SEATTLE (UPI) -- The annual Vegfest convention in Seattle may offer people healthy dietary samples but it certainly does not offer many recipes, attendees learned.

While purveyors at the event are quite open with samples of their health-oriented products, The Seattle Times reported that getting a recipe for the vegetable concoctions was next to impossible.

"We can't tell all our secrets," said Ted Harris, who was offering chicken-less cutlets called "Chick 'n Nuggets" at Saturday's event. "We have a lot of competition out there."

Scott Myers, who was selling the soy-based cheese "Sheese" at the event, concurred with Harris, saying the growth of the vegetarian and vegan food industry has been met with rough competitive tactics.

"It's a pretty cutthroat business," Myers said.

The industry is so hot nearly half of the thousands of people expected to attend the festival will not be vegetarians, Vegetarians of Washington Vice President Stewart Rose told the Times.

That's a shame that they do not have any recipes

the competition is growing in that area