French Snail Farm Announces Robbery of €90K Value of Escargot
Thieves made off with escargot valued at ninety thousand euros from a producer in northern France that supplies gourmet restaurants.
The snail farm in Bouzy, close to Reims, stated that its entire inventory of both fresh and frozen snails was taken—a “real blow” just ahead of the holiday season.
The intruders gained entry to the farm during the night leading to Monday, slicing through a border fence before entering storage facilities.
Police received a complaint later in the week, and investigators are now on the trail.
Meanwhile, the farm is striving to replenish its supplies to satisfy holiday demand from customers.
Snails: A French Delicacy
Edible snails are considered a French delicacy, typically cooked in butter with garlic or white wine before being extracted from their shells.
Producers in France often see a increase in demand during the month of December, as consumers indulge with the specialty for Christmas and New Year’s celebrations.
“This is definitely not the kind of announcement we expected we’d share as the holidays approach,” the farm wrote in a statement regarding the theft.
The statement went on to describe the robbery as “a shock, bewildering, and a serious setback to the entire team,” adding, “We are doing everything possible to restock our supplies to meet the needs of our clients for the holidays.”
Consequences of the Robbery
Images captured after the theft reveal racks and freezers nearly completely emptied of snail products.
“A whole section of finished products was stolen from the warehouse, and raw material stock from my production area,” the farm manager commented.
“It was my holiday season inventory… We had precisely enough to manage the festive season without any worries.”
This producer has in the past provided restaurants including Michelin-starred restaurants in the region, as well as delicatessens and individual customers.
At present, the business is focused on bouncing back and ensuring that holiday demand can still be fulfilled despite the major loss.
