I would love to share the story of Veg’N’Fast with you .
It all started with a crazy idea.
Let’s take a Fast-Food, keep the working business concept (Snacks delivered rapidly) and rework everything around it, more than that, make it all energy efficient/cycled, Veg’ and Local.
-The project is to re-imagine the supply chains of the joint to guarantee a Local, Traceable and Organic (up to 150km in winter, less than 20km in summer) supply. It includes dividing the actual kitchen work in two phases, one being for a prep team and the other for a distribution team, working with a 24 hours differential between them.
-Re-imagine the entire interior, keep the FF atmosphere but make Nature the decorator. Install showcases and working systems side by side to turn the free (and energivore) space in showcase for economic alternatives. Integrate new Green techs as tools and as displays and Perma-cultivated edible plant boxes as both decoration and living examples of our supply lines…
-Marketing edge : See techs and concepts in the work while eating the results of the alternative.
Veg’N’Fast was born.
It is still, as in still- (to be) -born.
Why it failed :
-Investors : They loved the concept (100% Veg’ Ff), freaked at the objectives (Local - Organic - Social alternative showcases).
-2 men team : (A designer and A project leader) without base budget or collateral. We could have tried crowd-funding but without a vehicle, even that was an illusion.
-When describing the project, most alter minded people freak(-ed) out because they fail(-ed) to see the cheese in the trap approach of the concept : We make it look like as close as possible to a regular FF joint, it looks different inside but reflexes may nearly stay the same (Counter at the back, open kitchen, fired fries smell, but the client is actually eating the alternative in a shop build on BAT’s and efficient/cycled tech. (Pre-)marketing fucked us up.
-Time: Between family obligations and “feed me” jobs, the project became a pet and not a future.
I’m from the Belgian Ardens(Durbuy) and currently live in Dinant(that would be on the Mass river). I’m well travelled and before the Eco-emergency and the beauty of life at work hit me in the face, I was an Oil guzzler of the worst species, I’m bettering, far from an example yet.
Why come to LOTE5 in Brussels?
First of all, its is close to home this year, a good opportunity to meet the teams and discuss without using resources for nothing. Then I need a reboot, I need an alternative minded network that looks beyond Belgium or its community gardens. I need insights from those who failed harder and maybe managed to start something. And I need mud on my hands, the feeling of being back in the game.