotech companies advocate for increased fake meat consumption in a way that is both disrupting and distorting food production. It contributes to an ever-growing trend away from the ecosystem of small to medium-sized meat producers, meat processors, meat processing machinery and services.
The most disturbing part of it all is the veneer of sustainability slapped on any plant-based product that competes directly with meat. The truth of the matter is that Eurocentric veganism is all about replacing one evil with another. When the western diet supplanted many local eating traditions, it gave rise to the modern, unsustainably farmed, meat-based diet.
The environmental argument for veganism follows the same pattern. It does not consider the efficiency of farming ruminating animals where there are lots of lands and limited water.
From a health perspective, meat replacements tend to be higher in sodium and pumped with additives and fillers. This can contribute to a range of illnesses of which high blood pressure is just one. Often, meat replacements do not contain complete proteins with all the amino acids our bodies need to function.
Caterwise is a proud supplier of meat processing businesses. We recognise the potential of private interest and political prejudices to exacerbate social inequality, especially in South Africa, with its checkered past and farming land types.
The World Health Organization recommends animal source foods as sources of high-quality nutrients for infants, and meat is important to the source of some of the most problematic micronutrients. We salute our clients that pack and process meat, as important contributors to a strong and healthy nation.
