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Thieves steal €90,000 worth of snails from French gourmet farm
Thieves made off with €90,000 (£79,000; $104,000) worth of snails from a farm in northern France, dealing a major blow to the business ahead of the holiday season, when demand for the delicacy peaks.
Theft details
L'Escargot Des Grands Crus, based in Bouzy near Reims, reported the entire stock of fresh and frozen snails was stolen overnight into Monday. The thieves cut through a border fence and broke into farm buildings, but the theft was only reported to police later in the week, according to Franceinfo.
Police are investigating the robbery, while the farm scrambles to restock before year-end demand surges. Edible snails, or escargots, are a prized French delicacy, often prepared in garlic butter or wine.
Impact on the farm
The farm, which supplies Michelin-starred restaurants like Les Crayères in Reims, as well as delicatessens and private clients, called the theft "a shock, an incomprehension, and a real blow to the entire team."
"This is definitely not the kind of post we thought we'd write as the holidays approach," the farm stated on Thursday.
Photos from the scene show nearly empty shelves and refrigerators where snail products were stored. Jean-Mathieu Dauvergne, the farm's manager, told Franceinfo that "a whole section of finished products was stolen from the store, and raw material stock from my laboratory."
"It was my end-of-year stock... We had just the right amount to get through the holidays without any worries," Dauvergne said.
Holiday season demand
Snail producers in France typically see a spike in sales in December, as consumers purchase the delicacy for Christmas and New Year's celebrations. The farm is now working to replenish supplies to meet customer orders.
