A Snail Farm Reports Theft of €90,000 Worth of Snails
Thieves made off with escargot valued at ninety thousand euros from a farm in northern France that provides for gourmet restaurants.
L'Escargot Des Grands Crus in the Bouzy area, near Reims, stated that its complete stock of fresh and frozen snails was stolen—a “major setback” just ahead of the festive period.
The thieves gained entry to the property during the night leading to Monday, cutting a border fence before accessing storage facilities.
Police were notified later in the week, and officers are currently pursuing leads.
In the meantime, the farm is working to replenish its supplies to satisfy end-of-year demand from clients.
Escargot: A French Gourmet Treat
Escargot are regarded as a culinary specialty in France, typically prepared in garlic butter or wine before being extracted from their shell.
Producers in France typically experience a surge in sales around the month of December, as consumers treat themselves with the specialty for Christmas Eve and New Year’s festivities.
“This is definitely not the type of post we expected we’d share as the festive season approach,” L'Escargot Des Grands Crus wrote in a statement announcing the theft.
The statement continued to describe the event as “surprising, an incomprehension, and a serious setback to the whole staff,” noting, “We are doing everything possible to replenish our inventory to meet the needs of our clients for the festive period.”
Impact of the Theft
Images taken following the theft show shelves and refrigerators almost completely emptied of escargot items.
“A whole section of prepared goods was stolen from the warehouse, and raw material stock from my laboratory,” the farm manager explained.
“This represented my holiday season inventory… We had precisely enough to get through the festive season without any concerns.”
This producer has previously supplied restaurants such as award-winning venues in the region, as well as specialty food shops and private clients.
Currently, the business is working hard to bouncing back and making sure that end-of-year orders can still be met in spite of the major setback.
